ONE
In 1959, Bob Howsam tried to obtain an NFL franchise. When that proved unsuccessful, however, he helped found the American Football League and with it, Denver’s professional team. The Denver Broncos won their first-ever AFL game, defeating the Boston Patriots in September 1960. At the end of the team’s debut season, Howsam then sold the team to a group of businessmen including Gerald Phipps - with Phipps becoming the team’s outright owner in 1965. In 1967, their stadium had to be expanded to meet league requirements following the AFL/NFL merger. As a result, the city of Denver purchased the stadium, renamed it Mile High Stadium, and then leased it back to the Broncos.
Old Denver Broncos Logo
TWO
The Broncos’ fortunes improved in the NFL, finishing the 1973 season with a winning record for the first time in franchise history. Red Miller was hired as head coach in 1977 and he helped nurture the famous ‘Orange Crush Defense’, which took its name from the players’ bright orange uniforms and a popular drink of the same name. Not only did the Broncos make their first-ever playoff appearance that season, they even advanced to Super Bowl XII to face the Dallas Cowboys. But Denver’s dream run stopped there, as the Broncos lost 27-10. Miller steered the Broncos to two more postseason berths before he was replaced by Dan Reeves in 1981. By the 1983 NFL Draft, the Broncos were poised to make a seismic trade.
THREE
Before the 1983 NFL Draft, presumptive first-overall selection John Elway made it clear that he had no intention of playing for the Baltimore Colts, who held the first pick. Baltimore still selected Elway, who claimed he would play baseball instead. Therefore, the Broncos swooped in to trade two players and a draft pick for the quarterback. In Denver, Elway became one of the NFL’s greatest-ever players, earning league MVP in 1987. In the 1980s, the Broncos’ fortunes changed almost instantly. The Bowlen family purchased the team in 1984 and Elway began to fulfil his incredible potential.
John Elway, Quarterback 1983-1998
FOUR
In the 1986 playoffs, the Broncos travelled to Cleveland to take on the Browns in the AFC Championship Game. The Browns led 20-13 with five minutes and 32 seconds left to play - but John Elway marched his team down the field to tie the game, in what became known as ‘The Drive’. Denver won in overtime and advanced to Super Bowl XXI, where they fell to the New York Giants. In the following season, Elway and the Broncos made their way back to the Super Bowl but were again outmatched - losing 42-10 to Washington. Denver made another trip to the Super Bowl in the 1989 season, but in Super Bowl XXIV they were embarrassed by the San Francisco 49ers, 55-10.
Super Bowl XXIV - John Elway
FIVE
Despite leading the team to another AFC Championship Game appearance in the 1991 season, Dan Reeves was fired as Broncos head coach the following year. Eventually, Mike Shanahan became Denver’s head coach in 1995, a year in which he drafted running back Terrell Davis. In the 1997 season, Denver reached Super Bowl XXXII, and there, the Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-24 - with owner Pat Bowlen reminding America that, “this one’s for John” as he handed John Elway the Lombardi Trophy. The 1998 season saw Denver win a franchise-record 14 games - with league MVP Terrell Davis powering the Broncos to a Super Bowl XXXIII appearance. There, in his last NFL game, Elway was named Super Bowl MVP as his Broncos beat the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19.
Super Bowl XXXII - John Elway
SIX
After John Elway retired from the NFL, the Broncos remained competitive but struggled to find real postseason success. Between the departure of the team’s greatest-ever player and the start of the 2011 season, Denver won just one playoff game, whilst struggling to find a successor to Elway. Mike Shanahan was fired as head coach after a catastrophic collapse late in the 2008 season and was replaced by former New England Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. In the 2010 NFL Draft, McDaniels traded three draft picks to acquire the 25th overall selection and used it to draft a quarterback named Tim Tebow.
Mike Shanahan, Head Coach 1995-2008
SEVEN
Josh McDaniels was fired partway through the 2010 season and John Elway, now a member of the team’s front office, hired John Fox as the team’s next head coach. In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected linebacker Von Miller from Texas A&M University. Meanwhile, Tim Tebow, after sitting on Denver’s bench, finally earned a chance to start and helped Denver win seven of their last 11 games to reach the playoffs - as he started a craze known as ‘Tebowing’, where people would post images of themselves kneeling in prayer on social media, imitating his pre-game routine. In the Wild Card Round, Tebow threw the game-winning touchdown pass on the first play of overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, fans’ optimism after the iconic moment was short lived, as in the next game, they were beaten 45-10 by the New England Patriots.
Tim Tebow, Quarterback 2010-2011
EIGHT
In 2012, the Broncos signed future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and traded Tim Tebow to the New York Jets. In his second year in Denver, Manning threw an unprecedented 55 touchdown passes in the 2013 season and was named MVP - helping the Broncos score a record 606 points in the regular season. However, that season ended in disappointment, as Denver lost Super Bowl XLVIII to the Seattle Seahawks, 43-8. John Fox was replaced by Gary Kubiak in 2015, when they finally got over the hump thanks to their impressive defense, led by Von Miller. The Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 and all eyes were on John Elway as he received the Lombardi Trophy. Owner Pat Bowlen was not in attendance as he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, so Elway took the trophy, raised it to the sky, and proclaimed: “This one’s for Pat!”
Super Bowl 50 - Peyton Manning, Quarterback 2012-2015
NINE
Like John Elway before him, Peyton Manning retired after leading the Denver Broncos to Super Bowl glory. However, in the years following Manning’s retirement, the Broncos struggled to find a successor at quarterback - cycling through a number of players who failed to convince the respective head coaches - Vance Joseph and then Vic Fangio - who were hired after Gary Kubiak resigned following the 2016 season. Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller was traded away in 2021, and the following year, the team attempted to address their quarterback situation - trading for nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson. Wilson’s first season under new coach Nathaniel Hackett disappointed fans around the world. However, the hiring of Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton ahead of the 2023 season produced a newfound optimism. After another lacklustre season from Wilson, the Broncos accepted the largest dead cap hit in NFL history to move off of the veteran signal caller ahead of the 2024 season - leaving rookie Bo Nix with the chance to lead the Broncos back to glory.
Russell Wilson, Quarterback 2022-2023
BEFORE YOU GO
Denver plays at Empower Field at Mile High - moving on from their iconic Mile High Stadium in 2001, where they are famous for one of the greatest home-field advantages in the NFL. Opposing teams were forced to play at 5,280 feet above sea level and in front of 76,000 raucous fans.
The Broncos have had various owners over the years. Bob Howsam founded the team, with ownership eventually transferring to Pat Bowlen in 1984. Bowlen passed away in 2019, and his estate sold the franchise to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton - featuring F1 superstar Sir Lewis Hamilton - for a then-record $4.65 billion.
The Broncos have won three Super Bowls: Super Bowl XXXII (1997 season), Super Bowl XXXIII (1998 season), and Super Bowl 50 (2015 season). They were also the first AFC team to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
