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| sb_champs = 1998 ([[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]]),1999 ([[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]])
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* '''AFC:''' 1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998
* '''AFC:''' 1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998

Revision as of 03:26, 16 August 2010

Denver Broncos
Current season
Denver Broncos helmet
Denver Broncos helmet
Denver Broncos logo
Denver Broncos logo
HelmetLogo
Established 1960
Play in INVESCO Field at Mile High
Denver, Colorado
Headquartered in the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Centre
Englewood, Colorado
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1960–1969)
  • Western Division (1960–1969)

National Football League (1970–present)

Uniforms
File:AFCW-Uniform-DEN.PNG
Team colorsNavy, Orange, White      
Mascot"Thunder II" (live horse)
"Miles" (costume suit)
Personnel
Owner(s)Pat Bowlen
ChairmanPat Bowlen
CEOPat Bowlen
General managerBrian Xanders
PresidentPat Bowlen
Head coachJosh McDaniels
Team history
  • Denver Broncos (1960–present)
Team nicknames
Orange Crush (1977–1979 defense)
Championships
League championships (2)
Conference championships (6)
  • AFC: 1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998
Division championships (10)
  • AFC West: 1977, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005
Playoff appearances (20)
  • NFL: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005
Home fields

The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) Western Division in the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger. The team has won two Super Bowls and six AFC Championships. They play at INVESCO Field at Mile High, and have three players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: John Elway, Floyd Little and Gary Zimmerman.

Franchise history

Further information: History of the Denver Broncos

1960–1998

The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14, 1959 when minor league baseball owner Bob Howsam was awarded an American Football League charter franchise.[1] The Broncos won the first-ever American Football League game over the Boston Patriots, 13–10, on September 9, 1960. On August 5, 1967, they became the first ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team after beating the Detroit Lions, 13–7, in a preseason game.[1] Overall the Broncos were not successful in the 1960s, compiling a record of 39–97–4 in the league.[2] However, the Broncos first superstar was "Franchise" Floyd Little, (due to his signing in 1967 and his Pro Bowl efforts on and off the field, he was instrumental in keeping the team in Denver).

Denver's franchise started out rough, managing its first winning season in 1973 after thirteen years of futility. They were the only original AFL team never to have played in the title game during the upstart league's 10-year history.[3] Denver came close to losing its franchise in 1965, but a local ownership group took control that year and began to rebuild the team.[4]

In 1972, the Broncos hired John Ralston as their Head Coach.[5] Previous to joining the Broncos, Ralston was the Head Coach at Stanford University. The following year, 1973, he was UPI's choice as AFC Coach of the Year after Denver achieved its first-ever-winning season at 7-5-2. In five seasons with the Broncos, Ralston guided the team to winning seasons three times, the franchise's only three winning seasons up to that time. Even though Ralston finished the 1976 season with a winning record of 9-5, the team, as was the case in Ralston’s previous winning seasons, still failed to qualify for the playoffs. Following the 1976 season several prominent players publicly voiced their discontent with Ralston’s leadership which soon led to his dismissal by the team owner.

Rookie coach, Red Miller, along with the Orange Crush Defense (a nickname originating in the early '70's, also the name of a popular soda pop) and aging quarterback Craig Morton, promptly took the Broncos to their first playoff appearance in 1977 (and ultimately first Super Bowl, where they were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys, 27–10).[6]

In 1981 Broncos owner Gerald Phipps, who had purchased the team in May 1961 from the original owner Bob Howsam, sold the team to Canadian Financier, Edgar Kaiser, Jr., grandson of shipbuilding industrialist Henry J. Kaiser.[7][8]

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 and was also a pitching prospect), unless he was traded to a selected list of other teams, which included Denver.[9] Prior to Elway, Denver had over 24 different starting quarterbacks in its 23 seasons to that point.[10] Elway would remain the quarterback through five Super Bowls, as he and the Broncos won two of them. He would also end his career as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII. He then went on to help the AFC win the Pro Bowl, his final NFL game. The Broncos lost Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants, 39–20; Super Bowl XXII to the Washington Redskins, 42–10; and Super Bowl XXIV to the San Francisco 49ers, 55–10, the latter of which is, to date, the most lopsided scoring differential in Super Bowl history.

In 1995, the Broncos debuted a new head coach, Mike Shanahan, and a new rookie running back, Terrell Davis. In 1996, the Broncos were the top seed in the AFC with a 13-3 record, dominating most of the teams that year. Unfortunately, an upstart two-year old 5th seed Wild Card, the Jacksonville Jaguars, pushed the Broncos Super Bowl dreams back a year by defeating the Broncos, 30–27, in what many consider the second greatest upset in NFL history. During the 1997 season, both would help guide the Broncos to their first Super Bowl victory, a 31–24 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. Although Elway completed only 12 of 22 passing attempts, throwing one interception and no touchdowns (he did, however, have a rushing touchdown), Davis rushed for 157 yards and a Super Bowl–record three touchdowns to earn the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award - this while overcoming a severe migraine headache that caused him blurred vision.[11] The Broncos repeated as Super Bowl champions the following season, defeating the Atlanta Falcons (led by Elway's longtime head coach Dan Reeves) in Super Bowl XXXIII, 34–19. Elway was named Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 336 yards and a touchdown (the touchdown pass being an 80-yard pass play to wide receiver Rod Smith). Elway also had a rushing touchdown.

Overall, Denver has reached the Super Bowl six times, winning it in the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

After John Elway: 1999–2004

Elway retired following the 1998 season. Since then, Denver has only had two losing seasons (1999, 2007). The team has made the playoffs as a wild card three times (2000, 2003 and 2004) and won the division once (2005). However, the Broncos have won only one playoff game since Elway's retirement (see below). Prior to the 2005 season, they were plagued by late-season flops following early-season success. In both 2003 and 2004, they started the season 5–1 and ended 10–6. In 2005, the Broncos would have a much-improved season, going 13–3 and earning a bye week in the playoffs with the #2 seed in the AFC. They would finally win a playoff game without Elway, defeating the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, 27–13, ending the Patriots' 10-game playoff winning streak. The following weekend, the Broncos hosted the AFC Championship and were defeated by the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 34–17.

In the years since Elway's retirement, it has become obvious that the Denver fans and media expect Elway-like perfection from the quarterback position. Brian Griese, for example, faced severe scrutiny in attempting to succeed Elway as the team’s quarterback. Elway’s jersey remains the most frequently worn at INVESCO Field at Mile High, with the crowd generally voicing their loudest ovations when his name is mentioned or shown. Many members of the media have run stories and articles on the pressures that come with playing quarterback in Denver, as most fans believe no player will ever live up the standard set by Elway.

Elway’s overwhelming popularity in Colorado is generally attributed to a number of factors, including the extensive length of time spent on the team at the league’s premier position, his leading of 4th quarter comebacks, his community work throughout the state and retiring directly after two Super Bowl wins (the last of which being his final game of his career in which he was Super Bowl MVP).

2005

Further information: [[:2005 Denver Broncos season]]
INVESCO Field at Mile High set up for Broncos game

After losing their first game, 34–10, to the Miami Dolphins on September 11, 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 - ending the Patriots chance of becoming the first NFL team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships. The last team with a chance 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.

2006

Further information: [[:2006 Denver Broncos season]]
2008 Denver Broncos offense including Selvin Young, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall

In 2006, the Denver Broncos had high hopes among the league in being able to compete for the Super Bowl title. The Broncos defense started off the first five games of the season allowing only one touchdown, an NFL record, but struggled down the season stretch. Jake Plummer, the team's starting quarterback since 2003, led the team to a 7–2 record only to lose 2 straight and be replaced by rookie quarterback Jay Cutler, drafted in the first round out of Vanderbilt.

Cutler's first game as a starter was a home game against the Seattle Seahawks on December 3, 2006.[12] He threw for 143 yards, along with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in a loss. Cutler would go on to lead Denver to two victories and three losses as a starter in the season. The most impressive win was in an away game over the Arizona Cardinals on December 17, 2006.[13] During the game, Cutler launched a 68-yard touchdown to Javon Walker on the third play from scrimmage.

The Broncos' season ended with an unexpected loss to the San Francisco 49ers on December 31, 2006. Cutler was knocked out of part of the game from a blow he took from a 49er defender, giving him a concussion. The Broncos finished 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). Hours after the season-ending loss, on January 1, 2007, Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot around 2:10 a.m. on West 11th Avenue and Speer Boulevard in downtown Denver, and died at 2:30 a.m. He was in a Hummer H2 limousine. Former Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker was also in the limousine, but he was not injured. A mere 50 days after the fatal shooting, running back Damien Nash collapsed and died suddenly on February 24, 2007, following a charity basketball game in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

2007

Further information: [[:2007 Denver Broncos season]]
Denver Broncos entrance

The Broncos traded running back Tatum Bell and offensive tackle George Foster to the Detroit Lions for former Pro Bowl cornerback Dre' Bly to compensate for the unfortunate loss of Williams. In addition to the trade for Bly, the Broncos had made a trade to the Miami Dolphins for Dan Wilkinson, only to have that trade voided because Wilkinson did not show up to Denver for his scheduled physical.

Denver added running back Travis Henry, wide receiver Brandon Stokley, and tight end Daniel Graham through free agency. The team released linebacker Al Wilson during the month of April for health and salary cap reasons. Simeon Rice was also added to their roster with a one-year deal. The Broncos also resigned punter Todd Sauerbrun to help their special teams.

The first game of the season was on the road against the Buffalo Bills, which they won with a last second field goal kick by Jason Elam that put them up 15-14 as time expired.

In game two, the Oakland Raiders seemed to claim victory on a Sebastian Janikowski field goal in overtime, but a last second time-out called by coach Mike Shanahan negated that kick, and the subsequent kick hit the field-goal post. Jay Cutler then marched the Broncos down the field, and Jason Elam kicked the game winning field goal for the second week in a row.

In the seventh game of the season, the Broncos played and lost a Monday Night Football home game against the Green Bay Packers. There were 77,160 tickets distributed for the game, which is a franchise record.[14][15] 76,645 fans attended the game.

Suffering through several injuries to players such as Rod Smith, Tom Nalen, Ben Hamilton, Javon Walker, Jarvis Moss and Ebenezer Ekuban, the Broncos finished the season with a 7-9 record and missed the playoffs.

2008: Mike Shanahan era ends

Further information: [[:2008 Denver Broncos season]]
Denver Broncos playing against the San Diego Chargers

The Broncos won their first 3 games of the season against the Oakland Raiders, 41-14, San Diego Chargers, 39-38, and New Orleans Saints, 34-32, before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, 33-19, in Week 4. They went on to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 16-13, before losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 24-17, the New England Patriots, 41-7, and after their bye week the Miami Dolphins, 26-17. Week 10 and 11 brought the Broncos two wins against the Cleveland Browns, 34-30, and the Atlanta Falcons, 24-20. However, they lost against the Oakland Raiders, 31-10, the following week. They beat the New York Jets, 34-17, and the Kansas City Chiefs, 24-17. Week 15 started the disappointing string of losses that ended the Broncos' attempts at the 2008 playoffs. They lost to the Carolina Panthers, 30-10, and then to the Buffalo Bills, 30-23. By Week 17, the Broncos were still leading the AFC West, with a 8-7 record, and had promises of beating the San Diego Chargers, who had a 7-8 record. However, on December 28, 2008, the Broncos were blown out at San Diego 52-21. They would be the first team in NFL history to enter the final quarter of a regular season with a three-game lead and lose all three games. Based on the Chargers' AFC West record of 5-1 to the Broncos 3-3, the Chargers clinched the AFC West.

On December 30, 2008, Mike Shanahan was fired as head coach and on January 11, Josh McDaniels was hired as the new Broncos coach.[16]

Ending a turbulent transition period from Mike Shanahan to Josh McDaniels, on April 2, 2009, the team resorted to trading Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler and a fifth-round draft pick from the Broncos to the Chicago Bears for Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks, and a third-round pick.[17]

2009: Josh McDaniels era begins

Further information: [[:2009 Denver Broncos season]]

Under new head coach Josh McDaniels and new quarterback Kyle Orton, the Broncos jumped out to a surprising 6-0 start. The first three wins included a miraculous 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.

Heading into their Week 7 bye, the Broncos were 6-0 and their closest division competition was San Diego at 2-3. All that began to change, however, as a 30-7 loss at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8 started the Broncos' downward spiral. The Broncos suffered subsequent losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, 28-10, at the Washington Redskins, 27-17, and the rematch with the San Diego Chargers, 32-3, the latter of which saw the Chargers overtake the Broncos for the AFC West division lead. (The Chargers would finish the season with a 13-3 record, winning their last 11 regular season games.) In each of the four losses, the Broncos struggled both offensively and defensively, including a costly special teams lapse in the Redskins game.

The Broncos then got back on the winning track with a 26-6 win against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving night, followed by a 44-13 rout at the Kansas City Chiefs. In both wins, the Broncos' defense, which played a huge role in the team's 6-0 start, also got back on track. However, these would be the Broncos' last two victories of the 2009 season.

While still in contention for a playoff spot with an 8-4 record, a 28-16 loss at the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14 started a season-ending four-game losing streak. In the following two games, the Broncos were victimized by last-minute scores in losses against the Oakland Raiders, 20-19, and at the Philadelphia Eagles, 30-27. In the 2009 season finale, the Broncos were routed 44-24 at home against the Kansas City Chiefs, ending the chance of a playoff appearance and finishing 8-8 for a second consecutive season.

2010

Further information: [[:2010 Denver Broncos season]]

On March 14, quarterback Brady Quinn, former college superstar and the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 draft, was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for fullback Peyton Hillis, a sixth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and a conditional pick in the 2012 Draft.[18] In spite of the trade, the Denver Broncos remain content with Kyle Orton as their starting quarterback. However, Quinn will be given the opportunity to compete for the starting role come preseason.

On April 14, wide receiver Brandon Marshall was traded to the Miami Dolphins for second-round draft picks in 2010 and 2011.[19] Five days later (April 19), the Broncos were involved in a three-team trade with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, with the team sending tight end Tony Scheffler and a seventh-round draft pick to the Lions. The Broncos received a fifth-round draft pick from the Eagles.[20]

On April 22, at the 2010 NFL Draft, Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was drafted by the Broncos as the 22nd overall pick, over the projected #1 All-American wide receiver Dez Bryant. Three draft picks later, the Broncos surprisingly selected All-American Florida quarterback Tim Tebow with the 25th overall pick.[21]

On August 4, the Broncos suffered a devastating blow to their defense when outside linebacker/defensive end Elvis Dumervil suffered a torn pectoral muscle in practice, and could miss the entire 2010 season.[22]

The Broncos will open the season at the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 12, 2010.

Rivalries

Kansas City Chiefs

  • First met in 1960
  • 55-45 Kansas City leads series (Denver leads playoffs 1-0)
  • Signature moment: The Kansas City Chiefs were victimized by eight of John Elway's legendary 47 fourth-quarter game-winning or game-tying drives, the most of any NFL team.[23] Perhaps the most notable comeback occurred on October 4, 1992, at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos were trailing the Chiefs 19-6 late in the 4th quarter, and hadn't scored a touchdown in the previous 12 quarters. After the two-minute warning, Elway threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson to pull within 19-13, with 1:55 remaining. After the Chiefs subsequently went three-and-out, the Broncos returned a punt to the Chiefs' 27-yard line. Three plays later, Elway tossed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Vance Johnson with 38 seconds remaining that game the Broncos a thrilling 20-19 comeback win. However, the Chiefs got their revenge in the 1992 season finale, with an emphatic 42-20 win at Arrowhead Stadium that denied the Broncos a playoff berth.
  • Signature moment: Former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana finished his career in Kansas City, and led the Chiefs to a memorable comeback at Mile High Stadium on October 17, 1994.
  • Signature moment: After suffering a last-second defeat at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium in the 1997 regular season, Denver redeemed themselves with a 14-10 win at Kansas City in the playoffs, eventually winning Super Bowl XXXII.

Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders

  • First met in 1960
  • 56–41–2 Oakland leads series (Playoffs tied 1–1)
  • Signature moment: The Broncos beat the Raiders in 1977 to win their first AFC Championship.
  • Signature moment: September 26, 1988 - The Broncos led the Raiders 24-0 at halftime on Monday Night Football, but the Raiders sparked one of the largest comebacks in NFL history, winning 30-27 in overtime. After serving as an offensive assistant under Dan Reeves in the mid-80s (and again in the early-90s), Mike Shanahan's first season as an NFL head coach was with the Raiders in 1988, before he was fired four games into the 1989 season.[24]
  • Signature moment: In the 1993 season finale, the Raiders scored an overtime victory against the Broncos to make the playoffs, setting up another game between the two in Los Angeles the following week. Outspoken Raiders' owner Al Davis commented before the playoff game that the Broncos were "scared to death of us."[25] Despite the Broncos' protestations to the contrary, the Raiders made their owner's words stand up, winning 42-24.
  • Signature moment: In 1995, former Raiders coach Mike Shanahan, who was at the time in an ongoing contract dispute with Al Davis, became the Broncos' new head coach, heightening an already contentious AFC West rivalry. Prior to Shanahan's arrival in Denver, the Broncos had lost 11 of the previous 13 matchups against the Raiders, but during Shanahan's 14 seasons as the Broncos' head coach, the Broncos went 21–7 against Oakland.
  • Signature moment: On September 16, 2007, as Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski kicked a field goal during overtime, Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan had called a timeout right before Janikowski made it. After the timeout, Janikowski again attempted the field goal, but this time it hit the upright and was no good. Denver then proceeded to win the game on a field goal by kicker Jason Elam.[26]

San Diego Chargers

  • First met in 1960
  • 54-45-1 Denver leads series (No playoff matches)
  • Signature moment: Dennis Smith blocks two consecutive field goal attempts - November 17, 1985 - San Diego takes the ball to the Broncos 24 in the first overtime possession. Dennis Smith blocks a Bob Thomas field goal attempt only to see the block brought back by a time-out Denver had mistakenly called. Thomas tries a second attempt and this try is also blocked by Smith and returned by Louis Wright for a 60 yard touchdown and the win.[27]
  • Signature moment: September 14, 2008 - With 52 seconds remaining in the game, the Chargers were leading 38-31. The Broncos hiked the ball on 2nd & Goal from the Chargers 1 yard line. Jay Cutler began to roll out to the right and before he brought his arm forward he fumbled the ball, which was then recovered by Tim Dobbins of the Chargers. However, referee Ed Hochuli had blown the play dead as he believed it to be an incomplete pass, so the ball was returned to the Broncos at the 10 yard line (the spot where the ball hit the ground after the incomplete pass). Two plays later, on 4th & Goal from the 4, Jay Cutler completed a touchdown pass to rookie Eddie Royal, bringing the score to 38-37, Chargers lead. Instead of kicking a PAT to tie the game and most likely send it to overtime, Coach Mike Shanahan opted for the 2-point conversion. Jay Cutler completed the conversion with another pass to Royal, giving the Broncos the controversial 39-38 win. However, San Diego would have their revenge with an emphatic 52-21 win in the 2008 season finale, denying the Broncos a place in the playoffs.[28]

Cleveland Browns

  • First met in 1971
  • 18–5 Denver leads series (Denver leads playoffs 3–0)
  • Signature moment: Over three playoffs in four years, Cleveland lost to Denver in the AFC Championship game. In January 1987, after the 1986 season, John Elway led "The Drive" to secure a tie in the waning moments at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium; the Broncos would go on to win in overtime. In January 1988, at Mile High Stadium, after the 1987 season, Cleveland nearly had its own comeback drive, but Earnest Byner's costly fumble at the goal line saved the day for Denver. The game after the 1989 season was not as close, easily won by the Broncos.
  • Signature Moment: Entering 2009, the most recent Cleveland victory in the rivalry was on October 8, 1990 in Mile High Stadium. The Broncos led 29–20 in the fourth quarter but Bernie Kosar led a touchdown drive and then Jerry Kauric kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 30–29 Browns win.

New England Patriots

  • Met in the first-ever AFL regular season game on September 9, 1960, with the Broncos defeating the Boston Patriots 13-10[29]
  • 25–16 Denver leads series (Denver leads playoffs 2–0)
  • Signature moment: January 4, 1987 - In the divisional round of the 1986-87 NFL playoffs, the Broncos defeated the Patriots 22-17 at Mile High Stadium, in John Elway's first career playoff win.[30][31] During the John Elway era, the Broncos went 11-0 against the Patriots, including the playoffs.
  • Signature moment: November 17, 1996 - The Broncos routed the Patriots 34-8 at Foxboro Stadium. This was the game where Shannon Sharpe infamously ranted on a sideline phone "Mr. President, call in the National Guard! Send as many men as you can spare! Because we are killing the Patriots! They need emergency help!"[32]
  • Signature moment: November 3, 2003 - The Patriots were trailing 24-23 with 2:49 remaining. Backed up to their own 1-yard line and facing a punt, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick ordered an intentional safety that gave the Broncos a 26-23 lead. After a free kick backed up the Broncos to their own 15-yard line, they immediately went three and out. After a Broncos punt gave the Patriots great field position at their own 42-yard line with 2:15 remaining, New England drove 58 yards in 6 plays, culminating in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to David Givens with 35 seconds remaining that gave the Patriots a 30-26 win.[33]
  • Signature moment: January 14, 2006 - In the divisional round of the 2005-06 NFL Playoffs, Champ Bailey made a game-changing 100-yard interception of Tom Brady that gave the Broncos a 27-13 win over the Patriots. This not only gave the Broncos their first (and currently, their only) playoff win since John Elway's retirement, but this also ended the Patriots NFL-record 10-game postseason winning streak, and gave Tom Brady his first playoff loss in 11 games.[34]
  • Signature moment: October 11, 2009 - The Broncos were trailing 17-10 with 9:59 remaining in the 4th quarter. Backed up to their own 2-yard line, Kyle Orton led the Broncos on a 12-play, 98-yard drive, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Orton to Brandon Marshall to tie the game at 17-17 with 5:21 remaining. The Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and subsequently marched down the field, with Matt Prater kicking a game-winning 41-yard field goal for a Broncos 20-17 overtime win. This was head coach Josh McDaniels' first game against his former team and mentor, Bill Belichick.[35]

Logos and uniforms

File:AFCW-Uniform-jersey pants combination-DEN.PNG
Denver Broncos uniform combination. The team primarily wears the navy blue pants for select prime-time and late-season home games.
File:AFC-Throwback-Uniform-DEN.PNG
Denver Broncos uniform: 1968–1996. The team briefly wore orange pants with the road jerseys between 1969-71 and 1978-79.
File:Denver Broncos alternate logo.svg
Broncos alternate logo (1997–present)

When the Broncos debuted in 1960, their original uniforms were vilified by the public. It consisted of brown helmets, brown pants (some had a satin sheen, some didn't), white and mustard yellow jerseys, and vertically striped socks.[36] The club eventually got rid of these jerseys two years later, and celebrated the occasion by holding a public bonfire to burn the striped socks.

The team then unveiled a new logo featuring a bucking horse, and changed their team colors to orange, royal blue and white. The 1962 uniform designed by Laura North-Allen, consisted of white pants, orange helmets, and either orange or white jerseys.

In 1968, the Broncos debuted a design that became known as the "Orange Crush." Their logo was redesigned so that the horse was coming out of a "D." Also, the helmets were changed to royal blue, thin stripes were put onto the sleeves, and other minor modifications were added. From 1969 to 1971, and again from 1978 to 1979, the team wore orange pants with their white jerseys.

The Broncos wore their white jerseys at home throughout the 1971 season, as well as for 1980 home games vs. the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys, the latter in hopes to bring out the "blue jersey jinx" which has followed the Cowboys for decades (it worked, Denver won 41-20). Denver wore its white jerseys for 1983 home games vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals, but would not wear white at home again for two decades (see below).[37][38]

In 1994, in honor of the 75th anniversary season of the NFL, the Broncos wore their 1965 throwback uniforms for two games – a Week 3 home game against the Los Angeles Raiders, as well as the following week at the Buffalo Bills.[37]

The club then radically changed their logo and uniforms in 1997, a design that they continue to use to this day. The current logo is a profile of a horse's head, with an orange mane and navy blue outlines. They began wearing navy blue jerseys, replacing their longtime orange jerseys. This new uniform design also features a streak that runs down the sides of both the jerseys and the pants; it's orange on the navy blue jerseys, and navy on the white jerseys. When they debuted, these uniforms were, again, vilified by the press and fans, until the Broncos won their first ever Super Bowl in the new design that same season.

In 2002, the Broncos introduced an alternate orange jersey with a navy blue stripe going up the sides. The orange trades places with the navy blue on this alternate jersey, as it becomes the dominant color while the navy blue complements. This jersey was most recently used in a November 9, 2009 game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.[39] Former head coach Mike Shanahan was not a big fan of the alternate orange jerseys.[40][41] The Broncos previously wore orange jerseys as a throwback uniform in a Thanksgiving Day game at the Dallas Cowboys in 2001.

The team also introduced navy blue pants in 2003, with orange stripes to be worn with the navy blue jerseys. These pants are primarily used for select prime-time and late-season home games. Though they were part of the uniform change in 1997 and most players wanted to wear them, the only player who vetoed wearing them was John Elway, thereby delaying their eventual introduction. An oddity of their pants are that the home white pants have an orange stripe, but the road white pants have a navy blue stripe.

On November 16, 2003, the Broncos wore their white jerseys at home for the first time since 1983, in a game vs. the San Diego Chargers. This was compensation for a uniform mix-up, after the teams' first meeting at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium in Week 2 earlier that season, when the Chargers were the team that was supposed to declare their uniform color. The Chargers were planning to wear their white jerseys, but the visiting Broncos came to the stadium in white, and were fined $25,000 by the NFL as a result. When the two teams met at INVESCO Field at Mile High later that season (Week 11), the NFL allowed the visiting Chargers to choose their uniform color in advance, and they chose navy blue, forcing the Broncos to wear their white jerseys at home.[42]

In 2009, in honor of their 50th anniversary season as one of the eight original AFL teams, the Broncos wore their 1960 throwback uniforms (brown helmets, mustard yellow and brown jerseys) for games against fellow AFL rivals New England Patriots (October 11) and San Diego Chargers (October 19).[43][44]

In 2010, the Broncos will wear their alternate orange jerseys for two games: October 17 vs. the New York Jets and December 5 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.[45]

Home field

Invesco Field at Mile High

For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium. The AFL Broncos played at the University of Denver's Hilltop Stadium from time to time, including the first-ever victory of an AFL team over an NFL team: The Broncos beat the Detroit Lions on Aug. 5, 1967, in a preseason game.

The team has sold out every home game (including post-season games) since the NFL merger in 1970, with the exception of two replacement games during the 1987 strike (but both were sold out before the strike). During home games, the attendance is announced to the crowd, along with the number of no-shows (the fans subsequently boo the no-shows). The fans are also known to chant "IN-COM-PLETE" every time the visiting team throws an incomplete pass.

The stadium's legendary home-field advantage is regarded as one of the best in the NFL, especially during the post-season. The Broncos have had the best home record in pro football over the past 32 years (1974–2006, 191–65–1). Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents.

Since 2001, they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of the since demolished old Mile High Stadium. Sportswriter Woody Paige, along with many of Denver's fans, however, often refuse to call the new stadium by its full name, preferring to use Mile High Stadium because of its storied history and sentimental import. Additionally the Denver Post had an official policy of referring to the stadium as simply "Mile High Stadium" in protest, but dropped this policy in 2004.

The Colorado altitude has also been attributed as part of the team's home success. The stadium displays multiple references to the stadium's location of 5,280 feet (1.000 mi) above sea level, including a prominent mural just outside the visiting team's locker room.

Statistics

Season-by-season records

Main article: List of Denver Broncos seasons

Head-to-head records vs. opponents

Includes postseason records.[46]

Team Wins Losses Ties Percentage Last Meeting Result Postseason
Wins Losses Percentage
Arizona Cardinals 7 0 1 1.000 12/17/2006 W 37-20
Atlanta Falcons 8 4 0 .667 11/16/2008 W 24-20 1 0 1.000
Baltimore Ravens 3 4 0 .429 11/01/2009 L 7-30 0 1 .000
Buffalo Bills 15 18 1 .455 12/21/2008 L 23-30 0 1 .000
Carolina Panthers 2 1 0 .667 12/24/2008 L 10-30
Chicago Bears 6 7 0 .462 11/25/2007 L 34-37 (OT)
Cincinnati Bengals 17 8 0 .680 09/13/2009 W 12-7
Cleveland Browns 18 5 0 .783 09/20/2009 W 27-6 3 0 1.000
Dallas Cowboys 6 4 0 .600 10/04/2009 W 17-10 0 1 .000
Detroit Lions 6 4 0 .600 11/04/2007 L 7-44
Green Bay Packers 5 5 1 .500 10/29/2007 L 13-19 (OT) 1 0 1.000
Houston Texans 1 1 0 .500 12/13/2007 L 13-31
Indianapolis Colts 11 7 0 .611 12/13/2009 L 16-28 0 2 .000
Jacksonville Jaguars 3 4 0 .429 10/12/2008 L 17-24 1 1 .500
Kansas City Chiefs 45 54 0 .455 01/03/2010 L 24-44 1 0 1.000
Miami Dolphins 3 11 1 .214 11/02/2008 L 17-26 1 0 1.000
Minnesota Vikings 5 7 0 .417 12/30/2007 W 22-19 (OT)
New England Patriots 25 16 0 .610 10/11/2009 W 20-17 (OT) 2 0 1.000
New Orleans Saints 7 2 0 .778 09/21/2008 W 34-32
New York Giants 5 5 0 .500 11/26/2009 W 26-6 0 1 .000
New York Jets 16 14 1 .533 11/30/2008 W 34-17 1 0 1.000
Oakland Raiders 41 56 2 .423 12/20/2009 L 19-20 1 1 .500
Philadelphia Eagles 4 7 0 .364 12/27/2009 L 27-30
Pittsburgh Steelers 13 7 1 .650 11/09/2009 L 10-28 3 3 .500
St. Louis Rams 5 6 0 .455 09/10/2006 L 10-18
San Diego Chargers 54 45 1 .545 11/22/2009 L 3-32
San Francisco 49ers 6 5 0 .545 12/31/2006 L 23-26 (OT) 0 1 .000
Seattle Seahawks 33 18 0 .647 12/03/2006 L 20-23 0 1 .000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 2 0 .714 10/05/2008 W 16-13
Tennessee Titans 13 20 1 .394 11/19/2007 W 34-20 2 1 .667
Washington Redskins 6 5 0 .545 11/15/2009 L 17-27 0 1 .000
Total 394 352 10 .528 17 15 .531

Players of note

Current roster

Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve


As of December 4, 2024. Rookies in italics.

53 active, 4 reserve, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Retired numbers

Ring of Fame

The Broncos have a Ring of Fame on the Level 5 facade of INVESCO Field at Mile High, which honors the following:

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

  • 23 Goose Gonsoulin, S, 1960-1966
  • 44 Floyd Little, RB, 1967-1975
  • 87 Lionel Taylor, WR, 1960-1966
  • 87 Rich Jackson, DE, 1967-1972
  • Gerald Phipps, team owner, 1961-1981
  • 18 Frank Tripucka, QB, 1960-1963
  • 36 Billy Thompson, CB, 1969-1981
  • 7 Craig Morton, QB, 1977-1982
  • 25 Haven Moses, WR, 1972-1981
  • 53 Randy Gradishar, LB, 1976-1983
  • 57 Tom Jackson, LB, 1973-1986
  • 80 Rick Upchurch, WR, 1975-1983
  • 20 Louis Wright, S, 1975-1986
  • Red Miller, Head Coach, 1977-1980
  • Dan Reeves, Head Coach, 1981-1992
  • 7 John Elway, QB, 1983-1998
  • 77 Karl Mecklenburg, LB, 1983-1994
  • 84 Shannon Sharpe, TE, 1990-1999, 2002-2003
  • 30 Terrell Davis, RB, 1995–2001
  • Mike Shanahan, Head Coach 1995-2008

Staff

Head coaches

Main article: List of Denver Broncos head coaches

Current staff

Denver Broncos staff
Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group
Front office
  • President – Damani Leech
  • General manager – George Paton
  • Assistant general manager – Darren Mougey
  • Vice president of player personnel – Cody Rager
  • Director of player personnel – Reed Burckhardt
  • Director of pro personnel – A. J. Durso
  • Executive director of football operations – Kelly Kleine
  • Vice president of football administration – Rich Hurtado
  • Vice president of football operation and compliance – Mark Thewes
  • Vice president of player development – Ray Jackson
  • Director of college scouting – Brian Stark
  • Senior personnel executive – Roman Phifer
  • Senior personnel executive – David Shaw
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Nick Schiralli
Head coach
Offensive coaches
  
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
  • Special teams coordinator – Ben Kotwica
  • Assistant special teams – Chris Banjo
  • Assistant to the head coach – Paul Kelly
Strength and conditioning
  • Vice president of player health and performance – Beau Lowery
  • Head strength and conditioning – Dan Dalrymple
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Korey Jones
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Shaun Snee

→ Coaching staff
→ Front office
→ More NFL staffs

Radio and television

As of 2010, the Broncos' flagship radio station was KOA, 850AM, a 50,000-watt station owned by Clear Channel Communications. Dave Logan is the play-by-play announcer. Former Broncos QB Brian Griese as the color commentator. Preseason games not selected for airing on national television are shown on KCNC, channel 4, which is a CBS owned-and-operated station, as well as other CBS affiliates around the Rocky Mountain region.

Notable fans and icons

Tim McKernan, a.k.a. Barrel Man, began wearing a barrel in 1977 after making a $10 bet with his brother, Scott, that by wearing one he could get on television. McKernan won the bet, and the barrel he had painted to look like an Orange Crush soda can became his signature costume, and resulted in him becoming one of the Broncos' most recognized fans and a popular mascot. McKernan died on December 5, 2009.[47]

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b "Team - Pro Football Hall of Fame". Profootballhof.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  2. ^ "Denver Broncos: American Football League Charter Members". Conigliofamily.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  3. ^ "Denver Broncos Team Encyclopedia". Pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  4. ^ "Denver Broncos Team History". Nflteamhistory.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  5. ^ http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/PDF/RecordBook/2008/AllTimeCoaches.pdf
  6. ^ "1977 Denver Broncos Statistics". Pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  7. ^ http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/02/21/rand_dressing_up_the_old_afl/
  8. ^ Paton, James (October 2, 2008), "Clock runs out for ex-Broncos owner", Rocky Mountain News
  9. ^ "John Elway Timeline". Sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  10. ^ "Denver Broncos". Football.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  11. ^ "Super Bowl XXXII box score". NFL.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  12. ^ "Hawks edge Broncos behind Brown's game-winning FG". Sports.espn.go.com. 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  13. ^ "Broncos' Cutler outduels Cards' Leinart in rookie battle". Sports.espn.go.com. 2006-12-14. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  14. ^ "Mason's Morsels » Blog Archive » Broncos-Packers: Fourth-Quarter and Overtime Notes". Blog.denverbroncos.com. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  15. ^ Klis, Mike (2008-03-04). "Packers defeat Broncos in OT". Denver Post website. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  16. ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9008898/Shanahan-out-as-Broncos-coach-after-late-collapse
  17. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=ApaZ2ybARyMLkn_EyyFF8zRDubYF?slug=ap-broncos-cutler&prov=ap&type=lgns
  18. ^ Caldwell, Gray (March 14, 2010). "Broncos Acquire Quinn". denverbroncos.com. Retrieved March 14, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Marshall Traded to Dolphins". denverbroncos.com. April 14, 2010. Retrieved April 14, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Caldwell, Gray (April 20, 2010). "Scheffler Traded to Lions". denverbroncos.com. Retrieved April 20, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=10052 Broncos Pick Two in Primetime
  22. ^ Legwold, Jeff (August 5, 2010). "Broncos' Dumervil could miss season with chest injury". denverpost.com. Retrieved August 5, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/elway/comebacks.html Elway's comebacks
  24. ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/260474-the-top-10-most-memorable-moments-in-the-raiders-broncos-rivalry#page/5 The 10 Most Memorable Moments in the Raiders-Broncos Rivalry
  25. ^ Crouse, Karen (2006-10-14). "The Raiders Are a Nation That Is Divided and Downtrodden". New York Times. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
  26. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=270916007 Broncos convert in OT after Raiders' second-chance kick fails
  27. ^ Stadium Stories, 156.
  28. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280914007
  29. ^ http://www.profootballhof.com/history/team/denver-broncos/
  30. ^ http://en.allexperts.com/q/Denver-Broncos-277/Date-Elway-Drafted.htm
  31. ^ http://www.milehighreport.com/2008/10/16/634005/denver-broncos-new-england Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots; Through The Years
  32. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/football/nfl/05/17/sharpe.retrospective/index.html Sharpe Retrospective Broncos TE retires, leaving fans with memories of quotes and catches
  33. ^ http://espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=231103007 Patriots take safety for field position
  34. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=260114007 Broncos take advantage of turnovers, eliminate Patriots
  35. ^ http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9454 Hard Fought 5-0
  36. ^ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/660608396_8eb6da94e0.jpg
  37. ^ a b http://www.uniwatchblog.com/white-at-home-in-the-nfl/ White at Home in the NFL
  38. ^ http://endzonesportscharities.org/gunews.htm
  39. ^ http://espn.go.com/nfl/photos?gameId=291109007 Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos - Game Photos - November 9, 2009
  40. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_10208381
  41. ^ http://www.milehighreport.com/2009/8/6/979484/fear-the-orange-broncos-will-wear Mile High Report
  42. ^ http://uniforms-i.com/football-uniforms.html
  43. ^ National Football League. "NFL announces 2009 AFL 'Legacy Games'". NFL. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  44. ^ Klis, Mike (2009-10-10). "Even if they win, the Broncos figure to look bad in their throwback uniforms Sunday". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  45. ^ "Broncos' RBs turn in uneven performances". denverpost.com. August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  46. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/?redir Pro Football Reference, 2009, retrieved on 2009-08-04
  47. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13934615 Tim McKernan, "Barrel Man" to Broncos fans, dies at 69

Further reading

  • Denver Broncos: The Complete Illustrated History (2009), by Jim Saccomano & John Elway, MBI Publishing Company, ISBN 0760334765
  • Then Morton Said to Elway...: The Best Denver Broncos Stories Ever Told (2008), by Craig Morton & Adrian Dater, Triumph Books, ISBN 1600781217
  • Game of My Life: Denver Broncos: Memorable Stories of Broncos Football (2007), by Jim Saccomano, Sports Publishing LLC, ISBN 1596700912
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Denver Broncos: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Denver Broncos History (2007), By Adrian Dater - Triumph Books, ISBN 1572439750
  • John Elway and the Denver Broncos: Super Bowl XXXIII (2007), by Michael Sandler, Bearport Pub Company, ISBN 1597165360
  • The Denver Broncos (2006), by Mark Stewart - Norwood House Press, ISBN 159953066X
  • Denver Broncos: Colorful Tales of the Orange and Blue (2004), by Larry Zimmer, Globe Pequot Press, ISBN 0762727667
Achievements
Preceded by Super Bowl Champions
Denver Broncos
1998 and 1999 		Succeeded by
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