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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
John Elway is now the GM for the Broncos and John Fox is the new head coach going into 2011. Needless to say, Denver is in rebuilding mode. To sum up how the Broncos got here, it is thanks to Josh McDaniels. In 2010, McDainels started the season 3-9 before being fired for a videotaping scandal in London against the 49ers. Much like the Patriots in 2007, McDainels filmed the teams practices. Despite the Broncos having the 13th ranked offense in the NFL, the team from Mile High posted a 4-12 record. Denver was able to get the #2 pick and used it on Von Miller, arguably the best player in the draft, to help rebuild their struggling defense. Now 2011 will begin with Elway at the helm, which is nothing new.
If you help one of the all-time great QB's win a Super Bowl, then you are a great head coach in my book. After winning Super Bowl XXXIX as offensive coordinator of the 49ers, Shanahan was hired as the Broncos head coach in 1995. After a 8-8 season in his first season as coach, Shanahan led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and the playoffs where the team lost to the expansion franchise Jacksonville Jaguars. The 1997 season was when Shanahan would start cementing his name into the NFL history books. Between 1996-1998, the Broncos set the record for victories over a three year span (46-10). On top of that, Shanahan also helped the Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls and most notably helped future Hall of Famer John Elway to his first ever title. Much credit can be given to Shanahan because he put a run-heavy version of the West Coast Offense into place which featured Terrell Davis. Not only did Davis succeed in this system, but so did five other RB's, all who went over 1,000 yards in their time in a Broncos uniform. Even though Shanahan had many playoff droughts in his career, he did lead the Broncos to their only two Super Bowls in franchise history. Shanahan also has the most wins in franchise history with 138.
Probably the best QB from the famed 1983 draft class, John Elway is the greatest Bronco of all time. Elway was selected #1 overall by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Broncos for two players and a first round draft pick. In Elway's 15 year career, he went to nine Pro Bowls, was a three time second team All-Pro, and was the 1987 MVP. Even though Elway did not win a Super Bowl till the end of his career, his best season came in 1986. Elway threw for 3,485 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. In the playoffs, Elway led the Broncos to a win in the AFC Championship Game against the Browns after marching 98 yards with 5:02 left on the game clock (would later be known as "The Drive"). Despite losing in Super Bowl XXI to the Giants 39-20, Elway preformed well throwing for 304 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Also in that Super Bowl, Elway would lead his team in rushing which was not a good sign proving that there was instability at the RB position for the Broncos. Elway would go on to play in four more Super Bowls, losing two of them by a combined score of 97-20. Eight years after his first Super Bowl loss, Elway finally won a championship in Super Bowl XXXII against the Packers 31-24. My favorite sound bite from that game was the Broncos owner saying after the Broncos had won, "This ones for John!" Elway then helped the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIII over the Falcons 39-14. Elway had a MVP performance throwing for 336 yards, one touchdown, one interception in what would be his last game as a NFL QB. Click here to look at Elway's stats.
Since he was picked in the 6th round of the 1995 draft, Terrell Davis is one of the most under rated players in NFL history by helping John Elway win two Super Bowls. In his career as a Bronco, Davis went to three Pro Bowls, was a three time first team All-Pro selection, and was a two time Offensive Player of the Year. In his rookie season, Davis was a long shot to make the team but impressed the coaching staff for this hit he made on special teams in a preseason game against the 49ers. At RB, Davis became the lowest drafted player to rush for 1,000 yards in his rookie season. After signing a five year contract worth $6.8 billion, Davis set a record for most rushing touchdowns for a Bronco RB with 13. Davis also brought something the Broncos did not have at the RB position, stability. Thanks to Davis, the Broncos won the next two Super Bowls and the first of Elway's career. Davis won the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXII by becoming the first RB in Super Bowl history by rushing for three touchdowns. Even though Davis was sidelined for the rest of his career, the fact the Broncos used a sixth round pick on him is just unbelievable. Click here to look at Davis' stats.
The Broncos drafted QB Tommy Maddox in the first round of the 1992 draft due to the sour relationship between Dan Reeves and John Elway. A year after making that decision, Reeves was let go by the team. Luckily, this pick didn't set the franchise back that much as the Broncos hired Mike Shannahan in 1995 and won two Super Bowls (with Elway by the way). Even though this bust did not set the franchise back as much as our others, there was really no other good options for the Broncos at #25 in 1992. To this day no member of the 1992 draft has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The best player in the draft, Darren Woodson, was picked at #37. The Broncos are one of the most respectable franchises in football and Maddox made a great comeback by winning Super Bowl XL as the back up QB. While Maddox might not be the biggest QB draft bust of all time (hardly) he still was a humiliating pick for the Broncos considering that he was only with the team for two seasons. Click here to look at Maddox's stats.
After being drafted by the Colts with the #1 pick in the 1983 draft, John Elway threatened to play for the New York Yankees because, at the time, the Colts were one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Colts caved (biggest mistake the franchise ever made) and traded Elway to Denver for a first round pick and a few disposable players. What followed was the best years for the Broncos in franchise history. It brought five Super Bowl appearances and for more then a decade the fans at Mile High got to watch one of the greatest QB's of all time.
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