With the 20th pick, the Denver Broncos select...

When those words were spoken at the 1989 NFL draft, the answer to that question was the name of someone who would become a fan favorite, Super Bowl Champion, Ring of Famer and finally, Hall of Famer.

“With the 20th pick, the Denver Broncos select….Steve Atwater”

For Broncos Country, it is ‘The Hit’ that is imprinted on fans' minds - old and young - Steve Atwater laying out Christian Okoye.

September 17th, 1990, the Broncos were playing the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The legend of Okoye was established by then having been in the league since being drafted in 1987. The Nigerian Nightmare, as he was aptly named, had been bulldozing defenders with his 6’1” 253 pound frame.

“Dennis Smith and I talked in the meeting room and we noticed that a lot of the players that played against him tried to go low or wait til he passed by and jumped on his back,” Atwater said.  

“Dennis being the older guy, he told me ‘Hey, we got to hit him straight up’.”

And hit him straight up he did!  

As Al Michales said on the broadcast that night, “Who else could do that but Atwater?”.  The answer was - not many folks at all.  

Steve Atwater, the ‘Smiling Assassin’, played 10 years for the Broncos, is a back to back Super Bowl Champion and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the class of 2020.

This helmet is the helmet worn by Atwater during that Monday Night Game and throughout the 1990 season, including the Pro Bowl.  The hit marks and gouges are throughout, evident of the physical style of play that Steve brought to the field.

Atwater’s 1990 helmet, worn all season including on Monday Night Football when he put the big hit on

Atwater’s 1990 helmet, worn all season including on Monday Night Football when he put the big hit on

Here you can see the large white hit mark on the center blue stripe. This is also visible on many o

The off set numbers on the helmet are visible in this photo as well as the screen grab from the Mond

Here you can see the large white hit mark on the center blue stripe. This is also visible on many o

To help protect an injury Steve sustained earlier, the larger facemask was added to his helmet for t

Why did Atwater call it ‘The Ugly Helmet’?

Prior to the week 12 game of the 1990 season vs the Detroit Lions, Steve was injured.  Prior to the Lion’s game, Steve’s normal facemask was replaced with a larger cage mask with the thought that it would help provide extra protection.  

Atwater’s thoughts when he saw the new facemask?

“Man, when I saw that helmet in my locker with that big mask I just thought ‘Damn, that’s ugly!;” 

Broncos Country may disagree, to us it’s beautiful!

So as we all wait to see who the Broncos will pick in this year’s draft, here’s hoping they find another ‘Smiling Assassin’ at the 20th pick!