The Hall of Fame celebration brought five new names to Canton, but one notable name was still missing: Mike Shanahan. Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Luke Kuechly, Larry Fitzgerald and Adam Vinatieri entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame this time, while the Broncos’ two-time Super Bowl-winning coach still didn’t get the honor. However, Broncos legend Shannon Sharpe strongly supported Shanahan’s case for induction.

“I think Mike Shanahan is starting to get some support,” Broncos former tight end Shannon Sharpe said on the Nightcap podcast. “And I think he should because there are guys that have fewer Super Bowl wins than Mike Shanahan. What he did in Denver, how do you tell the story of the Broncos and the back-to-back champion without telling Mike Shanahan’s story, being a part of it? I think he’s more than deserving.”

Mike Shanahan built a strong legacy with the Broncos. He led Denver to Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII wins, becoming one of only seven coaches in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls. During his time in Denver, the Broncos went 138-86 in the regular season.

Shanahan’s offenses were also very strong. He helped build two of the first six NFL teams to score more than 500 points in a season with the 1994 San Francisco 49ers and 1998 Denver Broncos. From 1992 to 1998, his offenses finished among the league’s top three in total offense, showing how consistently successful they were.

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His best run came from 1996 to 1998. During those three seasons, Shanahan led Denver to an NFL-record 46 wins. The Broncos won 82.1% of their games and had an incredible 27-1 record at home.

That’s exactly why Shannon Sharpe is advocating for his Hall of Fame honor. Even ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed the same back in 2024 on his podcast.

“I do know, having been a voter for four or five years in the past, that if I were in that room, you would have my undivided support,” Schefter said, making a case for Shanahan. “And I certainly hope there are enough other people that also feel that way. Again, when you have the records that you do, the marks that you set, the championships that you have, the MVPs you coached and the coaching tree you produced, this should be, to me, if you don’t mind me saying, a no-brainer.”

Now, with so many voices raising their voices for Mike Shanahan’s Hall of Fame honors, let’s wait and see if the NFL finally inducts him to be one.