Dan Reeves' death: What happened to the legendary Broncos HC?
The start of 2022 begins on a sad note as the NFL community mourns the death of Dan Reeves. The legendary head coach has been called by many pundits the greatest coach in NFL history to never win a Super Bowl ring. The Denver Broncos legend was 77 when he passed away Saturday due to complications from a long-term illness.
Reeves' death comes a handful of days after the NFL tragically lost former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden. The Broncos have also dealt with the tragic death of legend Demaryius Thomas within the past month.
Reeves may never have won the big one, but he's a legendary figure in Broncos history.
Dan Reeves passed away early this morning at age 77. Won 2 Super Bowl rings as @DallasCowboys player & asst. coach, then won 201 games (including 11 in the playoffs) & made 4 SB appearances as @Broncos @NYGIants & @AtantaFalcons head coach. NFL legend but even better person. RIP
Dan Reeves' death: Legendary Broncos HC dies at age 77 due to complications from long-term illness
Dan Reeves is best known for his 12 seasons spent on the Broncos sideline. In those seasons, he took the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances. Unfortunately for him, he was never able to win in three tries. His three Super Bowl trips with the Broncos happened over four years.
After moving on from the Broncos after the 1992 season, Reeves spent the next four seasons as the head man of the New York Giants. Those seasons were more uneventful in comparison to the dominance his Broncos displayed. After two straight losing seasons in 1995 and 1996, the Giants went in a new direction.
The Atlanta Falcons were the last coaching job Reeves held in the NFL. Reeves spent seven seasons with the team before being fired by the Falcons after Week 14 in 2003. Reeves took the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 1998, where he coincidentally lost to the Broncos.
Despite his losses as a coach, Reeves won a Super Bowl as a player with the Dallas Cowboys in 1971. Reeves was a running back on the Cowboys from 1966 through 1971 and ended his playing career on a high note.
Dan Reeves and Marty Schottenheimer need to have gold jackets and 2022 is the year to make that happen. I will try my hardest to make that happen.
Reeves isn't a member of the Hall of Fame, despite appearing in the third-most Super Bowls in NFL history. But Reeves was a Hall of Fame-worthy person, as tributes from former players and people who knew Reeves poured through social media immediately upon news of his passing.
When it came to being a true professional, Dan Reeves was as exemplary as anyone. Our thoughts at Sportskeeda go out to the Reeves family and those who mourn his loss.