KNOW YOUR 1980s DENVER BRONCOS
This week, #76, Ken Lanier.
Ken Lanier wearing some tall socks and putting a shot at FSU
Ken was a critical member of the Broncos’ revolutionary offensive line of the 1980s. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 1981 draft and spent all but one of his fourteen years with the team. He generally played right tackle. Like Keith Bishop (previously featured on KNOW YOUR 1980s DENVER BRONCOS), Ken was lighter and more athletic than the typical offensive lineman of his day. He fit in with the club’s approach of eschewing oversized players in favor of more athletic lineman. Year after year the team had one of the lightest lines in the league. Their more nimble offensive line specialized in zone blocking techniques (very effective for creating running lanes but not without controversy). His athleticism had helped him become a two-sport star at Florida State, and his 1979 school shot put record still stands*.
He played in Super Bowl XXI, in which the Broncos were pummeled by the New York Giants 39-20, Super Bowl XXII, in which the Broncos were pummeled by the Washington Native Americans 42-10, and Super Bowl XXIV, in which the Broncos were pummeled by the San Francisco 49ers 55-10.
So what makes Ken Lanier so awesome? Longevity and reliability. Thirteen years as a Bronco, plus from 1982-1992 he missed only five starts. This continued a trend he’d begun during his college years, where he was known as the Ironman for starting 46 straight games (every single game of his college career).
After retirement from football, Ken embarked on numerous business ventures in the Denver area. Unfortunately they have not been as successful as his playing career. A recent Rocky Mountain News profile detailed his declaration of bankruptcy owing to compounding business debts. Hopefully Ken (and the rest of the economy) will pull through, like a right tackle plowing over an overmatched defensive end.
*According to the FSU fan site I found the shot put picture at and my copy of the 1982 Broncos’ Yearbook. So it seems possible his record may have since been bested.
