PALM BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Shanahan opted for a moment of diplomacy.
Asked Tuesday morning during the NFC coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings whether it’s been frustrating to watch his dad, Mike, get passed over several times for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the San Francisco coach smiled.
“I don’t want to upset anybody, so I’m not too frustrated,” he said. “I think it’s a matter of time.”
Mike Shanahan, of course, was a finalist in the coaching category each of the past two years. The winningest coach in Broncos history, however, has not yet heard his name called. Shanahan is one of seven coaches in league history to win back-to-back Super Bowls and one of nine to have at least 175 total wins and multiple Super Bowl titles to his name.
The wide assumption, though, is he’ll have to wait at least another year now that six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick is eligible for induction in the Class of 2026. The coaching candidate put forward in 2025, Mike Holmgren, did not receive the needed 80% of votes from the selection committee and thus was not inducted.
The younger Shanahan thinks his dad will get in at some point.
“There’s a number of good coaches in line,” Kyle Shanahan said. “I think all of them will get in eventually. You could sit here and be upset about the order it goes or whatever, but I know he deserves it. I know other people do, too, and hopefully he’ll be in sooner than later.”
Strong attendance expected. The Broncos begin their offseason program later this month.
The opening weeks under Payton have been exclusively weight training and running. Then in May, Denver will get on the field for organized team activities, a rookie minicamp after the draft and then mandatory minicamp in June.
Payton on Monday said he expects another year of strong attendance for the voluntary part of the program.
“We have a lot of players who are already back lifting and working out which is great, especially this time of the year,” Payton said. “There are some cities that the offseason is more challenging relative to attendance. Fortunately for us, that’s not a big challenge for us. I think players generally want to train at altitude and at our facilities.
“They’ve had two years of it now and to see where we’re at relative to health and safety, injury data. We were first in the league again (in fewest games missed due to injury). It’s easy to sell. It’s easy to say, ‘We’re on the right path.’ I think there’s that confidence level that you have to have with your team.”
Abrams-Draine a nice surprise. As Denver’s 2024 rookie class got rolling last year, it quickly became clear several players would contribute.
Quarterback Bo Nix won the starting job, of course, but also outside linebacker Jonah Elliss worked his way into the defensive rotation quickly and receiver Devaughn Vele stood out from the spring onward.
One player who didn’t: Fifth-round cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine.
“He was probably the rookie that we felt was furthest behind after OTAs and the summer,” general manager George Paton said Monday. “Then we got into training camp and he kept making plays and it just wasn’t too big for him.
Abrams-Draine, though, was down the depth chart in a talented, deep cornerback group.
He got thrown into a hot spot in December, however, against Cleveland after Jerry Jeudy spent much of a Monday night game throttling veteran Levi Wallace.
Abrams-Draine acquitted himself well, earned trust quickly and now is an interesting part of the picture going into his second pro season.
“He has unique cover skills, really good instincts, and he doesn’t get fazed,” Paton said. “We’re really encouraged with him.”
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