Legend holds that Bob Howsam, owner of minor league baseball’s Denver Bears at Mile High Stadium, suggested their name because it sounded tough – a decision which quickly stuck and became one of America’s beloved sports team names.
Elway turned the Broncos into perennial playoff contenders by signing future Hall-of-Famer quarterback Peyton Manning and game-altering linebackers such as Von Miller.
History
The Denver Broncos boast an illustrious past both on and off the field. They have won two Super Bowl championships and made several appearances in this year’s big game, making them one of the premier franchises within the NFL with an outstanding roster led by veteran quarterback Drew Lock.
In 1960, Denver Broncos football club was established as an original member of the American Football League. For their inaugural decade as an AFL franchise, however, they never managed to earn a winning record and often finished last in their division on several occasions. Following 1970 NFL-AFL merger, however, Denver began to climb out from their cellar status.
Their efforts paid off in 1977 when the Denver Broncos finally earned their first playoff berth ever, followed by their first championship win at Super Bowl XXXII against Green Bay Packers – marking not only an inaugural world title win but also the beginning of an unprecedented run of success that continues today.
Origins
Denver was granted an expansion franchise by the American Football League in 1960 and began competing in its Western Division along with Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders before eventually merging with National Football League teams in 1970.
Early years for the franchise were challenging, and attendance lagged. Yet fans responded positively to John Elway, whose tireless spirit drove the Broncos to multiple Super Bowl appearances and eventually victory.
The Broncos quickly gained a loyal fan base due to the influence of defensive stars such as linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson – part of the “Orange Crush” defense that helped lead them to their inaugural playoff berth in 1977. Under Mike Shanahan’s watchful leadership, they won their second Super Bowl championship a decade later; thus becoming one of only two AFC West teams ever to do so.
Coaching staff
The Denver Broncos have made several early staff adjustments under new head coach Sean Payton. Many of their coaching hires are associated with him from his time spent coaching the New Orleans Saints.
Payton recently hired former Saints quarterback Pete Carmichael as a senior offensive assistant and Jim Leonhard as defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach, as well as wide receivers coach Zach Strief and offensive line coach John Morton.
Both coaches worked alongside Payton in New Orleans and enjoy an excellent rapport. Strief will be charged with strengthening the offensive line – it was sacked 63 times during last season!
On special teams, the Broncos hired Ben Kotwica as coordinator and Mike Westhoff as his supervisor to improve an underwhelming unit that performed poorly last season. Chris Banjo, their special teams assistant who played defensive back himself brings valuable knowledge to this position.
Players
Every year, ESPN ranks the best NFL players. Two Broncos were honored this year: cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Justin Simmons were recognized. Players are evaluated using signature stats, projected stat lines and quotes from an executive, coach or player in ranking these individuals.
Surtain was an integral piece of Denver‘s defense last season, even after Courtland Sutton tore his ACL during training camp. His combination of size, speed, and football intelligence make him one of the premier cornerbacks in the league.
Jones was an effective addition to the Broncos last season, but they may find more value at left tackle this offseason. Cutting him would free up $10M in cap space which is no small amount for a rebuilding team like Denver. Plus he is under contract for another season making him more appealing as an option for other teams seeking left tackle help than it is to Denver who will not see their cap commitment go away and have him as their long-term solution to problems at that position.