MIAMI – Parting with a second consecutive Super Bowl championship could be a sweet sorrow for another wise and weather-beaten Bronco besides John Elway. Is it going to be all Atwater under the bridge on Sunday for the Broncos’ free safety, too?
Steve Atwater, two seasons removed from the last of seven consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, may hang his uniform on the same hook as the quarterback’s. The defensive back, now being replaced on third downs by George Coghill, has lost a step, has had four shoulder operations, and has a hefty $2.8 million salary against next year’s salary cap that Mike Shanahan likely will want to put toward somebody else.
With one ring on his finger and a second one sized, Atwater has a strong desire for an exit befitting the classy way he has handled himself throughout his 10 NFL seasons. He does not rule out taking a pay cut or moving on to another team. But when he leaves for his place along a lake in his native North Carolina, it will be in a car, not in a huff.
“I want to be a guy that when it’s over I don’t want to have a hatred for the organization or a dislike for certain individuals,” he said. “A lot of guys went away like that but I want to cherish my relationships because that’s the biggest thing that I’ll take from here – that and our Super Bowl victory.
“That was huge. When you play in a game like that and you don’t have the success, it’s one of the memories you want to put in the back of your mind. Your team wins, it’s something you take with you the rest of your life.
“I just want to make sure that whether it ends this year or next year or regardless, that I enjoy these last few years.”