In Honor Of Their 50th: A Short History Of The Denver Broncos

In Honor Of Their 50th: A Short History Of The Denver Broncos

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It's hard to believe that the Denver Broncos, once the upstart new team from the Rocky Mountains, is turning 50 years old in 2009! In honor of that great distinction, here's a short synopsis of the great history of this team and how they made orange uniforms look good.

The Denver Broncos were a charter member of the American Football League which was organized in 1959. The team's first owner was a baseball owner named Bob Howsam, and the Broncos were the victors in the fledgling league's very first game. They were also the first team to defeat one from the well-established NFL when they squeaked by the Lions in a non-binding exhibition game during the preseason.

For a team from the Rocky Mountains, the Broncos got off to an ironically "rocky" start and the decade of the 1960's was largely forgettable for them. Because of their miserable winning record, the city nearly lost them altogether in 1965, but the franchise was saved by a local businessman. It wasn't until 1973 that the men in orange finally pulled off a winning season and they were never laughing stocks again.

In fact, the vaunted Orange Crush defense led the resilient Broncs to their first playoff and Super Bowl appearances in 1977. Unfortunately for their newly energized fan base, they lost that game to the Tony Dorsett-led juggernaut: The Dallas Cowboys 27-10. But this surprise elevation in its level of play brought a previously unheard of measure of respect to the Denver team and its next two decades would be highlighted by amazing performances, rabid fans, and stellar players such as All-Pro defensemen Lyle Alzado and Karl Mecklenburg, and the great quarterback John Elway.

Prior to the arrival of John Elway, the Broncos had gone through 24 starting quarterbacks in its 23 year history. After Elway burst on the scene in 1983 (after choosing football over pro baseball), the team never looked to another until his retirement. He led his newly rejuvenated team to an amazing five Super Bowl appearances, two of which the Broncos emerged victorious. In fact, when Denver beat the San Francisco 49ers 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV, it was the most lopsided victory in the history of that greatest of all contests.

In this decade, the Denver Broncos have struggled to regain the mighty power they once wielded in the NFL. They have only had two losing seasons during this time, but they have struggled in the playoffs and have not been back to the Super Bowl. Their fan base remains solid, however, and the Rocky Mountain region stands behind their team, sure that their time will come again.

About the Author:
If you would like to have an NFL speaker such as Denver Broncos great Karl Mecklenburg come to inspire your company or organization, visit his website at KarlMecklenburg.com (http://www.karlmecklenburg.com). Art Gib is a freelance writer.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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