Denver Broncos

Facts and information about the Denver Broncos

Of the eight original founding AFL teams, only the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills have never moved from their original city.

Former Dallas Cowboys star running back Tony Dorsett finished his Hall-of-Fame career with the Broncos.

Trivia <!– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>
The Broncos lost Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants, after the game Giants quarterback Phil Simms became the first player to utter the memorable line “I’m going to Disneyland”. If the Broncos had won, the line would’ve been said by John Elway.
The Broncos were coached by Dan Reeves when they lost Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants. A few years later, Dan Reeves would become the head coach of the Giants.
In 1998, starting quarterback John Elway missed several games due to injury. Backup Bubby Brister’s record in five starts that year was a perfect 5-0.
At the time of his retirement, Broncos kick returner Rick Upchurch shared the record for most punt returns for a touchdown in a career with eight.
Broncos’ wide receiver Rod Smith is the first, and so far only, undrafted player to ever gain more than 10,000 yards receiving.
During the 1970s, Broncos’ wide receiver and punt returner Rick Upchurch was briefly engaged to future United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Hall-of-Fame Quarterback John Elway played his entire career with the Broncos, although he was drafted by the Colts and forced a trade to Denver by threatening to play Professional Baseball with the New York Yankees.

The Denver Broncos began as a member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 and entered the NFL with the merger of the two leagues.

The Denver Broncos won the first American Football League (AFL) game ever played, defeating the Boston Patriots 13-10.

The Broncos were winners against the Detroit Lions in a preseason game in 1967 marking the first time an AFL team defeated an NFL team.

The Denver Broncos played thirteen years (1960-1972) before having their first winning season in 1973.

Before John Elway arrived in a trade with the Baltimore Colts, the Broncos had gone through more than 24 different starting quarterbacks in its 23 year history.

During Super Bowl XXXII, in which the Broncos defeated the Packers, Running Back Terrell Davis overcame a migraine headache so severe that it caused him blurred vision to become the Super Bowl MVP.

The Broncos original uniforms were brown pants, brown helmets, mustard yellow and white jerseys, and vertically striped socks. The uniforms were so ill-received by the fans that when the team redesigned them two years later they conducted a public bonfire of the striped socks.

The first former Broncos player elected to the Hall-of-Fame was Cornerback Willie Brown who played with the team for four seasons (1963-1966).

In 1984, the Broncos started their Ring of Fame honoring former Denver Bronco greats. The first four inductees that year were; Goose Gonsoulin, Floyd Little, Lionel Taylor, and Rich Jackson.

In the years 1960 through 1980, the Denver Broncos had eight different Head Coaches. Since 1981 (through 2008), the Broncos have had only three different Head Coaches.

In 1985 the Broncos went 11-5 and missed the playoffs, conversely the Browns went 8-8 and made the playoffs winning their division.

As of 2007, the Broncos had been the only team to play in a Super Bowl that had been televised by all of the major networks; ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.

During the nine years spanning 1998 to 2006, the Denver Broncos had eight seasons with a running back rushing for over 1,000 yards. Those eight thousand yard seasons were accomplished by six different running backs: Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, Rueben Droughns, and Tatum Bell.

Star Bronco Linebacker Karl Mecklenburg was chosen by the Chicago Blitz in the 21^st round of the USFL Draft in 1983, he elected to play for the Broncos in the NFL instead.

Trackbacks / Pingbacks