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AmericanFootball current event 2023 Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
Established August 16, 1959[1]
Play in Empower Field at Mile High,
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Denver Broncos helmet
Denver Broncos logo
Helmet Logo
League/Conference affiliations

American Football League (1960-1969)

  • Western Division (1960-1969)

National Football League (1970–present)

Current uniform
Broncos Jerseys
Team colors Orange, Navy Blue, and White
              
Mascot Thunder II (live horse), Miles (costume suit)
Personnel
Owner(s): Walton-Penner Family Group
Team President Damani Leech
General Manager George Paton
Head Coach Sean Payton
Team history
  • Denver Broncos (1960–present)
Denver Broncos Historical Teams
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Team Nicknames Orange Crush, The Drive

Championships
League Championships (3)

Conference Championships (8)
  • AFC: 1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2013, 2015
Division Championships (15)
  • AFC West: 1977, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
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 team is headquartered in Dove Valley, Colorado.

The team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) and joined the NFL as part of the merger in 1970. The Broncos are currently owned by the Walton-Penner group, and play their home games at Empower Field at Mile High; Denver previously played its home games at Mile High Stadium from its inception in 1960 through the 2000 season.

The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and their first seven years in the NFL. They did not have a winning season until 1973 and qualified for their first playoffs in 1977, eventually advancing to Super Bowl XII that season. Since 1975, the Broncos have become one of the NFL's most successful teams, having suffered only eleven losing seasons.[2] They have won eight AFC Championships (1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2013, 2015), and three Super Bowl championships (1997 (XXXII), 1998 (XXXIII), 2015 (50)), and share the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses (5 — tied with the New England Patriots). The Broncos have eight primary members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: John Elway, Floyd Little, Shannon Sharpe, Gary Zimmerman, Terrell Davis, Champ Bailey, and Steve Atwater, along with late club owner Pat Bowlen.[3]

Team History[]

Early Years[]

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 of 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]

1980's-1990's: John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, and Terrell Davis[]

File:Elway John Action 180-220.jpg

John Elway in action.

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 last 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 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. 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 season, 1998 season, and the 2015 season.

After Elway[]

Elway retired following the 1998/1999 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. 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. Both Brian Griese and Jake Plummer have 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).

Current Roster[]

Denver Broncos current roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • 28 Royce Freeman
  • 32 Andy Janovich FB
  • 30 Phillip Lindsay

Wide receivers

  • 19 Fred Brown
  • 17 DaeSean Hamilton
  • 14 Courtland Sutton
  • 15 Juwann Winfree

Tight ends

  • 83 Andrew Beck
  • 80 Jake Butt
  • 87 Noah Fant
  • 89 Austin Fort
  • 84 Troy Fumagalli
  • 82 Jeff Heuerman
Offensive linemen
  • 76 Calvin Anderson T
  • 72 Garett Bolles T
  • 74 Nico Falah G
  • 70 Ja'Wuan James T
  • 65 Ronald Leary G
  • 50 Patrick Morris C
  • 66 Dalton Risner G
  • 71 Austin Schlottmann G

Defensive linemen

  • 92 Jonathan Harris DE
  • 93 Dre'Mont Jones DE
  • 57 DeMarcus Walker DE
  • 90 Billy Winn DE
Linebackers
  • 55 Bradley Chubb OLB
  • 51 Todd Davis ILB
  • 52 Justin Hollins OLB
  • 47 Josey Jewell ILB
  • 45 A. J. Johnson ILB
  • 58 Von Miller OLB
  • 59 Malik Reed OLB
  • 54 Josh Watson ILB

Defensive backs

  • 29 Bryce Callahan CB
  • 20 Duke Dawson CB
  • 49 Alijah Holder CB
  • 22 Kareem Jackson SS
  • 27 Horace Richardson CB
  • 38 Shakial Taylor CB
  • 26 Isaac Yiadom CB

Special teams

Reserve lists
  • 67 Ka'John Armstrong OT
  • 12 Trinity Benson WR
  • 53 Malik Carney OLB
  • -- Jeremy Cox FB
  • -- Tre Crawford LB
  • -- Trevor Daniel P
  • -- Wes Farnsworth LS
  • 85 Bug Howard TE
  • 63 Tyler Jones OT
  • 37 P. J. Locke S
  • 16 Kelvin McKnight WR
  • 33 Khalfani Muhammad RB
  • 35 Tyvis Powell S
  •  4 Brett Rypien QB
  • -- Kahani Smith S
  • 74 Jay-Tee Tiuli DT

Practice squad


Unrestricted FAs

  • 97 Jeremiah Attaochu OLB
  • 23 Devontae Booker RB
  • 99 Adam Gotsis DE
  • 25 Chris Harris Jr. CB
  • 96 Shelby Harris NT
  • -- Joel Heath DE
  • 39 Cyrus Jones CB
  • 42 Casey Kreiter LS
  • 60 Connor McGovern C
  • 56 Corey Nelson ILB
  • 34 Will Parks FS
  • 21 Theo Riddick RB
  • 31 Justin Simmons FS
  • 95 Derek Wolfe DE

Restricted FAs

  •  2 Brandon Allen QB
  • 41 De'Vante Bausby CB
  • 43 Joseph Jones ILB
  • 81 Tim Patrick WR
  • 77 Kyle Peko NT
  • 98 Mike Purcell NT
  • 68 Elijah Wilkinson OT

Exclusive-Rights FAs

  • 75 Quinn Bailey OT
  • 36 Trey Marshall SS
  • 69 Jake Rodgers OT
  • 91 Deyon Sizer DE
  • 11 Diontae Spencer WR
Rookies in italics

Roster updated February 7, 2020
Depth chartTransactions
44 active, 16 inactive, 27 FAs

NFL rosters


The National Football League (2023)
AFC East North South West
Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots Cleveland Browns Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders
New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East North South West
Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears Atlanta Falcons Arizona Cardinals
New York Giants Detroit Lions Carolina Panthers Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers
Washington Commanders Minnesota Vikings Tampa Bay Buccaneers Seattle Seahawks
NFL seasons • NFL playoffs • AFC Championship Game • NFC Championship Game • Super Bowl • Super Bowl Champions • Pro Bowl

NFL Championship History: AFL Championship Game (1960–1969) • NFL Championship Game (1920–1969) • One-Game Playoff • Playoff Bowl

Stadiums • Records • Historic Games and Plays • Rules • Television • Kickoff • Thanksgiving Classic • Christmas Day • NFL Draft • NFLPA •AFL

AFL-NFL Merger • NFL Europa • Defunct franchises • Hall of Fame • Hall of Fame Game • American Bowl

References[]

  1. The Broncos Are Born. NFL Enterprises, LLC.
  2. Denver Broncos Team Encyclopedia – Pro-Football-Reference.com. Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. Denver Broncos Hall of Famers. NFL Enterprises, LLC.

External links[]

The National Football League (2023)
AFC East North South West
Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots Cleveland Browns Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders
New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East North South West
Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears Atlanta Falcons Arizona Cardinals
New York Giants Detroit Lions Carolina Panthers Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers
Washington Commanders Minnesota Vikings Tampa Bay Buccaneers Seattle Seahawks
NFL seasons • NFL playoffs • AFC Championship Game • NFC Championship Game • Super Bowl • Super Bowl Champions • Pro Bowl

NFL Championship History: AFL Championship Game (1960–1969) • NFL Championship Game (1920–1969) • One-Game Playoff • Playoff Bowl

Stadiums • Records • Historic Games and Plays • Rules • Television • Kickoff • Thanksgiving Classic • Christmas Day • NFL Draft • NFLPA •AFL

AFL-NFL Merger • NFL Europa • Defunct franchises • Hall of Fame • Hall of Fame Game • American Bowl

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