Learn about the entire history of the Denver Broncos, starting with its lowly status as an AFL team in 1960 and the Orange Crush years, Super Bowl wins by John Elway, record seasons with Peyton Manning and the current push by this new ownership to win the NFL championship.
Founding and Early Years (1960–1969)
- Background: Denver Broncos was established in 1960 by the American Football League (AFL). It was the first large professional sports franchise located in Denver, Colorado.
- Founders: Bob Howsam originally owned the team and he is the one who brought professional baseball to Denver.
- Early Struggles:
o The AFL was always the underdogs of the Broncos, who had lost all 10 seasons of the AFL (1960-1969).
o Their notorious brown and mustard-yellow uniforms with striped socks that are worn vertically are the subject of their lore.
- Notable Firsts:
o They won the very first game in AFL in 1960, beating the Boston Patriots 13-10.
o The team had the problem of bad facilities where they played at the Bears stadium (which was later replaced by Mile High stadium) which began as a minor league baseball field.
NFL Merger and Building a Foundation (1970-1976).
- In the year 1970, the Broncos joined the AFC West Division with the AFL merging with the NFL.
- However, even after joining NFL, the team remained poor until the early 1970s when it failed to reach the play-offs.
- Key developments included:
o When he hired John Ralston (head coach/GM) in 1972, he assisted in drafting future stars and strengthening the roster.
o The entry of defensive superstars, such as Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson and Lyle Alzado, who would compose the middle of the so-called Orange Crush defense.
First Super Bowl and the Orange Crush Era (1977-1982).
- Breakthrough Season (1977): Broncos under the head coach Red Miller finished 12-2, won its first AFC West title and entered the playoffs.
- Super Bowl XII: With the terrifying defense of the Orange Crush, they shouldered their way past Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders at the playoffs, and then were beaten by Dallas Cowboys (27-10) in the first Super Bowl they played.
- This time made Denver a serious competitor and generated a fanatical following at Mile High Stadium.
The John Elway Era (1983–1998)
The most memorable period in the history of Broncos was when they bought a powerful-armed quarterback, John Elway of Stanford, in a blockbuster deal with Baltimore Colts in 1983.
Early Elway Years (1983–1985)
- Elway came and immediately changed the franchise.
- His heroic performances in the late game led to him getting a name of The Drive, which became a defining aspect of his career.
Three Super Bowl Appearances (1986-1989)
- 1986 Season: Broncos competed in Super Bowl XXI and Elway made his famous 98-yard drive in the AFC championship, in the victory over Cleveland Browns. Their loss was to the New York Giants (39-20).
- 1987 Season: Made it back to the Super Bowl XXII, and once again beat the Browns at AFC championship game only to lose to the Washington Redskins (42-10).
- The 1989 Season: AFC championship again, but lost the Super Bowl XXIV to the San Francisco 49ers (55-10) one of the worst Super Bowl losses.
The Mike Shanahan Dynasty and Back-to-Back Championships (1995-1998).
- Mike Shanahan was hired after a number of coaching changes in the year 1995.
- These were the major additions: Terrell Davis (RB), Shannon Sharpe (TE), Rod Smith (WR) and a formidable offensive line.
- 1997 Season:
o The Broncos also made it 12-4 and took the first Super Bowl XXXII, beating the champion of the time Green Bay Packers (31-24).
o Terrell Davis became the Super Bowl MVP, as he had to fight off migraines.
- 1998 Season:
o Denver had a 14-2 record and a second title in a row (Super Bowl XXXIII) defeating Atlanta Falcons (34-19).
o Davis got more than 2,000 yards and became an NFL MVP.
o Elway also retired, having left a legacy of one of the best QBs of all-time.
Struggles (1999–2010) and Post-Elway Years (1999-2010).
- After the retirement of Elway, Denver started a long quest of finding a franchise quarterback.
- The career of Terrell Davis ended up being shortened by injuries.
- The team was competitive and inconsistent at the same time, and has made it to the playoffs intermittently with Jake Plummer and, subsequently, Jay Cutler as the QBs.
- 2005 Season: Denver made it to AFC title game losing to Steelers led by coach Shanahan and QB Plummer.
- Shanahan lost his job in 2008 when he failed to attend the playoffs in three consecutive years.
The Peyton Manning Era (2012–2015)
In the year 2012, after being released by the Indianapolis Colts, Broncos signed up Peyton Manning, a legendary QB, and this re-established the team to great heights.
- 2012: Manning took Denver to a 13-3 record and AFC West championship but lost a two-overtime heart-breaker to Ravens in the playoffs.
- 2013: The Broncos enjoyed an offensive record year in which Manning established a record in the NFL in passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55). They made it to the Super Bowl XLVIII where they were overwhelmed by the Seattle Seahawks (43- 8).
- 2014: AFC West title again, but a divisional-round defeat at the hands of the Colts.
- 2015: The Broncos won Super Bowl 50 behind the powerful defense of Von Miller, winning over Carolina Panthers (24-10).
o Von Miller was made the Super Bowl MVP.
o Manning retired following the win and it terminated his Hall of Fame career.
Rebuild after Manning (2016–Present).
- Following the retirement of Manning, Denver also went into another rebuilding process as they could not manage to identify a long-time quarter back.
- The team rotated the QBs such as Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater.
- The coaches to be replaced as the head coach are Gary Kubiak (2015-2016), Vance Joseph (2017-2018), Vic Fangio (2019-2021), and Nathaniel Hackett (2022).
Recent Developments
- In 2022, Broncos bought blockbuster QB Russell Wilson in Seattle Seahawks, but the inaugural season was also a failure (5-12 record).
- 2023: The hiring of legendary coach Sean Payton was an attempt to give the franchise a second chance and make the most of Wilson.
- And in 2022 ownership transferred, the Walton-Penner family (heirs to the Walmart fortune) bought the team at a record price of 4.65 billion, the most ever paid as a U.S. sports team.
Key Facts & Legacy
- Team Colors: Orange, navy blue and white (some throwback brown and yellow).
- Mascot: “Miles” (a white horse).
- Stadiums:
o Bears Stadium/Mile High Stadium (1960 -2000)
o Mile High Empower Field (2001 to the present)
- Super Bowl Titles: 3 (1997, 1998, 2015)
- AFC Championships: 8 (1977, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2013, 2015)
- Stars of the Hall of Famers: John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Floyd Little, Gary Zimmerman, Champ Bailey, Steve Atwater, Peyton Manning, and others.
Conclusion-
The history of Denver Broncos is a tale of fortitude. They have risen to become AFL underdogs through the simple lads to the glory of Elway and Manning days and have created a legacy of exhilarating football, loyal followers, and memorable experiences. They are a legendary franchise with three Super Bowl wins and legendary players that solidifies the fact that they are amongst the most iconic franchises in the NFL, and their future is now about reclaiming the title of championship-contenders under new owners and management.
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