History of the Denver Broncos

However, a different pair of owners, Alan and Gerald Phipps, bought the team (along with Bears Stadium) and kept them in Denver (with Atlanta then claimed by the NFL for the expansion Falcons).

Rookie coach Red Miller, along with the Orange Crush Defense (a nickname popularized in 1977) and aging quarterback Craig Morton, led the Broncos to a miracle season in 1977.

The successful season also brought the phenomena of "Broncomania" to a fever pitch, with the team the talk of the town, selling 65,000 Super Bowl T-shirts in 48 hours.

[36] In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Elway's strong receiving corps of Mark Jackson, Vance Johnson and Ricky Nattiel was nicknamed the "Three Amigos"[37] after the popular movie.

[38] Coming off their Super Bowl XXIV appearance, the Denver Broncos began the 1990s on a sour note, finishing in last place in the AFC West with a 5–11 record.

Although Elway completed only 12 of his 22 passes, throwing one interception and no touchdowns, he executed what was perhaps the game's best-known play, known as The Helicopter, when he boldly ran for a crucial first down while surviving strong hits from two safeties as he jumped through the air like a propeller.

[47][48] Terrell Davis was able to overcome a severe migraine headache that caused him blurred vision[49] and rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns[50] to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

[60][61] After losing the 2005 season opener, the Broncos won five straight games, defeating the Chargers 20–17, Chiefs 30–10, Jaguars 20–7, Redskins 21–19, and the two-time defending champion Patriots 28–20, on October 16.

On Christmas Eve 2005, the Broncos clinched the AFC West division title, as they finished with a record 8–0 at INVESCO Field at Mile High by defeating the Raiders, 22–3.

In 2008, the Broncos got off to a 4–1 start, which included a controversial home win against division rival San Diego Chargers, but struggled through a mediocre stretch in the middle of the season.

This set the stage for the 2008 season finale, when the Broncos and Chargers met at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium to decide the AFC West division title.

On December 30, 2008, two days after the disastrous season-ending collapse in San Diego, Mike Shanahan, the longest-tenured and winningest head coach in Broncos' franchise history, was fired after 14 seasons.

[73] Notable offseason roster moves included the trades of fullback Peyton Hillis (to the Cleveland Browns for quarterback Brady Quinn),[74] wide receiver Brandon Marshall (to the Miami Dolphins for draft picks)[75] and tight end Tony Scheffler (three-team trade with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles),[76] as well as the draft selections of Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and All-American Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

On September 20, just a day after the win over the Seahawks, tragedy struck the Broncos organization, when wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead in his Centennial, Colorado home of an apparent suicide, at the age of 23.

McDaniels's tenure as head coach, which had gotten off to a good beginning with the team's 6–0 start to the 2009 season, ultimately turned into a total fiasco with a win–loss record of 11–17 before his firing, combined with the Raiders disaster, the expenditure of first-round draft picks on Tim Tebow (who could have been taken in the second or third round), the videotaping episode, and the trading away of key players such as Brandon Marshall.

Tim Tebow was relegated to 3rd string QB behind Orton and Brady Quinn as the Broncos opened on Monday Night Football against their rival, the Oakland Raiders.

In the third quarter, Orton threw an interception that the Raiders used to set up a 63-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski (only the third of this length in league history) and eventually won 23–20.

Kyle Orton's playing suffered under repeated fan calls to switch to Tim Tebow as their starter and the Broncos entered their bye week at 1–4.

The Broncos won their next six games all in spite of numerous controversies over Tebow's playing style (an overwhelmingly run-based QB in a season where QBs like Drew Brees set record passing stats).

However, in the second half, Manning threw for three touchdown passes, cornerbacks Tony Carter and Chris Harris intercepted Philip Rivers, and the Chargers were held scoreless.

In 2013, the Broncos went 13–3, and scored a record 606 points in the season, including an NFL-record 55 touchdown passes from Manning, in completing the first division title three-peat in their history.

Peyton Manning broke the all-time passing yardage record previously held by Brett Favre in a week nine home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, the day's celebration was hollow as Manning was intercepted four times and ultimately benched during the game in favor of backup quarterback Brock Osweiler due to injury and a decline in performance.

Osweiler helped the Broncos to five wins in seven starts in relief of the injured Manning, including overtime triumphs over eventual playoff teams Cincinnati and New England.

A Patriots loss to Miami coupled with the Broncos' win, allowed Denver to enjoy the AFC's top seed and home-field advantage for the playoffs.

One month after the Super Bowl win, Manning announced his retirement from professional football after 18 seasons,[87] and Brock Osweiler left the Broncos for the Houston Texans in free agency, signing a lucrative 4-year deal worth up to $72 million.

Following the season, Gary Kubiak stepped down as head coach due to health issues, and he was replaced by Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

Keenum won the starting job over Lynch, who was subsequently waived, and the Broncos also saw the emergence of two rookies: running back Phillip Lindsay and linebacker Bradley Chubb.

[93] The Broncos once again shook up their quarterback room, acquiring longtime Ravens starter Joe Flacco in a trade and subsequently sending away Case Keenum to the Washington Redskins.

In early June, the Broncos, after being owned by the Pat Bowlen estate for the last three seasons, were approached by a consortium led by billionaire Walmart heir S. Robson Walton to purchase the team.