The Denver Broncos is a storied franchise with much success throughout its 61 seasons. This includes eight Super Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl wins, a 23-19 playoff record, and a 488-434-10 overall record. Let’s reminisce over some of the greatest Broncos of all times to go along with some impressive numbers prior to looking at the team’s current situation.
Broncos All-Time Leaders
When it comes to the Denver Broncos, the first name that should jump out at you is John Elway, and for a good reason. He is the all-time passing leader for the Broncos with 51,475 yards and 300 TDs.
Terrell Davis is the all-time leading rusher with 7,607 yards and 60 TDs. Rod Smith is the all-time leading receiver with 849 receptions, 11,389 yards, and 68 TDs. The all-time leading scorer is Jason Elam, with 1,786 points. The all-time leading scorer for a team will often be the kicker, simply because he gets the most opportunities to score.
On the defensive side of the ball, Von Miller is the all-time sacks leader with 106. The all-time leader for interceptions is Steve Foley, with 44.
The winningest coach for the Broncos is Mike Shanahan, with a record of 138-76.
Let’s not forget some other all-time great Broncos players, including Champ Bailey, Peyton Manning, Shannon Sharpe, and Steve Atwater.
An Elway Story + QB Draft Picks
What most people don’t know is that John Elway wasn’t drafted by the Broncos. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. This is despite the fact that Elway warned the Colts not to draft him because they hadn’t seen success for a long time and didn’t want to be stuck on a losing team. He wanted to win championships. After being drafted by the Colts, Elway announced that he refused to play for them. He was then traded to the Broncos.
If you’re curious as to what QBs the Broncos have drafted, they include Brock Osweiler, Tim Tebow, Jay Cutler, Brian Griese, Tommy Maddox, Gary Kubiak, John Hufnagel, and Al Pastrana. We can refer to this as a mild success.
Current Broncos Drama & Situation
To be blunt, the current Broncos situation is a mess. In fact, I was there last year just before Covid for a tour of the stadium and gathered some interesting information. As a side note, if you ever want to know what’s going on behind the scenes, take the stadium tour when it’s not too crowded and ask questions. They will tell you everything you need to know.
I learned that the owner is a mess. To give you the simple version, Elway knows what he’s doing but had some disagreements with former owner Pat Bowlen. This led to friction at the top, and not the best decision-making. Since that time, Elway has given up his General Manager position and is now President of Football Operations. Unfortunately, this isn’t likely to change much.
Drew Lock is the starting QB. With a completion percentage of 75.3%, a TD/INT ratio of 16/15, and 2,933 yards, it’s not going to be easy.