Some of you may know that I am President of the Denver Broncos Quarterback Club, a long time booster club for the team. Tonight for our kickoff meeting for the 2018 season we featured Broncos Ring of Famer and all time sacks leader Simon Fletcher as our guest speaker. As you can see from the picture above Simon is still in great shape!
Simon told us he was drafted by Dan Reeves and the Broncos in 1985, He was told before the draft that Denver was looking to take him in the second round, but when the Broncos took wide receiver Vance Johnson earlier in the second round he figured he would go to the Steelers or the Redskins, teams that also expressed interest in Simon before the draft. But Dan Reeves traded for another second round pick and nabbed Simon for the Broncos (pick #54 overall in the 1985 draft)
Simon told of when he first met Dan Reeves after the draft. "Are you Simon Fletcher?" Reeves asked. "Where's the rest of you?" It seems the scouts had told Reeves Simon was 270 pounds, but at the time Simon weighed in a 221 pounds. "We better fatten you up," Reeves told him.
Simon told us about his long Bronco career. "I didn't start until my 3rd year," he said. In his 11 year Broncos career he never missed a game due to injury, He was very appreciative of the Bronco fans. When he arrived in Denver he was a single Dad with a young daughter named Ashley. "The Denver fans were great in welcoming me and Ashley," he said, "they gave Ashley so many stuffed animals I couldn't count them all." To this day Simon says he doesn't turn down a request from Bronco fans (we at the QB Club were very appreciative of him driving down from Cheyenne to speak to us tonight)
Simon took questions from the fans:
"Who was your favorite quarterback to sack?"
Whoever was wearing Silver and Black, replied Simon. That drew quite a cheer from our Raider hating group!
"Who was the best offensive lineman you played against?"
Gary Zimmerman. Wade Phillips was smart enough to move me to the other side against the Vikings, though, and I had 4 sacks that day (his 4 sacks in one game still is tied for a franchise record)
"What was it like to play for Joe Collier?"
Joe Collier was on the Ring of Fame committee when they selected me, so I am very appreciative of that. Joe's defenses were as complicated as Dan Reeves' offenses. He was so thorough - we practiced against all different types of formations. Joe would put you in position to make plays. Joe was also no nonsense - you worked hard or you didn't play.
"What do you think of the new NFL tackling rules?"
For what we were paid my entire salary would go towards fines! A defensive player has to defend himself when the ball carrier lowers his shoulder.
Simon told other stories this night, entertaining a packed house at our Quarterback club meeting. Afterwards he met with each fan individually to sign autographs and take pictures. It was a great night of interacting with one of the Broncos' all time best players!
Today Simon runs a barbeque business. He currently lives in Cheyenne and told us of his plans to open his own restaurant in Milliken, Colorado later this year or in the Spring.
Our meeting also featured an old time jersey display from our Vice President Tom Jacobsen's collection - featuring star defensive players of the Broncos past. And one of the original Bronco striped socks, from Tom's collection, was on display too!
The Denver Broncos QB Club will have more meetings this Fall - for more information visit the club's website.
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