History of the Denver Broncos
Encyclopedia
The history of the Denver Broncos
American football
club began when the team was charter
ed a member of the American Football League
(AFL) in 1960. The Broncos have played in the city of Denver, Colorado
throughout their nearly 50 year history. The Broncos did not win any championships as members of the AFL. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger
, the Broncos have won ten division
titles, and played in six Super Bowl
s, following the 1977
, 1986
, 1987
, 1989
, 1997
and 1998
seasons. They won Super Bowl XXXII
and Super Bowl XXXIII
. Their most famous player is former quarterback
John Elway
, starting quarterback in five Super Bowls and holder of many NFL records. The Broncos currently play in the National Football League’s
American Football Conference West Division (AFC West). Their current leadership includes owner Pat Bowlen
, head coach John Fox, and quarterback Tim Tebow
.
For much of their first three decades, excluding teams in Texas
, they were the only major pro football team between Kansas City and California (and the only team in the Interior West). This distinction ended in 1988, when the Cardinals
moved from St. Louis to the Phoenix area. The Broncos remain the only current AFC West (formerly AFL West) team to never relocate or change its nickname.
owner Bob Howsam
was awarded an American Football League
charter franchise. Howsam had originally wanted to bring an expansion NFL franchise to Denver, but were denied a team by NFL owners under the leadership of Chicago Bears
owner George Halas
. The snub led Howsam and four others to start up a rival to the NFL which would begin play the following year. The Broncos received their nickname through a fan contest held in 1960.
Denver had the worst record of any original AFL team, with a record of 39–97–4 in the league. They were the only original AFL team never to have played in the title game during the upstart league's 10-year history. Despite their lack of early success, the Broncos produced some memorable games, such as the 38–38 tie against the Buffalo Bills
in 1960. They were the first AFL team ever to defeat an NFL team, on August 5, 1967 when they beat the Detroit Lions
13–7 in a preseason game. The Broncos were also the first American professional football team to have an African-American placekicker, Gene Mingo
, the first to have a receiver with 100 receptions in a season, Lionel Taylor
, and the first starting African-American quarterback of the modern era, Marlin Briscoe
.
), longtime home of the Denver Bears. Their head coach was Frank Filchock
, who choose Frank Tripucka
as the Broncos' first starting quarterback. The Broncos won their first game, also the first AFL game, 13–10 over the Boston Patriots. However, the Broncos would end the season with a 4–9–1 record. After the season, Howsam, looking to sell his holdings in the Broncos, nearly made a deal with a San Antonio syndicate, but eventually a group led by Calvin Kunz purchased Howsam’s shares. At this point, Gerald Phipps became the Broncos largest stockholder.
, who ritualistically burned the Broncos vertically-striped socks prior to the new season. Faulkner led them to a 7–7 record in 1962, their best record in the AFL. This .500 season was not, however, a prelude to success, as the Broncos would lose at least 10 games each of the next five years, during which they were led by four different coaches and over half a dozen starting quarterbacks.
replaced Faulkner five games into the 1964 season, breaking an eleven game losing streak by beating Kansas City 37-33. However, the Broncos would only win one more game in 1964, ending the season with a 2–11–1 record. The team improved only marginally in 1965, finishing with a 4-10 record. In the first game of the 1966 season, a 45–7 loss to Houston, the Broncos failed to record a first down and finished with only 26 yards of total offense, including −7 yards passing. After the 2nd game, Speedie resigned and was replaced by interim head coach Ray Malavasi
, under whom the Broncos finished the season 4–10.
Denver came close to losing the Broncos in 1965, when a group of minority partners joined together with the intent to sell the team to interests based in Atlanta. However, a different pair of owners, Alan and Gerald Phipps
, bought the team (along with Bears Stadium) and kept them in Denver. In the aftermath of the near loss of what was Denver's only professional sports team at the time, season ticket sales nearly tripled the following year.
, coach of the two-time defending AFL champion Buffalo Bills
, as head coach. Saban's first order of business was to generate interest in the team to keep them in Denver. Playing at antiquated Bears Stadium, the Broncos needed to expand the stadium to 50,000 in order to meet the NFL's requirements for the merger. This required raising funds from businesses and the people of Denver. If unable to raise the necessary funds, the team was threatening to move to Chicago or Birmingham.
Saban decided to use his #1 pick for an impact player. With the 6th pick, he chose Syracuse All-America Floyd Little
, the first 3-time All-America since Doak Walker
. With the Broncos' past #1 picks, such as Dick Butkus
and Merlin Olsen
, fleeing to the NFL, Little became the first #1 pick to sign with the team. His signing created a landslide of enthusiasm for the Broncos. Little and other Broncos went door-to-door to elicit funds for the stadium, and he even rode buses to Wyoming
, Nebraska
and other nearby states to bring in money. In doing so, Little became known as "The Franchise" for his tireless efforts to keep the team in Denver.
Little proved to be every ounce as valuable on the field for the Broncos as well. Saban kept 26 rookies his first season including Little, along with numerous 2nd and 3rd year players. Little was the only bright spot in a dismal 3–11 season. He led the AFL and NFL in punt returns with a blistering 17-yard average. He also led the league in combined yards (rushing, receiving and returns). In 1968, he led the league again in combined yards and became the only player in either league to return a punt for a touchdown in both seasons.
In 1969, Little was clearly the best back in both the AFL or NFL. After just six games, he was more than 300 yards ahead of all running backs, piling up 700 yards when he tore up his knee and missed most of the season. He was named All-AFL for his efforts. In 1970, despite playing with a broken bone in his back and having a record 5 different starting quarterbacks, Little led the AFC in rushing.
In 1971, Little did it again. He not only lead the AFC in rushing, but also out-rushed any NFL player with 1,133 yards. However, even with Little's superb prowess and the likes of defensive end Rich Jackson
creating havoc on defense, Saban could not bring the Broncos success. He finished in last place in the division in all 5 years of his tenure.
in Denver's first-ever Monday Night Football
appearance that is still remembered as a pivotal game in Broncos history. During this game, announcer Don Meredith
famously told the audience: "Welcome to the Mile High City and I really am!" The second game of the 1974 season was a 35–35 tie with the Steelers, the first tie to take place under the NFL's new overtime rules. The year ended at 7–6–1, for another winning record. In 1975, the Broncos dropped to 6–8, the final season for running back Floyd Little. Otis Armstrong
took his place, and despite finishing 9–5 in 1976, the playoffs still eluded them.
, along with the Orange Crush Defense
(a nickname originating in the early '70s) and aging quarterback Craig Morton
, led the Broncos to a miracle season in 1977. The team won the division with a 12–2 record, beating an injury-rattled Steelers team 34–21. In the conference championship, they faced their division rival and defending Super Bowl champion Raiders, winning a close game 20–17 and sending them to Super Bowl XII. Facing the Dallas Cowboys in the New Orleans Superdome, the Broncos played sloppily the entire game, turning the ball over eight times. They were ultimately crushed 27–10 by the Cowboys. Despite this disappointing loss to Dallas, their amazing season catapulted the franchise out of the basement and they since have enjoyed thirty years of consistency that few other teams have matched. The successful season also brought the phenomena of “Broncomania” to a fever pitch, with the team the talk of the town, selling 65,000 Super Bowl t-shirts in 48 hours. Earlier that year, superfan
Tim McKernan, better known simply as The Barrel Man, began wearing only an orange-colored aluminum barrel, boots and a cowboy hat to games, a ritual he would repeat for thirty years. The 1978 season saw the Broncos finish 10–6 (the season having been extended to 16 games) and win the division again, but they were routed out of the playoffs by the Steelers in a 33–10 loss. Another 10–6 season and a playoff appearance followed in 1979, but three division losses reduced the Broncos to a wild card team. They lost to the Houston Oilers
13–7 in the Astrodome.
Quarterback
John Elway
arrived in 1983. Originally drafted
by the Baltimore Colts
as the first pick of the draft, Elway proclaimed that he would shun football in favor of baseball
(he was drafted by the New York Yankees
to play center field) unless he was traded to one of a selected list of other teams, which included Denver. During the 23 seasons prior to Elway's arrival, Denver used over 24 different starting quarterbacks.
Under Elway and head coach Dan Reeves
(hired in 1981), the Broncos would become one of the most dominant AFC teams of the 1980s, winning 3 AFC championships (1986
, 1987
, 1989
), with Elway winning the NFL MVP Award in 1987. The first two Super Bowl appearances were preceded by storied victories over the Cleveland Browns
in the AFC Championship game, each acquiring its own nickname: The Drive
in 1987, in which the Broncos drove 98 yards to score a late game-winning touchdown, and The Fumble
in 1988, in which Brown Earnest Byner
lost the ball, and a game-tying touchdown, late in the game. However, the Broncos lost all three Super Bowls during this period, all by at least three touchdowns. In fact, Super Bowl XXIV
against the San Francisco 49ers
was the most lopsided Super Bowl in NFL history.
During the 1980s, the Broncos played in at least two storied Monday Night Football
games. On October 15, 1984, the Broncos
played a famed game against the Green Bay Packers
during a major blizzard. The following season, on November 11, 1985, the Broncos won a Monday Night Football home game when a fan threw a snowball onto the field during San Francisco 49ers
kicker Ray Wersching
field goal attempt. 49er holder Matt Cavanaugh
picked up the ball and threw it incomplete, losing three decisive points in a 17–16 loss. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Elway’s strong receiving corps of Mark Jackson, Vance Johnson
and Ricky Nattiel
was nicknamed the “Three Amigos.” Early in the 1980s, the Broncos were the first NFL team to play the song "Rock and Roll, Pt. 2
" (AKA "the Hey Song"), during games.
and replaced with Wade Phillips
, a move often attributed to Reeves stormy relationship with Elway Following campaigns of 9–7 and 7–9 in 1993
and 1994
respectively, Phillips was fired and the Broncos named former Broncos quarterbacks coach Mike Shanahan
Head Coach.
In 1995
, the Broncos debuted a new Zone blocking
scheme under Mike Shanahan and rookie running back Terrell Davis
, who would quickly emerge as an All-Pro running back. The Broncos established a tradition in 1996 where the offensive linemen do not talk with the media as a form of bonding. This was evident during the player introductions for the starting lineup on nationally-televised prime time games as the linemen would not introduce themselves. How they were introduced has varied over the years as sometimes, another offensive player introduces them and during other times, the announcers introduce the offensive linemen. Due to a rule change within the NFL in 2007, this tradition came to an end. For the 2007 season each player is required to make themselves available for media interviews. On a Sunday Night Football
game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, the linemen introduced themselves.
In 1996
, Shanahan’s second season, the Broncos
went 13–3 and appeared on their way to another Super Bowl appearance. However, they were defeated by the Jacksonville Jaguars
in a stunning 30–27 wild-card round loss. In 1997
, the Broncos
went 12–4, securing a wild card spot in the playoffs. Following playoff wins over the Jaguars
, Chiefs
and Steelers
, the Broncos faced the heavily-favored Packers
in Super Bowl XXXII
. Davis would lead the Broncos to their first Super Bowl victory, 31–24. Although Elway completed only 12 of his 22 passing attempts, throwing one interception and no touchdowns, he executed what was perhaps the game’s best-known play, known as The Dive, when he boldly ran for a crucial first down while surviving strong hits from two safeties as he jumped through the air like a propeller. Terrell Davis was able to overcome a severe migraine headache that caused him blurred vision and rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
The following season
, the Broncos
began the year by winning their first thirteen games. The first loss of the season came at the hands of the New York Giants
, as Kent Graham
hit Amani Toomer
late in the fourth quarter to steal a 20–16 victory. The loss took the wind from the sails of what would have been a highly anticipated Monday Night Football matchup on the road against the Miami Dolphins
for two primary reasons. First, the Broncos would have a chance at reaching perfection against the only franchise to achieve such a goal. Second, Elway would have gone head-to-head against Dan Marino
for only the second time, an oddity of scheduling since both quarterbacks were drafted the same year and both played in the same conference. Elway would play his worst game of the season in a 31–21 loss, and the Broncos would finish the season 14–2. Adding levity to an intense quest for a perfect season, one week normally gregarious tight end Shannon Sharpe refused to speak to the media, leading Shanahan to add to the injury report: "TE Shannon Sharpe (laryngitis) probable." Terrell Davis became the fourth back to rush for 2000 yards (he would finish with 2,008) during the regular season and won the NFL MVP award. In the playoffs, the Broncos defeated first the Miami Dolphins and then the New York Jets
in the AFC Championship game to advance to Super Bowl XXXIII
. Following the win against the Jets, Elway took one final lap around the field in what would be his final game at Mile High Stadium. Two weeks later in the Super Bowl, Denver defeated the Atlanta Falcons
, led by former coach Dan Reeves, 34–19 to win Super Bowl XXXIII and defend their title. Elway, playing in his final NFL game, won the Super Bowl MVP award.
, son of former Miami Dolphins
quarterback Bob Griese
, took over as quarterback upon Elway’s retirement. Griese led the team from 1999
–2002
, compiling a record of 34–30. Though the team made the playoffs in the 2000 season
under Griese, he never took a snap in the postseason for the Broncos. A shoulder injury he suffered during a gutty Monday Night
performance against the arch-rival Oakland Raiders
(in what would be, ironically, the final Monday Night affair at Mile High Stadium
), shelved him for most of the remainder of the season. Thus, Gus Frerotte
started the playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens
, a 21–3 defeat. The Broncos would finish with winning records under Griese but miss the playoffs in 2001 and 2002.
Former Arizona Cardinals
quarterback Jake Plummer
replaced Griese as quarterback prior to the 2003 season
. He would lead the team to a 49–26 record and a 1–3 playoff record from 2003 to 2006
. Prior to the 2005 season, the Broncos were plagued by early season success followed by late season flops. In both 2003 and 2004
they started the season 5–1 and ended 10–6.
After losing the 2005 season opener, the Broncos won five straight games, defeating the San Diego Chargers
, 20–17, the Kansas City Chiefs
, 30–10, the Jacksonville Jaguars
, 20–7, the Washington Redskins
, 21–19, and the two-time defending champion New England Patriots
, 28–20, on October 16. Denver lost the next game to the New York Giants
on October 23 by a final score of 24–23, in the game's final minute. The following week, the Broncos routed the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles
, 49–21, on October 30. In that game, the Broncos became the first team in NFL history to have two players, Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell
, rush for over 100 yards and another player, Jake Plummer
, pass for over 300 yards in a single game. Denver then defeated the Oakland Raiders
on November 13, 31–17. The next game, the Broncos shut out the New York Jets
27–0 in Denver on November 20. It was the Broncos' first shutout win since 1997
(when the team blanked the Carolina Panthers
that season). Denver then went on to defeat the Dallas Cowboys
on Thanksgiving Day
, November 24, winning in overtime, 24–21, on a Jason Elam
24-yard game-winning field goal. One of the key plays prior to the field goal was a 55-yard run by Ron Dayne
, who filled in for the injured Tatum Bell. Denver lost to the Chiefs in the next game, 31–27, on December 4, but won against the Baltimore Ravens
the following week, 12–10. On December 17, the Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills
, 28–17. On Christmas Eve
2005, the Broncos clinched the AFC West
division title, as they finished with a record 8–0 at INVESCO Field at Mile High
by defeating the Oakland Raiders, 22–3. On December 31, 2005, the Broncos got season-win number 13 in a season-sweeping on the road against their division rivals, the Chargers, with a final score of 23–7.
The Broncos entered the playoffs for the third consecutive year with the momentum of a four-game winning streak. Denver finished the regular season with a record of 13–3, tying them with the Seattle Seahawks
for second best overall record in the league, behind the 14–2 Indianapolis Colts
. Denver was seeded number two in the AFC behind the Colts. On January 14, 2006, the Broncos defeated the two-time defending champion New England Patriots, 27–13, in the divisional round – denying the Patriots from becoming the first NFL team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships. The last team with an opportunity of winning three consecutive Super Bowls before the Patriots were the Broncos themselves. The Broncos' playoff run came to an end after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the AFC Championship, 34–17, on January 22, 2006. Denver turned the ball over four times and were outscored in the first half, 24–3. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL
.
The Broncos surprisingly drafted
a quarterback, Jay Cutler
, following the season in which Plummer nearly led them to the Super Bowl. Plummer’s erratic 2006
performance led to his benching in favor of Cutler 12 games into the season. Cutler would go on to lead the Broncos to a 2–3 record in the team's last five games. The Broncos finished the 2006 season tied for the last Wild Card spot with the Kansas City Chiefs
, with a 9–7 record, but lost the tiebreaker due to the Chiefs owning the better AFC West
record (4–2 to the Broncos 3–3).
The 2006 season marked longtime wide receiver Rod Smith's last season as a Bronco after 13 seasons. A hip injury that would later require two hip replacement surgeries
effectively ended Smith's career prior to the 2007 season, and Smith officially retired in July 2008.
2007
marked Jay Cutler's first full season as the Broncos' starting quarterback. However, the team suffered through several injuries to key players, including Rod Smith, Tom Nalen
, Ben Hamilton
, Javon Walker
, Jarvis Moss
and Ebenezer Ekuban
, and finished the season with a 7–9 record, the team's first losing season since 1999
. Perhaps the most notable event was a Monday Night Football
home loss to the Green Bay Packers
, in which the team set a franchise record for tickets distributed for the game, with 77,160 tickets (76,645 fans attended the game). 2007 also marked longtime placekicker Jason Elam
's last season in a Broncos uniform after 15 seasons. Elam played with the Atlanta Falcons
from 2008–2009, before retiring as a Bronco in March 2010.
In 2008
, Cutler passed for 4,526 yards, breaking Plummer's Broncos record for passing yardage in a single season. However, 2008 was the third consecutive year the Broncos
failed to make the playoffs, this time in spite of holding a three game lead over the San Diego Chargers
with three games left to play.
In 2008
, the Broncos got off to a 4–1 start, which included a controversial home win against division rival San Diego Chargers
, but struggled through a mediocre stretch in the middle of the season. After 13 games, the team was sitting in first place in the AFC West, with an 8–5 record, three games ahead of the Chargers, who were 5–8. However, in the next two weeks, the Broncos suffered back-to-back losses to the Carolina Panthers
and Buffalo Bills
, while the Chargers won two straight. This set the stage for the 2008 season finale, when the Broncos and Chargers met at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium
to decide the AFC West division title. The Broncos were blown out 52–21 by the Chargers, and would become the first team in NFL history to enter the final quarter of a regular season with a three-game lead and squander the division lead. The Broncos and Chargers finished the season tied at 8–8, but the Chargers won the AFC West based on a better division record (5–1 to the Broncos 3–3). The Broncos missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
On December 30, 2008, two days after the disastrous season-ending collapse in San Diego, Mike Shanahan
, the longest-tenured and winningest head coach in Broncos' franchise history, was fired after 14 seasons. Two weeks later, on January 11, 2009, the Broncos hired former New England Patriots
' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
as the team's new head coach. Three months later, following a turbulent transition from the Mike Shanahan era to Josh McDaniels, the team traded Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears
for quarterback Kyle Orton
.
With their new quarterback, Denver began 2009
well by winning the first six games. The first three wins included a rally at the Cincinnati Bengals
, 12–7, as well as relatively easy wins vs. the Cleveland Browns
, 27–6, and at the Oakland Raiders
, 23–3. The next three wins came against a tougher stretch of opponents, vs. the Dallas Cowboys
, 17–10, vs. the New England Patriots
, 20–17 in overtime, and at the San Diego Chargers
, 34–23. The Broncos' revamped defense played a huge role in each of the six wins.
But after the bye week, the team suddenly collapsed, losing four in a row. They managed to break their losing streak, with back-to-back routs of the New York Giants
and Kansas City Chiefs
. Those would be the Broncos' last wins, as they dropped their remaining four matches, including a one-point loss to the Oakland Raiders
at home followed by a close 30–27 defeat at the Philadelphia Eagles
. Denver's last hope of getting into the playoffs ended with a 44–24 home loss to Kansas City. Ending the season with an 8–8 team record, Kyle Orton
had 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 3,802 yards and a quarterback rating of 86.8.
While starting out with a 6–0 record, an ankle injury against the Washington Redskins
and injuries to the offensive line caused Orton to struggle late in the season. Despite putting up 431 yards in the regular season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, it was two interceptions from Orton that brought the Broncos' season to a close and ended Denver's chance of a playoff appearance.
With a potentially uncapped 2010 NFL season
, Orton became a restricted free agent, but later signed a tender on April 16, 2010.
Notable offseason roster moves included the trades of fullback
Peyton Hillis
(to the Cleveland Browns
for quarterback
Brady Quinn
), wide receiver
Brandon Marshall
(to the Miami Dolphins
for draft picks) and tight end
Tony Scheffler
(three-team trade with the Detroit Lions
and Philadelphia Eagles
), as well as the draft selections of Georgia Tech
wide receiver Demaryius Thomas
and All-American Florida
quarterback Tim Tebow
. Tebow was a heavily-hyped draft pick, partly because Denver traded three draft picks to select him.
On August 4, shortly after the start of training camp, the Broncos suffered a devastating blow to their defense, when outside linebacker/defensive end
Elvis Dumervil
suffered a torn pectoral muscle in practice. Though there was speculation that Dumervil would be able to return as early as November, he was placed on Injured Reserve on September 3, and will miss the entire 2010 season. Also on August 4, the Broncos added free-agent running back
and Denver
native LenDale White
to their roster. However, on September 2, during the team's last preseason game (at the Minnesota Vikings
), White suffered a torn Achilles tendon
, and will miss the entire 2010 season. On September 4, wide receiver Brandon Stokley
was placed on injured reserve, and later released.
The Broncos opened the 2010 season with a 24–17 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars
, in which the teams alternated scores, but the Broncos never led in the game. On September 14, two days after the loss to the Jaguars, the Broncos acquired running back Laurence Maroney
in a trade from the New England Patriots
(for a 2011
fourth-round selection). In Week 2, the Broncos cruised to a relatively easy 31–14 win against the Seattle Seahawks
, in the team's home opener. On September 20, just a day after the win over the Seahawks, tragedy struck the Broncos organization, when wide receiver Kenny McKinley
was found dead in his Centennial, Colorado
home of an apparent suicide, at the age of 23. In Week 3, the Broncos lost 27–13 at home to the Indianapolis Colts
. Kyle Orton
threw for a career-high 476 yards, but the Broncos were plagued by red-zone miscues. In Week 4, the Broncos rallied for a 26–20 win at the Tennessee Titans
. In Week 5, the Broncos lost 31–17 to the Baltimore Ravens
at M&T Bank Stadium
, a venue that has been none too kind to the Broncos. In Week 6, the Broncos suffered a heartbreaking 24–20 loss at home to the New York Jets
, aided by a costly pass interference penalty on safety Renaldo Hill
that enabled the Jets to rally for the win in the game's final two minutes. In Week 7, the Broncos were annihilated 59–14 at home by the Oakland Raiders
for their worst loss since 1963. In Week 8, the Broncos lost 24–16 to the San Francisco 49ers
. The game was played at Wembley Stadium
in London, England, as part of the International Series
.
Following the team's Week 9 bye
, the Broncos cruised to a relatively easy 49–29 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs
in Week 10. Kyle Orton had a career-high four touchdown passes and threw for 296 yards. His passer rating was 131.5 earning him the title of AFC offensive player of the week. In Week 11, the Broncos were no match for the San Diego Chargers
on Monday Night Football
, losing 35–14 at Qualcomm Stadium
.
On November 27, 2010, just a day before the team's 36–33 home loss to the St. Louis Rams
in Week 12, the Broncos and head coach Josh McDaniels
were fined $50,000 each as a result of a videotaping scandal, during the team's aforementioned Week 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers in London. In Week 13, the Broncos fell 10–6 at the Kansas City Chiefs, clinching the team's third losing season since 1998
and removing them from playoff contention. Afterwards, Josh McDaniels was fired and running backs coach Eric Studesville
took his place for the remainder of the season. McDaniels's tenure as head coach, which had gotten off to a good beginning with the team's 6-0 start to the 2009 season, ultimately turned into a total fiasco with a win/loss record of 11–17 before his firing, combined with the Raiders disaster, the expenditure of first-round draft picks on Tim Tebow (who could have been taken in the second or third round), the videotaping episode, and the trading away of key players such as Brandon Marshall. In Week 14, the Broncos were crushed 43–13 at the Arizona Cardinals
. In Week 15, the Broncos lost 39–23 at the Oakland Raiders, in Tim Tebow's first career start. In Week 16, the Broncos rallied for a 24–23 win over the Houston Texans
, on the strength of Tim Tebow throwing for 308 yards and a touchdown, as well as rushing for another touchdown. In Week 17, the Broncos fell 33–28 at home to the San Diego Chargers to finish 4-12.
Afterwards, John Elway returned to his old team as general manager. McDaniels' replacement as HC was (surprisingly enough), John Fox, who had been fired from Carolina after that team finished 2-14. After taking LB Von Miller from Texas A&M with the 2nd pick in the 2011 draft, the Broncos' off-season was marked by waffling over the fate of Kyle Orton. It was widely expected that he would be traded to Miami where he could be reunited with Brandon Marshall, but negotiations broke down and he remained a Bronco.
Tim Tebow was relegated to 3rd string QB behind Orton and Brady Quinn as the Broncos opened on MNF against their rival Raiders. There was no repeat of the 59-14 blowout, but an extraordinarily sloppy game ensued as both teams racked up penalties. In the third quarter, Orton threw an interception that the Raiders used to set up a 63-yard FG by Sebastian Janikowski (only the third in league history) and eventually win 23-20.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
club began when the team was charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
ed a member of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL) in 1960. The Broncos have played in the city of Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
throughout their nearly 50 year history. The Broncos did not win any championships as members of the AFL. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
, the Broncos have won ten division
Division (sport)
In sports, a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.-League system:In sports using a league system , a division consists a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level...
titles, and played in six Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, following the 1977
1977 Denver Broncos season
The 1977 Denver Broncos season was the team's 18th year in professional football and its 8th with the National Football League. The team had its best season by far finishing first in the AFC West and making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history....
, 1986
1986 Denver Broncos season
-Regular season:The Broncos won their first six games of the season, before being felled by the then-5-1 New York Jets on Monday Night Football. They won two more games to improve to 8–1, tied with the Jets for the best record in the league...
, 1987
1987 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:* *...
, 1989
1989 Denver Broncos season
-Regular season:One of Denver's new major additions was rookie running back Bobby Humphrey, who rushed for 1,151 yards, caught 22 passes for 156 yards, and scored 8 touchdowns. Humphrey gave the Broncos a powerful running attack that they lacked in their previous Super Bowl seasons. The defense had...
, 1997
1997 Denver Broncos season
The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season by winning Super Bowl XXXII. They went 12–4 during the regular season. The Broncos were the third team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl but not win the Division Title.- Season summary :...
and 1998
1998 Denver Broncos season
In 1998 the Denver Broncos had a record of 14–2, second best in the NFL, and won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was John Elway's final season and the season Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards, making him only the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season....
seasons. They won Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
and Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
. Their most famous player is former quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, starting quarterback in five Super Bowls and holder of many NFL records. The Broncos currently play in the National Football League’s
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
American Football Conference West Division (AFC West). Their current leadership includes owner Pat Bowlen
Pat Bowlen
Patrick Dennis Bowlen is the Majority Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.-Biography:Pat's father, Paul D...
, head coach John Fox, and quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
For much of their first three decades, excluding teams in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, they were the only major pro football team between Kansas City and California (and the only team in the Interior West). This distinction ended in 1988, when the Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
moved from St. Louis to the Phoenix area. The Broncos remain the only current AFC West (formerly AFL West) team to never relocate or change its nickname.
Origins
The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14, 1959, when minor league baseballMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
owner Bob Howsam
Bob Howsam
Robert Lee Howsam was an executive in American professional sport who, in 1959, played a key role in establishing two leagues — the American Football League, which succeeded and merged with the National Football League, and baseball's Continental League, which never played a game but forced...
was awarded an American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
charter franchise. Howsam had originally wanted to bring an expansion NFL franchise to Denver, but were denied a team by NFL owners under the leadership of Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
owner George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. The snub led Howsam and four others to start up a rival to the NFL which would begin play the following year. The Broncos received their nickname through a fan contest held in 1960.
The AFL years
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1960. They were the first AFL team ever to defeat an NFL team, on August 5, 1967 when they beat the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
13–7 in a preseason game. The Broncos were also the first American professional football team to have an African-American placekicker, Gene Mingo
Gene Mingo
Eugene L. Mingo is a former professional American football player who played several positions including halfback, placekicker, and return specialist...
, the first to have a receiver with 100 receptions in a season, Lionel Taylor
Lionel Taylor
Lionel Thomas Taylor is a former American football wide receiver who led the American Football League in receptions each year for the first six years of the league's existence.-College football:...
, and the first starting African-American quarterback of the modern era, Marlin Briscoe
Marlin Briscoe
Marlin Oliver Briscoe is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver/quarterback who played professionally for nine years...
.
The Filchock era
The Broncos began play in 1960, the AFL’s inaugural season, at Bears Stadium (later Mile High StadiumMile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
), longtime home of the Denver Bears. Their head coach was Frank Filchock
Frank Filchock
Frank Joseph Filchock was an American and Canadian football tailback/quarterback and coach. As a consequence of a famous scandal regarding the 1946 NFL Championship game, he was suspended by the National Football League from 1947 to 1950 for associating with gamblers.-Early career:Born in 1916 in...
, who choose Frank Tripucka
Frank Tripucka
Francis Joseph Tripucka is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback, at Notre Dame, in the National Football League, in the Canadian Football League, and in the early American Football League.-Notre Dame Fighting Irish:Tripucka was backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy...
as the Broncos' first starting quarterback. The Broncos won their first game, also the first AFL game, 13–10 over the Boston Patriots. However, the Broncos would end the season with a 4–9–1 record. After the season, Howsam, looking to sell his holdings in the Broncos, nearly made a deal with a San Antonio syndicate, but eventually a group led by Calvin Kunz purchased Howsam’s shares. At this point, Gerald Phipps became the Broncos largest stockholder.
The Faulkner era
Following a 3–11 campaign in 1961, the Broncos replaced Filchock with Jack FaulknerJack Faulkner
Jack Faulkner was an American football coach and administrator who most prominently served as head coach of the American Football League's Denver Broncos from 1962 to 1964. He also has been an integral part of the St. Louis Rams organization, dating back to the team's days in Los Angeles.-Early...
, who ritualistically burned the Broncos vertically-striped socks prior to the new season. Faulkner led them to a 7–7 record in 1962, their best record in the AFL. This .500 season was not, however, a prelude to success, as the Broncos would lose at least 10 games each of the next five years, during which they were led by four different coaches and over half a dozen starting quarterbacks.
The Speedie/Malavasi era
Mac SpeedieMac Speedie
Mac Speedie was a football player who starred as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League for seven years, and later served for two years as head coach of the American Football League's Denver Broncos.-Early life:Speedie was...
replaced Faulkner five games into the 1964 season, breaking an eleven game losing streak by beating Kansas City 37-33. However, the Broncos would only win one more game in 1964, ending the season with a 2–11–1 record. The team improved only marginally in 1965, finishing with a 4-10 record. In the first game of the 1966 season, a 45–7 loss to Houston, the Broncos failed to record a first down and finished with only 26 yards of total offense, including −7 yards passing. After the 2nd game, Speedie resigned and was replaced by interim head coach Ray Malavasi
Ray Malavasi
Ray Malavasi was a former football coach who served as head coach of two National Football League teams: the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams....
, under whom the Broncos finished the season 4–10.
Denver came close to losing the Broncos in 1965, when a group of minority partners joined together with the intent to sell the team to interests based in Atlanta. However, a different pair of owners, Alan and Gerald Phipps
Gerald Phipps
Gerald Phipps was a businessman, President of Gerald H. Phipps, Inc., a construction company, and owner of the Denver Broncos American football club from 1961 to 1981....
, bought the team (along with Bears Stadium) and kept them in Denver. In the aftermath of the near loss of what was Denver's only professional sports team at the time, season ticket sales nearly tripled the following year.
The Saban era begins
In 1967, the Broncos hired Lou SabanLou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
, coach of the two-time defending AFL champion Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, as head coach. Saban's first order of business was to generate interest in the team to keep them in Denver. Playing at antiquated Bears Stadium, the Broncos needed to expand the stadium to 50,000 in order to meet the NFL's requirements for the merger. This required raising funds from businesses and the people of Denver. If unable to raise the necessary funds, the team was threatening to move to Chicago or Birmingham.
Saban decided to use his #1 pick for an impact player. With the 6th pick, he chose Syracuse All-America Floyd Little
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
, the first 3-time All-America since Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...
. With the Broncos' past #1 picks, such as Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
and Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
, fleeing to the NFL, Little became the first #1 pick to sign with the team. His signing created a landslide of enthusiasm for the Broncos. Little and other Broncos went door-to-door to elicit funds for the stadium, and he even rode buses to Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and other nearby states to bring in money. In doing so, Little became known as "The Franchise" for his tireless efforts to keep the team in Denver.
Little proved to be every ounce as valuable on the field for the Broncos as well. Saban kept 26 rookies his first season including Little, along with numerous 2nd and 3rd year players. Little was the only bright spot in a dismal 3–11 season. He led the AFL and NFL in punt returns with a blistering 17-yard average. He also led the league in combined yards (rushing, receiving and returns). In 1968, he led the league again in combined yards and became the only player in either league to return a punt for a touchdown in both seasons.
In 1969, Little was clearly the best back in both the AFL or NFL. After just six games, he was more than 300 yards ahead of all running backs, piling up 700 yards when he tore up his knee and missed most of the season. He was named All-AFL for his efforts. In 1970, despite playing with a broken bone in his back and having a record 5 different starting quarterbacks, Little led the AFC in rushing.
In 1971, Little did it again. He not only lead the AFC in rushing, but also out-rushed any NFL player with 1,133 yards. However, even with Little's superb prowess and the likes of defensive end Rich Jackson
Rich Jackson
Rich Jackson was an American college and professional football player. In college Jackson played for Southern University. Jackson played for the American Football League's Oakland Raiders in 1966 and the AFL Denver Broncos from 1967 through 1969. He played for the NFL Broncos in 1970 through...
creating havoc on defense, Saban could not bring the Broncos success. He finished in last place in the division in all 5 years of his tenure.
The Saban/Smith/Ralston era
In 1970, the Broncos began a home sell-out streak (not including games using replacement players) which has lasted to the present. During their first season as part of the NFL, the Broncos finished 5–8–1 and 4–9–1 in 1971. The team then went 5–9 in 1972, but continued to sell games out. In 1973, John Ralston coached the now-mature Broncos to a 7–5–2 record, the franchise's first winning season, including a dramatic tie with OaklandOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Denver's first-ever Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
appearance that is still remembered as a pivotal game in Broncos history. During this game, announcer Don Meredith
Don Meredith
Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
famously told the audience: "Welcome to the Mile High City and I really am!" The second game of the 1974 season was a 35–35 tie with the Steelers, the first tie to take place under the NFL's new overtime rules. The year ended at 7–6–1, for another winning record. In 1975, the Broncos dropped to 6–8, the final season for running back Floyd Little. Otis Armstrong
Otis Armstrong
Otis Armstrong was a running back in the NFL. He played for the Denver Broncos for his entire career from 1973-1980. Before his NFL career, Armstrong played for Purdue University becoming the school's all-time leading rusher...
took his place, and despite finishing 9–5 in 1976, the playoffs still eluded them.
Broncomania and the first Super Bowl appearance
Rookie coach Red MillerRed Miller
Robert "Red" Miller is a former professional football coach with the Denver Broncos.- Early life and career :Miller was born and raised in Macomb, Illinois and attended Macomb Public Schools and Western Illinois University, where he was later a star player and coach for the Leathernecks football...
, along with the Orange Crush Defense
Orange Crush Defense
Orange Crush Defense was the 3-4 defense of the Denver Broncos during the 1970s.It was one of the top defenses of its time with linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, with Gradishar as a potential Hall of Famer...
(a nickname originating in the early '70s) and aging quarterback Craig Morton
Craig Morton
Larry Craig Morton is a former professional football player. He played quarterback in the National Football League for 18 seasons, 1965-82...
, led the Broncos to a miracle season in 1977. The team won the division with a 12–2 record, beating an injury-rattled Steelers team 34–21. In the conference championship, they faced their division rival and defending Super Bowl champion Raiders, winning a close game 20–17 and sending them to Super Bowl XII. Facing the Dallas Cowboys in the New Orleans Superdome, the Broncos played sloppily the entire game, turning the ball over eight times. They were ultimately crushed 27–10 by the Cowboys. Despite this disappointing loss to Dallas, their amazing season catapulted the franchise out of the basement and they since have enjoyed thirty years of consistency that few other teams have matched. The successful season also brought the phenomena of “Broncomania” to a fever pitch, with the team the talk of the town, selling 65,000 Super Bowl t-shirts in 48 hours. Earlier that year, superfan
Superfan
Superfan may be:* Student fans of the Boston College Eagles* "Superfan", nickname for football enthusiast Giles Pellerin* "Superfan", nickname for NBA basketball enthusiast James Goldstein...
Tim McKernan, better known simply as The Barrel Man, began wearing only an orange-colored aluminum barrel, boots and a cowboy hat to games, a ritual he would repeat for thirty years. The 1978 season saw the Broncos finish 10–6 (the season having been extended to 16 games) and win the division again, but they were routed out of the playoffs by the Steelers in a 33–10 loss. Another 10–6 season and a playoff appearance followed in 1979, but three division losses reduced the Broncos to a wild card team. They lost to the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
13–7 in the Astrodome.
1980s
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
arrived in 1983. Originally drafted
1983 NFL Draft
The 1983 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983...
by the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
as the first pick of the draft, Elway proclaimed that he would shun football in favor of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
(he was drafted by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
to play center field) unless he was traded to one of a selected list of other teams, which included Denver. During the 23 seasons prior to Elway's arrival, Denver used over 24 different starting quarterbacks.
Under Elway and head coach Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
(hired in 1981), the Broncos would become one of the most dominant AFC teams of the 1980s, winning 3 AFC championships (1986
1986 Denver Broncos season
-Regular season:The Broncos won their first six games of the season, before being felled by the then-5-1 New York Jets on Monday Night Football. They won two more games to improve to 8–1, tied with the Jets for the best record in the league...
, 1987
1987 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:* *...
, 1989
1989 Denver Broncos season
-Regular season:One of Denver's new major additions was rookie running back Bobby Humphrey, who rushed for 1,151 yards, caught 22 passes for 156 yards, and scored 8 touchdowns. Humphrey gave the Broncos a powerful running attack that they lacked in their previous Super Bowl seasons. The defense had...
), with Elway winning the NFL MVP Award in 1987. The first two Super Bowl appearances were preceded by storied victories over the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the AFC Championship game, each acquiring its own nickname: The Drive
The Drive
The Drive refers to an offensive series in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game played on January 11, 1987, between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. Broncos quarterback John Elway, in a span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, led his team 98 yards to tie the game with 37 seconds...
in 1987, in which the Broncos drove 98 yards to score a late game-winning touchdown, and The Fumble
The Fumble
In American football, The Fumble refers to a specific incident in the AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos on January 17, 1988 at Mile High Stadium...
in 1988, in which Brown Earnest Byner
Earnest Byner
Earnest Alexander Byner is a former American football running back in the National Football League and is currently a running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars...
lost the ball, and a game-tying touchdown, late in the game. However, the Broncos lost all three Super Bowls during this period, all by at least three touchdowns. In fact, Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
was the most lopsided Super Bowl in NFL history.
During the 1980s, the Broncos played in at least two storied Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
games. On October 15, 1984, the Broncos
1984 Denver Broncos season
The 1984 Denver Broncos season was the team's 25th year in professional football and its 15th with the National Football League. The team finished with its then franchise best record of thirteen wins and three losses and were champions of the AFC West...
played a famed game against the Green Bay Packers
1984 Green Bay Packers season
The 1984 Green Bay Packers season was their 64th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 8–8 record under new coach Forrest Gregg, earning them a second-place finish in the NFC Central division.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Passing:...
during a major blizzard. The following season, on November 11, 1985, the Broncos won a Monday Night Football home game when a fan threw a snowball onto the field during San Francisco 49ers
1985 San Francisco 49ers season
The 1985 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 36th year with the National Football League. Roger Craig achieved the rare feat of having both 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season...
kicker Ray Wersching
Ray Wersching
Raimund "Ray" Wersching is an Austrian former placekicker in the National Football League . He played in the NFL for a span of 15 years, stretching from 1973 through 1987.-NFL career:...
field goal attempt. 49er holder Matt Cavanaugh
Matt Cavanaugh
Matthew Andrew Cavanaugh is a former American football quarterback in the NFL who played from 1978 to 1991. In the course of his career as a professional football player, he earned two Super Bowl rings...
picked up the ball and threw it incomplete, losing three decisive points in a 17–16 loss. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Elway’s strong receiving corps of Mark Jackson, Vance Johnson
Vance Johnson
Vance Edward Johnson , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 174 lb...
and Ricky Nattiel
Ricky Nattiel
Richard Rennard "Ricky" Nattiel is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
was nicknamed the “Three Amigos.” Early in the 1980s, the Broncos were the first NFL team to play the song "Rock and Roll, Pt. 2
Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song)
"Rock and Roll", also known as "The Hey Song", is a song performed by British glam rocker Gary Glitter that was released in 1972 as a single and on the album Glitter. Co-written by Glitter and Mike Leander, the song is in two parts: Part 1 is a vocal track reflecting on the history of the genre,...
" (AKA "the Hey Song"), during games.
1990s
Reeves was fired following an 8–8 1992 campaign1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
and replaced with Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
, a move often attributed to Reeves stormy relationship with Elway Following campaigns of 9–7 and 7–9 in 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
and 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
respectively, Phillips was fired and the Broncos named former Broncos quarterbacks coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
Head Coach.
In 1995
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
, the Broncos debuted a new Zone blocking
Zone blocking
Zone blocking is a technique in American football that is a simple and effective scheme for creating lanes for running plays.In a zone blocking scheme, fleet-footedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen...
scheme under Mike Shanahan and rookie running back Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
, who would quickly emerge as an All-Pro running back. The Broncos established a tradition in 1996 where the offensive linemen do not talk with the media as a form of bonding. This was evident during the player introductions for the starting lineup on nationally-televised prime time games as the linemen would not introduce themselves. How they were introduced has varied over the years as sometimes, another offensive player introduces them and during other times, the announcers introduce the offensive linemen. Due to a rule change within the NFL in 2007, this tradition came to an end. For the 2007 season each player is required to make themselves available for media interviews. On a Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football is a weekly American football game held throughout most of the season by the National Football League. Sunday night games have been played regularly since 1987 and have thus far aired on three different television outlets:...
game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 75th season of the Steelers franchise. The season saw the team improve upon their 8–8 record from 2006, finish with a record of 10–6, and win the AFC North Division...
, the linemen introduced themselves.
In 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, Shanahan’s second season, the Broncos
1996 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:Pro BowlQB John ElwayRB Terrell DavisTE Shannon SharpeT Gary ZimmermanDE Alfred WilliamsDT Michael PerryLB Bill RomanowskiS Steve AtwaterS Tyrone BraxtonAP Offensive Player of the Year – Terrell Davis...
went 13–3 and appeared on their way to another Super Bowl appearance. However, they were defeated by the Jacksonville Jaguars
1996 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's second year in the National Football League, and saw the Jaguars trying to improve on their 4-12 record from their inaugural season. The Jaguars marked success as they won six of their last seven games of the season and finished with a record of 9–7...
in a stunning 30–27 wild-card round loss. In 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, the Broncos
1997 Denver Broncos season
The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season by winning Super Bowl XXXII. They went 12–4 during the regular season. The Broncos were the third team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl but not win the Division Title.- Season summary :...
went 12–4, securing a wild card spot in the playoffs. Following playoff wins over the Jaguars
1997 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 1997 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's third year in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:...
, Chiefs
1997 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1997 Kansas City Chiefs were an above-average football team without any major flaws. The 1997 Chiefs are widely considered a major disappointment. The Chiefs finished with a 13–3 record and AFC West division champions...
and Steelers
1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers was considered a transitional year heading into the season due to many key free agent losses in the offseason, as well as the first season of Kordell Stewart starting at quarterback....
, the Broncos faced the heavily-favored Packers
1997 Green Bay Packers season
The 1997 Green Bay Packers season concluded with the team winning its second consecutive NFC championship, but losing in a 31-24 upset to John Elway's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII...
in Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
. Davis would lead the Broncos to their first Super Bowl victory, 31–24. Although Elway completed only 12 of his 22 passing attempts, throwing one interception and no touchdowns, he executed what was perhaps the game’s best-known play, known as The Dive, when he boldly ran for a crucial first down while surviving strong hits from two safeties as he jumped through the air like a propeller. Terrell Davis was able to overcome a severe migraine headache that caused him blurred vision and rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
The following season
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
, the Broncos
1998 Denver Broncos season
In 1998 the Denver Broncos had a record of 14–2, second best in the NFL, and won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was John Elway's final season and the season Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards, making him only the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season....
began the year by winning their first thirteen games. The first loss of the season came at the hands of the New York Giants
1998 New York Giants season
The 1998 New York Giants season was the team's 74th season in the National Football League. The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 10–5–1, winning only eight games and missing the playoffs...
, as Kent Graham
Kent Graham
Kent Douglas Graham is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. Graham played quarterback at the University of Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State University...
hit Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
late in the fourth quarter to steal a 20–16 victory. The loss took the wind from the sails of what would have been a highly anticipated Monday Night Football matchup on the road against the Miami Dolphins
1998 Miami Dolphins season
The 1998 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 33rd as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins improved upon their previous season's output of 9–7, winning ten games. The team qualified for the playoffs for the second straight year.-Schedule:...
for two primary reasons. First, the Broncos would have a chance at reaching perfection against the only franchise to achieve such a goal. Second, Elway would have gone head-to-head against Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
for only the second time, an oddity of scheduling since both quarterbacks were drafted the same year and both played in the same conference. Elway would play his worst game of the season in a 31–21 loss, and the Broncos would finish the season 14–2. Adding levity to an intense quest for a perfect season, one week normally gregarious tight end Shannon Sharpe refused to speak to the media, leading Shanahan to add to the injury report: "TE Shannon Sharpe (laryngitis) probable." Terrell Davis became the fourth back to rush for 2000 yards (he would finish with 2,008) during the regular season and won the NFL MVP award. In the playoffs, the Broncos defeated first the Miami Dolphins and then the New York Jets
1998 New York Jets season
The 1998 New York Jets season was the 39th season for the team and the 29th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 1997 and finished 12–4 in their second season under head coach Bill Parcells, winning their first division title since the AFL-NFL merger...
in the AFC Championship game to advance to Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
. Following the win against the Jets, Elway took one final lap around the field in what would be his final game at Mile High Stadium. Two weeks later in the Super Bowl, Denver defeated the Atlanta Falcons
1998 Atlanta Falcons season
The 1998 Atlanta Falcons season saw the Falcons qualify for the Super Bowl for the first time under the guidance of second-year head coach Dan Reeves. The team won its final nine games of the season to earn the #2 seed in the NFC for the playoffs and the first-week bye...
, led by former coach Dan Reeves, 34–19 to win Super Bowl XXXIII and defend their title. Elway, playing in his final NFL game, won the Super Bowl MVP award.
The post-Elway years
Since Elway's retirement following the 1998 season, Denver has had only three losing seasons (1999, 2007 and 2010) and has made the playoffs as a wild card three times (in 2000, 2003 and 2004), and as a division champion once (2005). However, they have won only one playoff game since Elway's retirement.The Griese era
Brian GrieseBrian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
, son of former Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Bob Griese
Bob Griese
Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
, took over as quarterback upon Elway’s retirement. Griese led the team from 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
–2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
, compiling a record of 34–30. Though the team made the playoffs in the 2000 season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
under Griese, he never took a snap in the postseason for the Broncos. A shoulder injury he suffered during a gutty Monday Night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
performance against the arch-rival Oakland Raiders
2000 Oakland Raiders season
-Awards and records:* Led NFL, Net Yards Gained, Rushing * Led NFL, First Downs, Rushing * Led NFL, Rushing Offense * Eric Allen, AFC Defensive Player of the Month, December * Rich Gannon, Bert Bell Award...
(in what would be, ironically, the final Monday Night affair at Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
), shelved him for most of the remainder of the season. Thus, Gus Frerotte
Gus Frerotte
Gustave Joseph "Gus" Frerotte is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa....
started the playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens
2000 Baltimore Ravens season
The Baltimore Ravens concluded the 2000 NFL season with a 12–4 record, good for second place in the AFC central, and earning them a spot in the playoffs as a wild card entrant...
, a 21–3 defeat. The Broncos would finish with winning records under Griese but miss the playoffs in 2001 and 2002.
The Plummer era
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
replaced Griese as quarterback prior to the 2003 season
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
. He would lead the team to a 49–26 record and a 1–3 playoff record from 2003 to 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
. Prior to the 2005 season, the Broncos were plagued by early season success followed by late season flops. In both 2003 and 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
they started the season 5–1 and ended 10–6.
After losing the 2005 season opener, the Broncos won five straight games, defeating the San Diego Chargers
2005 San Diego Chargers season
The 2005 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 12–4 record in 2004. They finished the campaign 3rd in their division and as a result missed out on the playoffs. Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was named rookie of the Year at the end of the season.-NFL...
, 20–17, the Kansas City Chiefs
2005 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2005 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 10–6 record, but no playoff berth. The Chiefs became the sixth 10–6 team to fail to qualify for the playoffs since the NFL introduced the wild card....
, 30–10, the Jacksonville Jaguars
2005 Jacksonville Jaguars season
After a 9–7 season in 2004 the Jaguars came out of the gates prepared to become a dominant force in the AFC. They achieved that task, going 12–4 in the regular season, but did not manage to win their own division, getting swept by the Indianapolis Colts as they went 14–2...
, 20–7, the Washington Redskins
2005 Washington Redskins season
The 2005 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 6-10 record from 2004. The Redskins placed 2nd in the NFC East. Washington earned their first playoff berth since 1999.-Offseason:...
, 21–19, and the two-time defending champion New England Patriots
2005 New England Patriots season
The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
, 28–20, on October 16. Denver lost the next game to the New York Giants
2005 New York Giants season
-Offseason:In the 2005 off–season the Giants acquired former Steelers' wide receiver Plaxico Burress as a free agent. Also, during the 2005 Draft, the Giants used their first pick on Louisiana St. Cornerback Corey Webster. They then used their next pick on Notre Dame Defensive End Justin Tuck. ...
on October 23 by a final score of 24–23, in the game's final minute. The following week, the Broncos routed the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles
2005 Philadelphia Eagles season
-Schedule:-Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons:at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Eagles' 2005 season-opener on Monday Night Football was more famous for what happened before the game, when Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected for a scuffle near mid-field during pre-game warmups...
, 49–21, on October 30. In that game, the Broncos became the first team in NFL history to have two players, Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell
Tatum Bell
Tatum Antoine Bell is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
, rush for over 100 yards and another player, Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
, pass for over 300 yards in a single game. Denver then defeated the Oakland Raiders
2005 Oakland Raiders season
The 2005 Oakland Raiders season was their 46th in the league. They were unable to improve upon their previous season's output of 5–11, instead only going 4–12. The team finished the season on a six game losing streak.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:...
on November 13, 31–17. The next game, the Broncos shut out the New York Jets
2005 New York Jets season
The 2005 New York Jets season was the 46th season for the team, and the 36th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2004. The Jets finished the season 4–12.-2005 NFL Draft:-Regular season:-External links:*...
27–0 in Denver on November 20. It was the Broncos' first shutout win since 1997
1997 Denver Broncos season
The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season by winning Super Bowl XXXII. They went 12–4 during the regular season. The Broncos were the third team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl but not win the Division Title.- Season summary :...
(when the team blanked the Carolina Panthers
1997 Carolina Panthers season
-Schedule:-References:...
that season). Denver then went on to defeat the Dallas Cowboys
2005 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2005 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2004. Despite a 7–3 start, the Cowboys ended the season with a 9–7 record and narrowly missed the playoffs.-Offseason:...
on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
, November 24, winning in overtime, 24–21, on a Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
24-yard game-winning field goal. One of the key plays prior to the field goal was a 55-yard run by Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne is a former American football running back who is currently a free agent. He holds the NCAA record for career rushing yards, and he won the 1999 Heisman Trophy.-Early life:...
, who filled in for the injured Tatum Bell. Denver lost to the Chiefs in the next game, 31–27, on December 4, but won against the Baltimore Ravens
2005 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2005 Baltimore Ravens season was the team's tenth season in the NFL. They were unable to improve upon their previous output of 9–7, instead going 6–10 and missing the playoffs for the second straight season.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
the following week, 12–10. On December 17, the Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills
2005 Buffalo Bills season
The 2005 Buffalo Bills season was their 46th in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve upon their previous season's output of 9–7, instead finishing 5–11. This was the sixth consecutive season in which the team missed the playoffs....
, 28–17. On Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
2005, the Broncos clinched the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
division title, as they finished with a record 8–0 at INVESCO Field at Mile High
INVESCO Field at Mile High
Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001...
by defeating the Oakland Raiders, 22–3. On December 31, 2005, the Broncos got season-win number 13 in a season-sweeping on the road against their division rivals, the Chargers, with a final score of 23–7.
The Broncos entered the playoffs for the third consecutive year with the momentum of a four-game winning streak. Denver finished the regular season with a record of 13–3, tying them with the Seattle Seahawks
2005 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2005 Seattle Seahawks season saw them advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in the team's history. They were the NFC representative in Super Bowl XL, a game they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Seahawks compiled a 13-3 record in the regular season, easily winning the NFC West and...
for second best overall record in the league, behind the 14–2 Indianapolis Colts
2005 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2005 Indianapolis Colts season was the 53rd season for the team in the National Football League and 22nd in Indianapolis. The 2005 Colts season began with the team trying to improve on their 12–4 record from 2004 and to advance further into the playoffs...
. Denver was seeded number two in the AFC behind the Colts. On January 14, 2006, the Broncos defeated the two-time defending champion New England Patriots, 27–13, in the divisional round – denying the Patriots from becoming the first NFL team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships. The last team with an opportunity of winning three consecutive Super Bowls before the Patriots were the Broncos themselves. The Broncos' playoff run came to an end after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 15–1 record from 2004 in which they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field. The Steelers, with the sixth and final seed to the playoffs, became just the second team ever to win...
in the AFC Championship, 34–17, on January 22, 2006. Denver turned the ball over four times and were outscored in the first half, 24–3. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
The Cutler era
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
a quarterback, Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, following the season in which Plummer nearly led them to the Super Bowl. Plummer’s erratic 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
performance led to his benching in favor of Cutler 12 games into the season. Cutler would go on to lead the Broncos to a 2–3 record in the team's last five games. The Broncos finished the 2006 season tied for the last Wild Card spot with the Kansas City Chiefs
2006 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2006 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the team looking to improve on their 10–6 record in 2005 under new head coach Herman Edwards.The team battled many obstacles during the 2006 season, including the loss of starting quarterback Trent Green in the first game, the readjustment of a...
, with a 9–7 record, but lost the tiebreaker due to the Chiefs owning the better AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
record (4–2 to the Broncos 3–3).
The 2006 season marked longtime wide receiver Rod Smith's last season as a Bronco after 13 seasons. A hip injury that would later require two hip replacement surgeries
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
effectively ended Smith's career prior to the 2007 season, and Smith officially retired in July 2008.
2007
2007 Denver Broncos season
The 2007 Denver Broncos season was the 48th season for the team in the National Football League. A loss to the Houston Texans in Week 15 and a win by the San Diego Chargers the following Sunday knocked them out of playoff contention, marking the second year in a row they failed to make the playoffs...
marked Jay Cutler's first full season as the Broncos' starting quarterback. However, the team suffered through several injuries to key players, including Rod Smith, Tom Nalen
Tom Nalen
Thomas Andrew Nalen is a former American football center who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
, Ben Hamilton
Ben Hamilton
Benjamin "Ben" Thomas Hamilton is a retired American football guard and center, who played for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, Javon Walker
Javon Walker
Javon Lataff Walker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 20th overall of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
, Jarvis Moss
Jarvis Moss
Jarvis Jaray Moss is an American football defensive end for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . Moss was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Florida Gators.-High school career:Moss was born in Denton, Texas...
and Ebenezer Ekuban
Ebenezer Ekuban
Ebenezer Ekuban, Jr. is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 20th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
, and finished the season with a 7–9 record, the team's first losing season since 1999
1999 Denver Broncos season
The 1999 Denver Broncos season was the team's 40th year in professional football and its 30th with the National Football League. After winning their second consecutive Super Bowl with a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, the team suffered the retirement of Super Bowl XXXIII...
. Perhaps the most notable event was a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
home loss to the Green Bay Packers
2007 Green Bay Packers season
The 2007 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 89th overall and 87th season in the National Football League. The Packers finished the regular season with an impressive 13-3 record. They received a bye for the first round of the playoffs, won their divisional round playoff game, and lost in...
, in which the team set a franchise record for tickets distributed for the game, with 77,160 tickets (76,645 fans attended the game). 2007 also marked longtime placekicker Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
's last season in a Broncos uniform after 15 seasons. Elam played with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 2008–2009, before retiring as a Bronco in March 2010.
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
, Cutler passed for 4,526 yards, breaking Plummer's Broncos record for passing yardage in a single season. However, 2008 was the third consecutive year the Broncos
2008 Denver Broncos season
The 2008 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 49th season for the team . They improved from their 7–9 record from 2007 but failed to make the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
failed to make the playoffs, this time in spite of holding a three game lead over the San Diego Chargers
2008 San Diego Chargers season
The 2008 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 49th overall season and their 39th in the NFL. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship...
with three games left to play.
In 2008
2008 Denver Broncos season
The 2008 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 49th season for the team . They improved from their 7–9 record from 2007 but failed to make the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
, the Broncos got off to a 4–1 start, which included a controversial home win against division rival San Diego Chargers
2008 San Diego Chargers season
The 2008 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 49th overall season and their 39th in the NFL. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship...
, but struggled through a mediocre stretch in the middle of the season. After 13 games, the team was sitting in first place in the AFC West, with an 8–5 record, three games ahead of the Chargers, who were 5–8. However, in the next two weeks, the Broncos suffered back-to-back losses to the Carolina Panthers
2008 Carolina Panthers season
-Preseason:-Regular season:-Postseason:-Week 1: at San Diego Chargers:The Carolina Panthers and San Diego Chargers were locked in a defensive battle in the first quarter. John Kasay made three field goals while Philip Rivers connected with Chris Chambers on a 44-yard pass to score. At halftime the...
and Buffalo Bills
2008 Buffalo Bills season
The 2008 Buffalo Bills season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and their 49th season overall. They finished with a record of 7–9 for the third consecutive year...
, while the Chargers won two straight. This set the stage for the 2008 season finale, when the Broncos and Chargers met at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
to decide the AFC West division title. The Broncos were blown out 52–21 by the Chargers, and would become the first team in NFL history to enter the final quarter of a regular season with a three-game lead and squander the division lead. The Broncos and Chargers finished the season tied at 8–8, but the Chargers won the AFC West based on a better division record (5–1 to the Broncos 3–3). The Broncos missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
On December 30, 2008, two days after the disastrous season-ending collapse in San Diego, Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
, the longest-tenured and winningest head coach in Broncos' franchise history, was fired after 14 seasons. Two weeks later, on January 11, 2009, the Broncos hired former New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
as the team's new head coach. Three months later, following a turbulent transition from the Mike Shanahan era to Josh McDaniels, the team traded Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
The Orton era
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
well by winning the first six games. The first three wins included a rally at the Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6–0, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the...
, 12–7, as well as relatively easy wins vs. the Cleveland Browns
2009 Cleveland Browns season
The 2009 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 63rd season as a professional sports franchise and its 59th season as a member of the National Football League . The team placed fourth in the AFC North with a record of 5–11, improving upon its 2008 record of 4–12...
, 27–6, and at the Oakland Raiders
2009 Oakland Raiders season
The 2009 Oakland Raiders season is the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. On September 6, 2009, The Raiders traded a 2011 draft pick to the New England Patriots for 5x Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour. With their loss to Dallas on November...
, 23–3. The next three wins came against a tougher stretch of opponents, vs. the Dallas Cowboys
2009 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys season is the 50th season for the team in the National Football League. It is the team's first season playing at Cowboys Stadium. Their victory over the Oakland Raiders on November 26 extended their Thanksgiving winning streak to four in a row and also ended a three game...
, 17–10, vs. the New England Patriots
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
, 20–17 in overtime, and at the San Diego Chargers
2009 San Diego Chargers season
The 2009 San Diego Chargers season was the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons...
, 34–23. The Broncos' revamped defense played a huge role in each of the six wins.
But after the bye week, the team suddenly collapsed, losing four in a row. They managed to break their losing streak, with back-to-back routs of the New York Giants
2009 New York Giants season
The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League. It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; In 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record, avenge their divisional round loss to the...
and Kansas City Chiefs
2009 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 50th season, and first with head coach Todd Haley at the helm. It was also the first season with Scott Pioli as the team's general manager. The Chiefs attempted to improve on their 2–14 record from 2008 with the third overall selection in the...
. Those would be the Broncos' last wins, as they dropped their remaining four matches, including a one-point loss to the Oakland Raiders
2009 Oakland Raiders season
The 2009 Oakland Raiders season is the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. On September 6, 2009, The Raiders traded a 2011 draft pick to the New England Patriots for 5x Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour. With their loss to Dallas on November...
at home followed by a close 30–27 defeat at the Philadelphia Eagles
2009 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season was the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. After advancing to their fifth NFC Championship game in eight years, the Eagles improved upon their 9–6–1 record and second-place finish in the NFC East in their 2008 campaign...
. Denver's last hope of getting into the playoffs ended with a 44–24 home loss to Kansas City. Ending the season with an 8–8 team record, Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
had 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 3,802 yards and a quarterback rating of 86.8.
While starting out with a 6–0 record, an ankle injury against the Washington Redskins
2009 Washington Redskins season
The 2009 Washington Redskins season is the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. They failed to improve upon their 8–8 record from 2008, which resulted in Jim Zorn being fired after two seasons.-Movement:...
and injuries to the offensive line caused Orton to struggle late in the season. Despite putting up 431 yards in the regular season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, it was two interceptions from Orton that brought the Broncos' season to a close and ended Denver's chance of a playoff appearance.
With a potentially uncapped 2010 NFL season
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
, Orton became a restricted free agent, but later signed a tender on April 16, 2010.
Notable offseason roster moves included the trades of fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Peyton Hillis
Peyton Hillis
Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback...
(to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
), wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
(to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for draft picks) and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Tony Scheffler
Tony Scheffler
-Denver Broncos:Scheffler was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006,...
(three-team trade with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
), as well as the draft selections of Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
wide receiver Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas is an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Thomas led the team in receiving in all 3 of his seasons at Tech, 2007, 2008,...
and All-American Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
. Tebow was a heavily-hyped draft pick, partly because Denver traded three draft picks to select him.
On August 4, shortly after the start of training camp, the Broncos suffered a devastating blow to their defense, when outside linebacker/defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Elvis Dumervil
Elvis Dumervil
-Denver Broncos:Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end....
suffered a torn pectoral muscle in practice. Though there was speculation that Dumervil would be able to return as early as November, he was placed on Injured Reserve on September 3, and will miss the entire 2010 season. Also on August 4, the Broncos added free-agent running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
native LenDale White
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California....
to their roster. However, on September 2, during the team's last preseason game (at the Minnesota Vikings
2010 Minnesota Vikings season
The 2010 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League, and the fifth under head coach Brad Childress until November 22, when he was fired and Leslie Frazier was named interim head coach...
), White suffered a torn Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
, and will miss the entire 2010 season. On September 4, wide receiver Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
was placed on injured reserve, and later released.
The Broncos opened the 2010 season with a 24–17 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 2010 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League. The Jaguars, who are in their second year of "rebuilding" under general manager Gene Smith, improved upon their 7–9 record from 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
, in which the teams alternated scores, but the Broncos never led in the game. On September 14, two days after the loss to the Jaguars, the Broncos acquired running back Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
in a trade from the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
(for a 2011
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
fourth-round selection). In Week 2, the Broncos cruised to a relatively easy 31–14 win against the Seattle Seahawks
2010 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2010 Seattle Seahawks season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League. Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010, leading the Seahawks to come to an agreement with Pete Carroll, instating him as head coach the following day. This marks the 9th season that the Seahawks will...
, in the team's home opener. On September 20, just a day after the win over the Seahawks, tragedy struck the Broncos organization, when wide receiver Kenny McKinley
Kenny McKinley
Kendrick L. McKinley was an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.-Early years:Born in Mableton, Georgia, he graduated from South...
was found dead in his Centennial, Colorado
Centennial, Colorado
The city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
home of an apparent suicide, at the age of 23. In Week 3, the Broncos lost 27–13 at home to the Indianapolis Colts
2010 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the 58th season for the team in the National Football League, the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell...
. Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
threw for a career-high 476 yards, but the Broncos were plagued by red-zone miscues. In Week 4, the Broncos rallied for a 26–20 win at the Tennessee Titans
2010 Tennessee Titans season
The 2010 Tennessee Titans season was the team's 41st season in the National Football League, their 51st overall and their 14th season in Tennessee...
. In Week 5, the Broncos lost 31–17 to the Baltimore Ravens
2010 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2010 Baltimore Ravens season was the 15th for the team in the National Football League and city of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 13th to host home games at M&T Bank Stadium. They played in the NFL's American Football Conference North Division...
at M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
, a venue that has been none too kind to the Broncos. In Week 6, the Broncos suffered a heartbreaking 24–20 loss at home to the New York Jets
2010 New York Jets season
The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game...
, aided by a costly pass interference penalty on safety Renaldo Hill
Renaldo Hill
Renaldo Hill is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State....
that enabled the Jets to rally for the win in the game's final two minutes. In Week 7, the Broncos were annihilated 59–14 at home by the Oakland Raiders
2010 Oakland Raiders season
The 2010 Oakland Raiders season was the team's 41st season in the National Football League and their 51st overall. It also marked the last full season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died in October 2011. The Raiders had improved from a five-win season, their first since 2002, and achieved...
for their worst loss since 1963. In Week 8, the Broncos lost 24–16 to the San Francisco 49ers
2010 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2010 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 65th season, and the second full year with Mike Singletary as the head coach. The 49ers were looking to build upon their 8–8 season in 2009 that ended their streak of seven consecutive losing seasons and to get into the postseason for the...
. The game was played at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in London, England, as part of the International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
.
Following the team's Week 9 bye
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
, the Broncos cruised to a relatively easy 49–29 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs
2010 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2010 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st overall and the second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The team improved on its 4–12 record from 2009, and won their first AFC West division title...
in Week 10. Kyle Orton had a career-high four touchdown passes and threw for 296 yards. His passer rating was 131.5 earning him the title of AFC offensive player of the week. In Week 11, the Broncos were no match for the San Diego Chargers
2010 San Diego Chargers season
The 2010 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, and their 51st overall. After a 13–3 record dissolved into a disappointing loss to the New York Jets in the divisional round of the 2009-10 NFL Playoffs, the Chargers had high hopes of winning their...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, losing 35–14 at Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
.
On November 27, 2010, just a day before the team's 36–33 home loss to the St. Louis Rams
2010 St. Louis Rams season
-Schedule:-Week 1: vs. Arizona Cardinals:The St. Louis Rams began their season at home for an NFC West match against the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams trailed in the 2nd quarter with Cardinals kicker Jay Feely nailing a 22-yard field goal, which was replied when Rams kicker Josh Brown made a 46-yard...
in Week 12, the Broncos and head coach Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
were fined $50,000 each as a result of a videotaping scandal, during the team's aforementioned Week 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers in London. In Week 13, the Broncos fell 10–6 at the Kansas City Chiefs, clinching the team's third losing season since 1998
1998 Denver Broncos season
In 1998 the Denver Broncos had a record of 14–2, second best in the NFL, and won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was John Elway's final season and the season Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards, making him only the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season....
and removing them from playoff contention. Afterwards, Josh McDaniels was fired and running backs coach Eric Studesville
Eric Studesville
Eric Studesville is an American football coach. In December 2010, Studesville became the interim head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He replaced Josh McDaniels after 12 games in the 2010 NFL Season...
took his place for the remainder of the season. McDaniels's tenure as head coach, which had gotten off to a good beginning with the team's 6-0 start to the 2009 season, ultimately turned into a total fiasco with a win/loss record of 11–17 before his firing, combined with the Raiders disaster, the expenditure of first-round draft picks on Tim Tebow (who could have been taken in the second or third round), the videotaping episode, and the trading away of key players such as Brandon Marshall. In Week 14, the Broncos were crushed 43–13 at the Arizona Cardinals
2010 Arizona Cardinals season
The 2010 Arizona Cardinals season is the 91st season for the team in the National Football League, and their 23rd season in Arizona. The Cardinals failed to improve on their 10–6 record from 2009, and were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 15....
. In Week 15, the Broncos lost 39–23 at the Oakland Raiders, in Tim Tebow's first career start. In Week 16, the Broncos rallied for a 24–23 win over the Houston Texans
2010 Houston Texans season
The 2010 Houston Texans season was the team's 9th season in the National Football League. The Texans claimed their first winning season in franchise history, with a 9–7 record in 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs. The Texans selected Kareem Jackson CB from Alabama, with the 20th overall all...
, on the strength of Tim Tebow throwing for 308 yards and a touchdown, as well as rushing for another touchdown. In Week 17, the Broncos fell 33–28 at home to the San Diego Chargers to finish 4-12.
Afterwards, John Elway returned to his old team as general manager. McDaniels' replacement as HC was (surprisingly enough), John Fox, who had been fired from Carolina after that team finished 2-14. After taking LB Von Miller from Texas A&M with the 2nd pick in the 2011 draft, the Broncos' off-season was marked by waffling over the fate of Kyle Orton. It was widely expected that he would be traded to Miami where he could be reunited with Brandon Marshall, but negotiations broke down and he remained a Bronco.
Tim Tebow was relegated to 3rd string QB behind Orton and Brady Quinn as the Broncos opened on MNF against their rival Raiders. There was no repeat of the 59-14 blowout, but an extraordinarily sloppy game ensued as both teams racked up penalties. In the third quarter, Orton threw an interception that the Raiders used to set up a 63-yard FG by Sebastian Janikowski (only the third in league history) and eventually win 23-20.
Team records
- The Broncos all-time regular season record (as of the conclusion of the 2009 season) including AFL games is 394–352–10. Their record since joining the NFL in 1970 is 355–255–6.
- Their all-time playoff record is 17–15.
- John ElwayJohn ElwayJohn Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
is the Broncos all-time leading passer, with 300 touchdowns and 51,475 yards passing. - Terrell DavisTerrell DavisTerrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
is the Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 60 touchdowns and 7,607 yards rushing. - Rod Smith is the Broncos all-time leading receiver, with 68 touchdowns, 11,389 yards receiving.
- Jason ElamJason ElamJason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
is the Broncos all-time leading scorer, with 1,786 points. He also holds the record for games played as a Bronco, with 236.
External links
- Broncos History on NFL Hall of Fame Site
- Broncos Uniform History
- Broncos AFL History
- Sportsecyclopedia Broncos 1960–present
- All-time regular season record
- CBS Broncos history page
- Pro Football Reference page
Books
- Larry Gordan, “Barely Audible: A History of the Denver Broncos” (Graphic Impressions, 1975) ISBN 978-0914628019
- Woodrow “Woody” Paige, “Orange Madness: The Incredible Odyssey of the Denver Broncos” (Crowell, 1978) ISBN 978-0690017762
- Terry Frei, “'77: Denver, The Broncos, and a Coming of Age” (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2007) ISBN 978-1589792135
- Larry Zimmer, “Stadium Stories: Colorful Tales of the Blue and Orange“ (The Globe Pequot Press, 2004) ISBN 978-076227667