Simon Fletcher played for the Denver Broncos for his entire career in the National Football League – 11 seasons from 1985 through 1995. To say he left an indelible mark during those years would be an understatement, just like the ones the quarterbacks he sacked left in the turf from coast-to-coast.
A native of Bay City, Texas, a small town about 80 miles southwest of Houston, and a graduate of Bay City High School which has produced more than its fair share of football and basketball athletes, safe to say he’s among the most notable this once oil-rich city has ever produced. Fletcher signed with the University of Houston where he lettered at linebacker from 1982 through 1984, recording 209 tackles which included 14 quarterback sacks.
The Broncos selected the 6-foot-5, 240 pound defender in the second round of the ’85 NFL Draft – the 54th pick overall. The only players drafted on defense ahead of him who would be in the league longer than Fletcher’s 11 were Pro Football Hall of Famers, Bruce Smith and Chris Doleman, the first and fourth picks, respectively.
He led the Broncos in quarterback sacks seven straight season, from 1988 through 1994; only Von Miller led the team more times (eight, with a max of six straight). He finished his career as Denver’s all-time sack leader with 97½, which remains second to Miller in the Bronco record book. He recorded double figures in sacks for five straight season, which included a career-high season of 16 in the ’92 season.
He still shares the team record of four sacks in a single game, which he had against the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 4, 1990, and at one time, he was the co-holder of the NFL record with 10 consecutive games with at least one quarterback sack (over the ’92 and ’93 seasons). Of the 29 different teams Denver faced during his career, he had at least one full sack against 22 of them.
He appeared in 172 games for the Broncos, which included 143 starts – every game in the final nine season of his career. In addition to his sack count, he was in on 828 total tackles, forced 20 fumbles with 10 recoveries, and had two interceptions. He topped 100 tackles on two occasions, with 115 in 1989 and 105 in 1989, while making 99 in both 1992 and 1993.
Playing under head coach Dan Reeves, Wade Phillips and Mike Shanahan, as well as renowned defensive coordinator Joe Collier, Denver won three AFC championships and four AFC West Divisions titles during his time on the team. The Broncos were 100-74-1 those 11 seasons, including an 11-5 record in 1989 when Denver led the NFL in fewest points allowed (226, or 14.1 per game) and were third in total defense, one of the best defensive seasons in franchise history with Fletcher playing a major role.
He was Denver’s three-time defensive MVP (1988, 1992, 1993) and was a second-team All-NFL performer in ’93.
In 2009, DenverBroncos.com held a two-month voting process where fans would select Denver’s 50th Anniversary team, he was one of 24 players selected, joining Rich Jackson at the defense end position. He was inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 2016.
By David Plati, University of Colorado: Historian / SID-Emeritus
