Patch Foxborough, MA --Foxborough native Tom Nalen, who turned 42 on May 13, received a late birthday present from the Denver Broncos on May 22^nd when the team informed its former offensive lineman he had been selected to the organization’s Ring of Fame.
“It's pretty exciting for me," Nalen said via DenverBroncos.com.
Nalen played 15 year in the NFL – all with the Denver Broncos – and helped pave the way for 11 1,000-yard rushers and won two Super Bowls with future Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. Nalen started 188 games in his career, earning five Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro selections. Following the 2003 season, he earned the NFL's Offensive Lineman of the Year award.
The former Foxborough High School standout retired in 2009 after suffering a torn bicep in 2008.
While Nalen has the credentials to be an NFL Hall of Famer, he acknowledges he may never get there because of the position – offensive line - he played in the league … something he is perfectly fine with.
For Nalen, honors like the Ring of Fame in Denver and retired jerseys at Foxborough High School and Boston College are more important than the Hall of Fame because of where those respective honors came from.
“It's the best honor a player can get,” said Nalen via DenverBroncos.com. “People say Hall of Fame … I don't believe that because the Hall of Fame doesn't really know you. Your team knows you. …
“Very similar [honor] to Foxborough High School and Boston College, where they knew who you were, and you spent four years in high school and four and a half years in college, and those are the people that know you best, much like the Broncos knew me best here. … This [Ring of Fame] honor is equivalent to the college and high school honor.”
In Foxborough, Nalen’s jersey hangs proudly inside the high school’s gymnasium, reminding the community that their local star’s grit, hard work and toughness epitomize the soul and character of their hometown.
Nalen was born in Foxborough on Many 13, 1971 and grew up on Mechanic Street. He played football for the Warriors (Class of 1989) under head coach Jack Martinelli and went on to play Division 1 at Boston College. To this day, Nalen remains arguably the best player to ever come out of the richly talented Hockomock League.
At BC, Nalen earned numerous postseason awards, including a third-team Associated Press All-America honor and second-team All Big East and first-team ECAC honor, despite being an undersized lineman by the standards of many professional scouts.
On draft day in 1994, Nalen’s size – 6-foot-3, 285 pounds – dropped him to the seventh round when the Denver Broncos decided to take a chance on a kid from Foxborough with the 218^th selection.
That “chance” turned into one of the Broncos best offensive linemen for over a decade and now, one of the best players to ever wear the Denver uniform.
On Sept. 29, Nalen will be recognized as the 24^th member inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame during halftime of Denver’s Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Never one for the spotlight, Nalen hopes the 76,000 fans inside Sports Authority Field at Mile High will be making their way to the concessions when it’s time for him to speak.
“At halftime I hope there aren’t 76,000 fans there,” Nalen told Denver media at a recent press conference. “Hopefully [the fans] will be getting a beer when I’m speaking for 12 seconds. I’m not looking forward to that at all, no. I think I’ll put my helmet on and feel much more comfortable.”
While he may not be looking forward to speaking at the ceremony, Nalen admitted he was excited to have his name included with the organization’s all-time greats inside the stadium.
"That's pretty cool," Nalen said via DenverBroncos.com. "My name's going to be in the stadium. … It's pretty wild."
An honor he is already planning to use at home.
“It’s pretty cool that I have that [Ring of Fame honor] in my back pocket,” Nalen said. “[I can tell my kids that] ‘Daddy’s name is going to be on the stadium so do your damn homework.’”
**Nalen’s Best Football Memories**
From Super Bowls to John Elway, Nalen shared some of his best memories over his 15-year career.
“Super Bowls are obvious,” Nalen said. “Especially that ‘97 season. We were 11-4 and just lost to San Francisco on a Monday night and the town was doubting us. Even though we were 11-4, the Chiefs were number one in our division. So for us to play Jacksonville, Kansas City and Pittsburgh [in the playoffs] – teams that beat us [in the regular season and last year’s playoffs] – and then to play Green Bay [in the Super Bowl] was a great feeling … it was a great ending to the season. …
“More than that, the friendships I’ve made with teammates. I think that means a lot more than any win or loss. …
“I was intimidated by John Elway. His last year in ‘98 was my fifth year [in the league] and I couldn’t get the strength to go up and ask him for his autograph. … I just couldn’t do it. …
“Some guys I had to play against – Ted Washington was close to 400 pounds – there were some big human beings I had to block. I think there is a cap to how big an offensive lineman can be and still be effective. If I was drafting a center, 285 pounds would not scare me in the slightest because you can use that to your advantage.”
**Life After Football**
Nalen currently co-hosts the Denver radio show, Les and Tom Nalen, on 102.3 ESPN Radio from noon to 3 p.m. on weekdays and love its.
“It’s been great,” Nalen said. “It challenges me. Football season is easy to talk about but expanding [is a challenge]. I’m a sports fan. I love sports and love to talk about hockey. It’s a good challenge for me, for three years I did nothing more but drive my kids around to crappy sporting events and coach high school football so this is good.”
**Is There Still a Future in Football?**
Nalen admitted he would love to coach football at a higher level than high school but hasn’t been able to find a team interested in his services.
“I’ve tried,” Nalen said. “Obviously I did the high school thing; I spent three years at Denver South, and then I was at Aurora Central last year. But I can no longer coach high school football. I just felt like it’s too remedial from an X’s and O’s standpoint. I’ve tried. I’ve put resumes out to 50 different colleges. I tried through the NFL to get a job.”
For now, radio, family and honors like this will more than suffice for the Foxborough legend.
“It's an awesome honor," said Nalen. "It really is." Reported by Patch 3 days ago.