DENVER -- As the 2015 Broncos gathered in their locker room early Sunday evening to await the delivery of their rings, another group of Broncos, already brandishing jewelry of their own, gathered in a nearby room.
They, too, had long awaited this moment.
Steve Atwater, Terrell Davis, Ed McCaffrey, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith and Alfred Williams were dressed for the moment, too. With Super Bowl rings from the 1997 and 1998 seasons already in their possession, they were there to welcome the 2015 edition of the Broncos to their exclusive club.
They would deliver the keys to unlock the gold boxes that awaited each member of the 2015 Broncos -- boxes that included a commemorative game ball, and, of course, 10-karat, white-and-yellow-gold rings festooned with 212 diamonds.