Elway, Davis and the “Orange Crush” highlight Broncos all-time team

Elway, Davis and the “Orange Crush” highlight Broncos all-time team

This season will be the 60th in the history of all eight original American Football League franchises, including the Broncos. After failing to appear in the postseason in the first 17 years of existence, Denver made the playoffs 22 times since, appearing in eight Super Bowls and winning three championships.

The Broncos’ all-time team features several Hall of Famers and members of the “Orange Crush,” which was the nickname given to the team’s 3-4 defense in the late 1970s.

Coach: Mike Shanahan is the franchise’s all-time leader in wins, amassing a 138-86 record, and he led the team to the playoffs seven times in 14 seasons. Using a run-heavy version of the West Coast offense, the Broncos won their first two Super Bowls (XXXII and XXXIII) after four losses. Denver also reached the 2005 AFC Championship Game before losing to Pittsburgh. Dan Reeves went 110-73-1 and led the Broncos to six postseason appearances and three Super Bowls in 12 years. Denver defeated the Cleveland Browns in all three of those AFC Championship Games, and they also lost to Buffalo in the 1991 conference title game. John Fox had a 41-16 record and led the Broncos to the AFC West title all four seasons he was in charge. He lost Super Bowl XLVIII to the Seahawks, but the team he helped put together won Super Bowl 50 under Gary Kubiak. Robert “Red” Miller (40-22) took Denver to the playoffs for the first three times in franchise history, including Super Bowl XXII after the 1977 season.

Quarterback: Hall of Famer John Elway ranks ninth all-time with 51,475 yards and his 300 touchdowns are 11th. He was the 1987 NFL Most Valuable Player and the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII. The nine-time Pro Bowler also led the league with 4,030 yards in 1993. Peyton Manning was only in Denver four seasons, but he won MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Awards in 2013 after setting league records with 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. Manning played in two Super Bowls, went to three Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro. Craig Morton was the Comeback Player of the Year and led Denver to its first Super Bowl in 1977. Jake Plummer posted a career-high 4,089 yards in 2004 and went to the Pro Bowl the following season.

Running Back: Hall of Fame member Terrell Davis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII, helping Denver win its first championship. He is the all-time franchise leader with 7,607 yards and 60 touchdowns. Davis was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler three times, and he earned MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors following a 1998 season in which he led the NFL with 2,008 rushing yards and 21 scores. Floyd Little, another Hall of Famer, is second in team history with 6,323 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro in 1969, and he led the NFL with 1,133 yards in 1971. Sammy Winder is a two-time Pro Bowler who ranks third with 5,427 yards and 39 scores. Otis Armstrong played in Super Bowl XII, as well as two Pro Bowls. He led the league with 1,407 yards in his 1974 All-Pro season. Mike Anderson was the Offensive Rookie of the Year after totaling 1,487 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2000.

Fullback: John Keyworth blocked for Armstrong during the team’s first playoff years. He had 2,653 rushing yards in seven seasons, and he had 10 touchdowns in 1974. Bobby Anderson teamed with Little in Denver’s formidable backfield in the early 1970s. Rick Parros joined Winder in bridging the gap between Morton and Elway.

Wide Receiver: Rod Smith is the franchise leader with 849 receptions, 11,389 yards, and 68 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time Super Bowl champion, and he had eight seasons with 1,000 or more yards. Demaryius Thomas ranks second with 9,055 yards and 60 scores and is third with 665 catches. He went to four Pro Bowls and had 1,000 or more yards five times before he was traded to Houston in 2018. Lionel Taylor was the team’s first star, totaling 543 receptions, 6,872 yards, and 44 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, a four-time All-Pro and he led the AFL in receptions five times. Ed McCaffrey was a perfect complement to Smith on two title teams. The 1998 Pro Bowler finished with 6,200 yards and 46 scores in nine seasons. Steve Watson had 6,112 yards and caught 36 touchdowns, mostly from Morton and Elway. He went to a pair of Super Bowls and made the Pro Bowl in 1981. Vance Johnson appeared in three Super Bowls and had 5,695 yards in 10 seasons. Haven Moses was a Pro Bowler in 1973 and played in Super Bowl XII. Emmanuel Sanders was a two-time Pro Bowler who teamed with Thomas in Super Bowl 50. Al Denson was a two-time Pro Bowl participant who started alongside Taylor in the 1960s.

Tight End: Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe is second in team history with 675 receptions and third with 8,439 yards and 55 touchdowns. He was a two-time Super Bowl Champion, a four-time All-Pro selection and an eight-time Pro Bowler. Riley Odoms had 5,755 yards and 41 scores in 12 seasons. He went to four Pro Bowls, was a two-time All-Pro and he played in Super Bowl XII.

Tackle: Ryan Clady was a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who started in Super Bowl XLVIII. Ken Lanier played 177 games in 13 seasons, and he appeared in three Super Bowls. Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman was a three-time Pro Bowler in his five seasons in Denver. The 1996 All-Pro started in the Super Bowl XXXII victory. Dave Studdard appeared in two Super Bowls in the 1980s. Matt Lepsis played in 150 games and started Super Bowl XXXIII. Claude Minor was the Broncos’ left tackle in Super Bowl XII. Mike Current started 107 games and was a Pro Bowler in 1969.

Guard: Keith Bishop appeared in three Super Bowls and was a two-time Pro Bowler on the left side. Paul Howard played in two Super Bowls and 187 games overall in 13 years. Mark Schlereth and Dan Neil were starters on back-to-back championship teams in the late 1990s. Schlereth also went to the Pro Bowl in 1998. Ben Hamilton played in 111 games over nine seasons in the 2000s.

Center: Tom Nalen was a two-time champion who started 188 games in 15 years. He went to five Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro selection. Bill Bryan played in two Super Bowls in 12 seasons.

Defensive End: Rulon Jones is sixth in team history with 52½ sacks. He appeared in two Super Bowls and two Pro Bowls, and he also was an All-Pro in 1986. Barney Chavous appeared in 183 games as well as Super Bowl XII. He had 23 sacks, although the statistic was only official the final four years of his career. Elvis Dumervil ranks fifth with 63½ sacks. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and a 2009 All-Pro after leading the league with 17 sacks. Lyle Alzado was the high-energy leader of the “Orange Crush” defense. He played in two Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in the 1977 Super Bowl season. Neil Smith only played three seasons in Denver, but he won two Super Bowls. He went to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and amassed 19 sacks.

Defensive Tackle: Trevor Pryce ranks fourth on the franchise list with 64 sacks. He was a four-time Pro Bowler who had 13 sacks in his 1999 All-Pro season. Greg Kragen played in three Super Bowls. He was a Pro Bowler in 1999 and had 22½ sacks in nine seasons. Rubin Carter and Paul Smith both appeared in Super Bowl XII. Smith was also a two-time Pro Bowler.

Outside Linebacker: Simon Fletcher appeared in three Super Bowls and is second on the team list with 97½ sacks, including 16 in 1992.  Before he became a studio analyst, Tom Jackson appeared in two Super Bowls with the Broncos. The three-time Pro Bowler and 1977 All-Pro had 13 sacks and 20 interceptions. Von Miller is the franchise leader with 98 sacks. He had seven seasons with 10 or more, including a career-high 18½ in 2012. Miller is a seven-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, and he appeared in two Super Bowls. John Mobley played on Denver’s first two championship teams. The 1997 All-Pro had three seasons with 100 or more tackles. Bill Romanowski was a two-time champion who made the Pro Bowl twice. D. J. Williams had 824 tackles in nine seasons, and he was a member of the 2004 All-Rookie Team. Jim Ryan was a starter on two Super Bowl teams who played 150 games in 10 years.

Middle Linebacker: Karl Mecklenberg appeared in three Super Bowls, and was a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. He is third in franchise history with 79 sacks and second with 1,104 tackles. Randy Gradishar was one of the leaders of the “Orange Crush” defense that played in Super Bowl XII. He appeared in seven Pro Bowls, was a two-time All-Pro and had 20 interceptions. Al Wilson was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2005.

Cornerback: Hall of Famer Roland “Champ” Bailey was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro in 10 seasons in Denver. He had 34 interceptions, including an NFL-leading 10 in 2006. Right corner Mike Harden played in two Super Bowls and had 33 picks in nine years. Louis Wright played in the team’s first two Super Bowls, and he had 26 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. Current corner Chris Harris appeared in two Super Bowls. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a 2016 All-Pro, and he had four interception returns for touchdowns. Tyrone Braxton had 34 interceptions in 12 seasons split between left corner and strong safety. He appeared in four Super Bowls, with two victories, and he made the Pro Bowl in 1996.

Safety: Steve Foley is the franchise leader with 44 interceptions, including five seasons with six or more. He appeared in two Super Bowls, one at right corner and one at free safety. Austin “Goose” Gonsoulin ranks second with 43 picks, and he had a league-leading 11 in the 1960 inaugural season. He went to five Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro selection. Strong safety Dennis Smith played in three Super Bowls. The six-time Pro Bowler amassed 33 interceptions and holds the franchise record with 1,152 solo tackles. Steve Atwater is a two-time champion who has 24 picks and ranks third with 1,038 tackles. He appeared in eight Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro. Bill Thompson is third with 40 interceptions and also has seven defensive touchdowns (three interception returns and four fumble returns). He is a three-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 1977 Super Bowl season.

Kicker: Jason Elam is the franchise leader with 1,786 points, and he had 100 or more points in each of his 15 seasons in Denver. He is a two-time champion and a three-time Pro Bowler. Jim Turner had 742 points and was the team’s kicker in Super Bowl XXII.

Punter: Tom Rouen is a two-time champion who averaged 43.9 yards per punt over 10 years. Billy Van Heusen played nine years in Denver, and he led the league in punts and yards in 1970. Britton Colquitt appeared in Super Bowls and had a 45.2-yard average in six seasons.

Returners: Rick Upchurch is the franchise leader with 3,008 punt return yards and eight touchdowns, and he is third with 2,355 yards. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. Vaughn Hebron is a two-time champion who tops the team list with 3,324 kickoff return yards. Glyn Milburn is fourth in both kickoff and punt return yards. Little ranks second with 2,533 kick return yards and Thompson is second with 1,814 punt return yards. Deltha O’Neal is third in team history with 1,325 punt return yards.

Special Teams: Detron Smith is a two-time champion who went to the Pro Bowl in 1999. Ian Gold was a Pro Bowler in 2001 and he made 440 tackles in seven seasons as a linebacker. David Bruton played in two Super Bowls and had 140 tackles in 104 games. Casey Kreiter went to the Pro Bowl as a long snapper in 2018

Next: Kansas City Chiefs

-By: Kevin Rakas