ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- They long ago buried their feud. Now, John Elway and Dan Reeves will share a facade.
Elway's former coach was elected into the Denver Broncos' Ring of Fame on Tuesday along with former halfback/kicker Gene Mingo and returner/receiver Rick Upchurch.
They will be inducted at halftime of the Broncos' Sept. 14 game against Kansas City at Sports Authority Field.
"Dan won a tremendous amount of football games as head coach of Broncos. We had an opportunity to experience three Super Bowls in a four-year period and enjoyed a lot of success as a team. I have a great deal of appreciation for what Dan helped us achieve," Elway, now the team's executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "He's a great football coach and is very deserving of this honor. I'm happy for Dan and his family, and I'm looking forward to his induction into the Ring of Fame."
Reeves, whose intensifying clashes with his star QB led to his dismissal after a disappointing 1992 season, said that "when you look at it, John was a big part of my coaching career."
"We won over 100 games," he said. "I have a great deal of respect for him as a player, and what he's accomplished. Now he's got on the other side and he sees how that part of it works. I just have a great deal of respect for John and I'm thrilled to death that ... both of us will be in it together."
The first black placekicker in pro football history, Mingo played for the Broncos from 1960-64 and served as a catalyst during the franchise's formative years.
Upchurch spent his entire nine-year career in Denver from 1974-83, making the Pro Bowl four times and earning five All-Pro honors as a returner. His eight career punt return TDs still rank tops in team history.
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