Shanahan and Reeves Join Belichick in 2027 Hall of Fame Coach Finalists

Two former Denver Broncos coaches, Mike Shanahan and Dan Reeves, are part of a five-person slate of finalists for the 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The group also includes Bill Belichick, Mike Holmgren, and Tom Coughlin. All five men coached in at least two Super Bowls.

A subcommittee reduced an original list of 14 coaches to this final group. The committee meets on Nov. 17 to pick one candidate to send to the full voting board. Belichick is viewed as the front-runner because of his six Super Bowl titles as a head coach.

Shanahan appears next in line after Belichick. He won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Broncos and served as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers when they won the championship in 1994. His 178 career wins tie him for 19th place in NFL history. He has been a finalist in the coach category for three consecutive years: 2023, 2025, and 2026.

Former Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey and other players have pushed for Shanahan’s induction. Shanahan and Reeves had a complicated history. Reeves fired Shanahan as offensive coordinator in 1992 over tensions involving quarterback John Elway. Shanahan returned as head coach three years later.

The two met in the Super Bowl in 1998. Shanahan coached the Broncos, while Reeves coached the Falcons. The Broncos defeated the Falcons 34-19. Shanahan described their relationship simply. “We were best friends,” he said.

Reeves led the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances in 1986, 1988, and 1989, losing all three. He also coached the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl loss. His 201 career wins as a head coach are tied for ninth all time, one spot ahead of current Broncos coach Sean Payton. Marv Levy and Bud Grant, who also went 0-4 in Super Bowls, were enshrined in 2001 and 1994, respectively.

Reeves died on Jan. 1, 2022.