The 2015 Denver Broncos season was the
franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
's 46th
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) and the 56th overall. It was also the fourth season with
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
as the team's starting
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
, as well as the final season of Manning's 18-year NFL career.
After losing in the Divisional round of the playoffs during three of the previous four seasons, the
Broncos
A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock.
The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for rod ...
underwent numerous coaching changes, including a mutual parting with
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
John Fox, and the hiring of
Gary Kubiak
Gary Wayne Kubiak (born August 15, 1961) is a former American football coach and quarterback. He served as head coach for the NFL's Houston Texans from 2006 Houston Texans season, 2006 to 2013 Houston Texans season, 2013 and the Denver Broncos f ...
as the new head coach. Under Kubiak and offensive coordinator
Rick Dennison
Rick Steven Dennison (born June 22, 1958) is an American football coach and former player. He most recently was the senior offensive advisor for the Minnesota Vikings. He was the offensive line coach and Position coach, run game coordinator fo ...
, the Broncos planned to install a run-oriented
West coast offense
In American football, the West Coast offense is an offense that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running.
There are two similar but distinct offensive strategic systems that are commonly referred to as "West Coast offenses". Original ...
with
zone blocking
In American football, blocking or interference (or running interference) involves legal movements in which one player uses his body to obstruct another player's path. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players from tackling the ball c ...
to blend in with Manning's shotgun passing style, but struggled with numerous changes and injuries to the offensive line.
Manning missed six games due to a partial tear of the
plantar fascia
The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue (aponeurosis) which supports the arch on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus (heel bone) forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones (the bone betw ...
in his left foot and had his worst statistical season since his rookie year with the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in . Backup quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
filled in for Manning during the second half of the regular season, before Manning re-claimed the starting quarterback position prior to the team's
postseason
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
run. Under defensive coordinator
Wade Phillips
Harold Wade Phillips (born June 21, 1947) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys. He has also serve ...
, the Broncos' defense ranked No. 1 in total yards, passing yards, average yards per rush and
sacks, and like the previous three seasons, the team continued to set numerous individual, league and franchise records. The team's defense is widely considered to be among the greatest of all time, particularly due to the fact that it had to carry a lackluster offense the entire season.
The team's defensive backfield, arguably the most dominant part of the defense, gave itself the nickname "No Fly Zone".
The Broncos clinched their fifth-consecutive
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
division title, fourth consecutive first-round bye and the
AFC's No. 1 playoff seed for the third time in four seasons. As was the case during the regular season, the Broncos' defense dominated their playoff opponents. During the Broncos' three playoff games, they recorded 14 sacks, forced seven turnovers, surrendered only one touchdown pass and gave up just 44 combined points (an average of just 14.7 points a game). The Broncos defeated the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
23–16 in the Divisional round and the defending Super Bowl champion
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
20–18 in the
AFC Championship Game
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. ...
. The Broncos then defeated the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
24–10 in
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
to earn the franchise's third
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
championship, and the first since winning back-to-back Super Bowls in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
and
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
.
The Broncos have not qualified for the playoffs since this season.
Coaching changes
Departures
On January 12, 2015, one day after the Broncos' 24–13 loss to the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in the Divisional round of the
2014 playoffs, the Broncos and
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
John Fox decided to mutually part ways. Fox compiled a 49–22 record in four seasons (including the playoffs), led the Broncos to four consecutive
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
division titles, a first-round bye in three consecutive seasons as well as a berth in
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
, but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs in three of his four seasons as head coach. Fox departed with a .719 winning percentage in his four seasons as head coach – the highest in franchise history. Four days later (January 16), Fox was hired as the new head coach of the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
.
The following former Broncos' coaching assistants from
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
were reunited with John Fox in Chicago: Defensive backs coach
Sam Garnes
Sam Aaron Garnes (born July 12, 1974) is a former professional American football defensive back and coach and current radio personality on The Ryan Show FM.
He was selected by the New York Giants in the 5th round of the 1997 NFL Draft. A nativ ...
, special teams coordinator
Jeff Rodgers
Jeff Rodgers (born December 1, 1978) is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as a coach for the Chicago Be ...
,
defensive line coach
Jay Rodgers
Jay Rodgers (born August 29, 1976) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the defensive line coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. He was previously the defensive line coach of the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2020 and the Denve ...
, offensive coordinator
Adam Gase
Adam Joseph Gase (born March 29, 1978) is a former American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2013 to 2014, whose offense set the NFL record for p ...
, offensive line coach
Dave Magazu
Dave Anthony Magazu (June 10, 1957 - December 17, 2021) was an offensive line coach and a tight ends coach with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and Birmingham Iron.
Early years
Dave Magazu was born in Taunton, Massachuse ...
, assistant special teams coordinator
Derius Swinton II
Derius Swinton II (April 26, 1985) is an American football coach who is the assistant special teams coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, San Francisc ...
, assistant strength & conditioning coach
Jason George
Jason Winston George (born February 9, 1972) is an American actor and model. He is best known for his roles as Michael Bourne on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Sunset Beach'', as J.T. Hunter on the UPN television sitcom ''Eve'', as Dr. Otis Cole ...
and offensive quality control coach
Bo Hardegree.
Defensive coordinator
Jack Del Rio
Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. (born April 4, 1963) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a linebacker at the University of South ...
was hired as the new head coach of the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
, defensive backs coach
Cory Undlin
Cory Undlin (born June 29, 1971) is an American football coach who is the defensive passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in ...
was hired to the same position with the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
and linebackers coach
Richard Smith was hired to a senior defensive position with the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
.
Additions
On January 18, 2015, the Broncos finalized a deal that made Kubiak the team's new
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
, and he was formally introduced at a press conference at the team's
Dove Valley headquarters on January 20. Kubiak served as a backup
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
to Broncos' executive vice president/general manager
John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is an American professional football executive and former quarterback who is the president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
Elway played college f ...
from 1983 to 1991, and also served as the Broncos' offensive coordinator from 1995 to 2005, before serving as the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
' head coach from 2006 to 2013. Kubiak served as the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
' offensive coordinator in .
The following eight coaching assistants were reunited with Kubiak:
Other additions
Clancy Barone
Clarence Barone (born July 26, 1963) is an American football coach who is the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos ...
, who had served as the Broncos' tight ends coach since
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, was moved to the offensive line coach position that he held in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
.
Joe Woods was hired as the defensive backs coach. Woods served in the same capacity with the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
in 2014.
Fred Pagac
Frederick Pagac (born April 26, 1952) is a former American football tight end. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1974. He played college football at Ohio State.
Pagac also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ...
was hired as the team's outside linebackers coach. He served as the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
' linebackers coach in 2014.
Samson Brown
Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution o ...
was hired as the team's assistant defensive backs coach. Like Pagac, Brown also served on the Bills' staff in 2014.
Front office changes
* February 27:
Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler Jr. (born December 8, 1939) is an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and retired politician. He was the original lead singer of the Rhythm and blues, R&B vocal group the Impressions, inducted into the Rock and Rol ...
, who served as the team's director of player development since
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, was hired to the same position with the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. The Broncos declined to renew his contract following the
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
season.
* May 14:
Anthony Kelly was hired by the Chicago Bears to become their new director of pro personnel. Kelly was promoted to the Broncos' assistant director of pro personnel position in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. He would now head that department for the Bears, along with nine coaches who were with the Broncos in 2014.
Roster changes
Free agents
Signings
Departures
Trades
* April 1: The Broncos acquired
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
/
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
Gino Gradkowski
Gino Gradkowski (born November 5, 1988) is a former American football center. He played college football at the University of Delaware. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
College career
Gradkowski ...
in a trade with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
that involved
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
draft-pick considerations. Gradkowski was later released on September 6.
* August 31:
Offensive tackle
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
Chris Clark was traded to the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in exchange for a 2016 seventh-round selection.
* November 2: The Broncos acquired
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis (born January 31, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2009, Davis co-led the NFL in touchdown rec ...
in a trade with the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
that will involve 2016 and
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
draft-pick considerations.
Draft
Draft trades
Undrafted free agents
All
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
s were signed after the
2015 NFL draft
The 2015 NFL Draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2. The previous ...
concluded on May 2, unless noted otherwise. For the first time since
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
, the Broncos did not have at least one rookie free agent that made the Week 1 regular season roster.
Suspensions
* July 24:
Defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Derek Wolfe
Derek Wolfe (born February 24, 1990) is a former American football defensive end and a current sports radio host. He played college football at the University of Cincinnati and was selected 36th overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2012 NFL ...
was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on
performance-enhancing substances.
* September 3:
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
was suspended for the team's regular season opener vs. the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
for violating the
league's personal conduct policy. The suspension was the result of a May 2014 incident in which Ward threw a mug at a female bartender inside a
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
strip club
A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...
.
* November 9:
Cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
was suspended for one game for an eye-gouging incident with
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
'
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Dwayne Allen
Dwayne Lamont Allen (born February 24, 1990) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Clemson, where he won the John Mackey Award as a junior, and ...
, during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Colts. Talib unsuccessfully appealed his suspension, and missed the team's Week 10 loss to the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
.
Injuries
* May 9:
Tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Jeff Heuerman
Jeff Heuerman (born November 24, 1992) is a former American football tight end. He played college football for Ohio State, and in 2015 won the CFP National Championship. He was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Denver Bro ...
, the team's third-round
draft
Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel ...
selection, suffered a ruptured
ACL in his left knee during rookie minicamp. Though he signed his rookie contract on June 4,
he was placed on the season-ending
injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
on August 31.
* May 27:
Offensive tackle
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
Ryan Clady
Ryan Jacob Clady (born September 6, 1986) is a former American football offensive tackle who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Boise State University, and earned consensus All-American ...
suffered a ruptured ACL in his left knee, during the Broncos' organized team activities (OTAs), and was placed on injured reserve two days later (May 29).
* August 1:
Wide receiver Kyle Williams suffered a
ruptured Achilles tendon during the second day of training camp, and was placed on injured reserve two days later (August 3).
* August 20:
Defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
Marvin Austin
Marvin Austin Jr. (born January 10, 1989) is a former American football nose tackle. He played college football at North Carolina and was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Austin also played for the Miami D ...
was placed on injured reserve due to a groin injury.
He was later released from the injured reserve on October 27.
* October 18:
Linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
Shane Ray
Shane Michael Ray (born May 18, 1993) is an American football defensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Missouri, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and ...
, the team's first-round draft selection, suffered a sprained
MCL
The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3) ...
in his right knee, during the Broncos' Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, and missed the team's next two games.
* November 2: Offensive tackle
Ty Sambrailo
Tyler William Sambrailo ( ; born March 10, 1992) is a former American football tackle. He played college football for Colorado State University. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, where he was a m ...
, the team's second-round draft selection, was placed on injured reserve on November 2, due to a shoulder injury that he sustained during the team's Week 3 win over the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
.
* November 16: Wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
suffered a finger injury, as well as an ankle injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, and missed the Broncos' Week 11 win over the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
.
* November 25:
Defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Kenny Anunike
Kenny Chidozie Anunike (born May 22, 1990) is a former American football defensive end and current football coach. He played college football at Duke. After going undrafted Kenny spent two years with the Denver Broncos with which he won Super Bo ...
was placed on injured reserve, after undergoing knee surgery during the preseason. He was active for only three games during the season.
* November 29:
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
suffered an ankle sprain during the Broncos' Week 12 win over the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
, and missed the team's next two games.
* December 6: Linebacker
Danny Trevathan
Danny Eugene Trevathan (born March 24, 1990) is an American football inside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he w ...
suffered a concussion during the Broncos' Week 13 win over the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, and missed the Broncos' Week 14 loss to the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
.
;Omar Bolden
Safety/
return specialist
A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position ...
Omar Bolden
Omar Bolden (born December 20, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football for Arizona State University and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
High school career
Bolden attend ...
missed the last four games of the regular season due to a hamstring injury. He returned for the team's Divisional playoff win over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
on January 17, 2016, only to suffer a torn knee ligament on a non-contact play during the first quarter. Bolden was placed on injured reserve one day later (January 18), and missed the remainder of the Broncos' postseason run.
;David Bruton
Safety
David Bruton suffered a concussion during the Broncos' Week 13 win over the San Diego Chargers, and missed the Broncos' Week 14 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Bruton returned to action the following week, and initially thought he suffered a bruised fibula, after he collided with teammate T. J. Ward, during the Broncos' Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it was later revealed that Bruton played the remainder of the game with his fibula fractured, and the team placed him on the season-ending injured reserve two days later (December 22).
;DeMarcus Ware
Linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Omar Ware (born July 31, 1982) is an American former football outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in th ...
was twice sidelined with back injuries. Ware initially suffered a back injury during the team's Week 5 win over the Oakland Raiders on October 11, and missed the team's next game at the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. Ware re-aggravated the same back injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts,
and missed the team's next five games.
Absence of Peyton Manning
On November 16, one day after
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
had one of the worst games of his career, media reports indicated that Manning had a partial tear of the
plantar fascia
The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue (aponeurosis) which supports the arch on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus (heel bone) forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones (the bone betw ...
in his left foot. ''
The Denver Post
''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...
'' indicated that Manning initially suffered the injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
during the previous week, though another report indicated that Manning had been dealing with the injury since training camp. Backup quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
replaced Manning in the third quarter of the Broncos' Week 10 loss to the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
, and was announced as the starting quarterback, beginning with the Broncos' Week 11 game at the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. Following an ineffective performance by Osweiler during the first half of the team's Week 17 win over the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, Manning made his return during the third quarter of that same game, and re-claimed the starting quarterback position for the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
.
Staff
Final roster
Preseason
Regular season
Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Broncos kicked off the season against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, the Broncos' fifth-consecutive Week 1 home opener. Two first-quarter field goals by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
– from 57 and 56 yards out – gave the Broncos the early 6-point advantage. In the second quarter, a 44-yard field goal by placekicker
Justin Tucker
Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. ...
got the Ravens on the scoreboard. McManus later countered with a 43-yard field goal just before halftime to put the lead back to 6. Three plays into the Broncos' initial possession of the second half, quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
was intercepted by Ravens' cornerback
Jimmy Smith for a 24-yard touchdown, in what was the Ravens' only touchdown of the game. After forcing a Broncos' punt, the Ravens increased their lead, with a 44-yard field goal by Tucker. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next two third-quarter offensive possessions. With 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Broncos re-claimed the lead, with cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
returning an interception off Ravens' quarterback
Joe Flacco
Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Baltim ...
51 yards for a touchdown, in what was the Broncos' only touchdown of the game. The Broncos' defense forced the Ravens' to punt on their next possession early in the fourth quarter, and beginning at the 13:51 mark, the Broncos began a 17-play, 81-yard drive that devoured 10:51 off the clock, but had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by McManus to increase to a 19–13 lead. With 2:55 remaining in the game, the Ravens advanced to as far as the Broncos' 16-yard line, hoping for a game-winning touchdown. On the 14th play of the drive, a pass from Flacco to wide receiver
Steve Smith, Sr.
Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. (born May 12, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for sixteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Carolina Panthers, also playing for the B ...
that was almost a touchdown was deflected by Broncos' cornerback
Bradley Roby
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at O ...
near the goal line, falling incomplete. On the next play, with 36 seconds remaining, a pass from Flacco intended for tight end
Crockett Gilmore was intercepted by safety
Darian Stewart
Darian Stewart (born August 4, 1988) is a former American football strong safety. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent after the 2010 NFL Draft and has also played for the Baltimore Ravens. As a member of the Denver Bro ...
in the end zone, sealing the Broncos' fourth consecutive Week 1 victory.
Notes
This marked the first time since September 17,
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, that the Broncos won a game without scoring an offensive touchdown. Peyton Manning failed to throw a touchdown pass in a season opener for the first time since .
Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs
Coming off their hard-fought win over the Ravens, the Broncos traveled to
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
for an
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
duel with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
on
Thursday Night Football
''Thursday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''TNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that broadcast primarily on Thursday nights. Most of the games kick off at 8:15 Eastern Time (8:20 prior to 20 ...
. There was no scoring in the first quarter, which included cornerback
David Bruton forcing a fumble off Chiefs' running back
Jamaal Charles
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third ro ...
at the Broncos' 6-yard line. The Chiefs grabbed the lead early in the second quarter, with Charles rushing for a 34-yard touchdown, then added to their lead, when cornerback
Marcus Peters
Marcus Peters (born January 9, 1993) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft and was also a member of the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Raven ...
returned an interception off Broncos' quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
55 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos responded with two touchdown passes by Manning – a 16-yarder to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
followed by a 1-yard juggling touchdown catch by tight end
Virgil Green
Virgil Leo Green (born August 3, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Nevada and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Early years
Green is a graduate of Tulare Uni ...
just before halftime. The latter scoring play came after Chiefs' quarterback
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...
was intercepted by cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
deep in Chiefs' territory. That was Talib's 2nd pick in as many weeks.
The two teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter – a 35-yarder by Chiefs' placekicker
Cairo Santos
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
and a 54-yarder by Broncos' placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
. Following an exchange of punts, the Chiefs were attempting to re-claim the lead midway through the fourth quarter, when Smith was intercepted by cornerback
Chris Harris, Jr.
Christopher Harris Jr. (born June 18, 1989) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free age ...
at the Broncos' 10-yard line with 6:40 remaining. However, the Broncos went three-and-out, and were forced to punt. The Chiefs took a 24–17 lead six plays later, with running back
Knile Davis
Knile Rashaad Davis (born October 5, 1991) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Arkansas and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also had brief stints with t ...
rushing for an 8-yard touchdown with 2:27 left in the game. Manning then engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown pass to Sanders with 36 seconds left. The game appeared to be headed to overtime, however, on the initial play of the Chiefs' ensuing possession, Broncos' linebacker
Brandon Marshall
Brandon Tyrone Marshall (born March 23, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was drafted by ...
forced a fumble off Charles deep in Chiefs' territory, and cornerback
Bradley Roby
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at O ...
returned the fumble 21 yards for a touchdown with 27 seconds in the game. The Broncos' defense subdued the Chiefs' last drive.
To date, this is last time the Broncos have beaten the Chiefs.
Week 3: at Detroit Lions
Coming off their comeback win over the Chiefs, the undefeated Broncos traveled to
Ford Field
Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state champ ...
to face the winless
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
on
Sunday Night Football. After a scoreless first quarter, the Broncos grabbed the lead late in the second quarter, with running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. With 1:07 remaining before halftime, the Lions countered, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back
Joique Bell
Joique Dewayne Bell Jr. (born August 4, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Wayne State. Bell was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He has also been a member of the Phila ...
. It was initially ruled as a fumble, but after review, it was reversed to a touchdown as a result of Bell breaking the plane of the goal line. However, Broncos' cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
blocked the extra point attempt by placekicker
Matt Prater
Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American football placekicker for
the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for lon ...
, leaving the score at 7–6. In the closing seconds of the first half, the Broncos responded, with quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
connecting on a 45-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
on a 4th-and-1.
Following a questionable fumble by Thomas on the Broncos' opening possession of the second half, Lions' quarterback
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected f ...
threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to running back
Ameer Abdullah
Ameer Abdullah (born June 13, 1993) is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football a ...
. However, the Broncos' defense denied a two-point conversion attempt by Bell that would have tied the game. Each team alternated punts through the next five possessions, until Broncos' linebacker
Shaquil Barrett
Shaquil Akeem "Shaq" Barrett (born November 17, 1992) is an American football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Nebraska-Omaha before transferri ...
forced a fumble off Stafford near midfield. However, the Broncos had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
at the 7:55 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lions were attempting to grab their first lead of the game, however, on the eighth play of the drive, Stafford was intercepted by Broncos' safety
David Bruton. Five plays later, the Broncos expanded their lead, with Manning throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels (born November 9, 1982) is an American meteorologist and former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
just before the two-minute warning to put the game out of reach. That was Daniels' first touchdown as a Bronco. Without any timeouts, the Lions advanced to as far as the Broncos' 15-yard line with 34 seconds remaining, but turned the football over on downs.
Week 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Coming off their Sunday Night win over the Lions, the Broncos returned home for an interconference game vs. the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
, the Broncos' only home game within a six-week span. The Broncos jumped out to a 13–0 lead, consisting of a 33-yard field goal by place kicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
, followed in the second quarter by a 72-yard touchdown run by running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
and another field goal by McManus – from 47 yards out. The Vikings got on the scoreboard just after the two-minute warning, with a 38-yard field goal by placekicker
Blair Walsh
Blair Richard Walsh (born January 8, 1990) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. Walsh played college football at Georgia and was selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
In his first year, Walsh set ...
. The Broncos were attempting to add to their lead on the Vikings' side of the field, however, quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
was intercepted by Vikings' linebacker
Anthony Barr, who returned the football to the Broncos' 27-yard line. Two plays later, the Vikings narrowed the Broncos' lead, with quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater
Theodore Edmond Bridgewater Jr. (born November 10, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL).
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, he graduated from Miami Northwestern high school. Br ...
finding wide receiver
Mike Wallace
Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
alone in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown just before halftime.
The Broncos took the opening possession of the second half, and added to their lead, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels (born November 9, 1982) is an American meteorologist and former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
on a 4th-and-goal. Each team alternated punts on the next four possessions, until Vikings' running back
Adrian Peterson
Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...
went untouched for a 48-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-1, with 10:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. Two plays into the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by safety
Harrison Smith, and nine plays later, the Vikings pulled even at 20–20, with a 33-yard field goal by Walsh. The Broncos took a 23–20 lead two plays after the two-minute warning, with a 39-yard field goal by McManus. The Vikings had one last possession with 1:51 remaining in the game, however, on the sixth play of their final drive, Broncos' safety
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
forced a fumble off Bridgewater at the Vikings' 42-yard line, and linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
recovered the game-clinching fumble.
Week 5: at Oakland Raiders
Coming off their win over the Vikings, the Broncos traveled to the
O.co Coliseum
Oakland Coliseum, currently branded as RingCentral Coliseum, is a stadium in Oakland, California. It is part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, with the adjacent Oakland Arena, near Interstate 880. The Coliseum is the home ba ...
to face their
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
division rivals, the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. Broncos' defensive tackle
Sylvester Williams blocked a 38-yard field goal attempt by Raiders' placekicker
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
late in the first quarter. The Broncos then marched down to as far as the Raiders' 8-yard line, but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
early in the second quarter. The Raiders then took a 7–3 lead, with fullback
Marcel Reece
Marcel Antoine Wayne Reece (born June 23, 1985) is a former American football Fullback (American football), fullback who is the Senior vice-president, Senior Vice President, Chief of staff, Chief of Staff of the Las Vegas Raiders. He was signed b ...
receiving a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Derek Carr
Derek Dallas Carr (born March 28, 1991) is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fresno State, where he twice received first-team All- MWC honors, and wa ...
. The Broncos were attempting to take the lead just before halftime, however, quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
was intercepted by Raiders' safety
Charles Woodson
Charles Cameron Woodson (born October 7, 1976) is a former American football defensive back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Mic ...
in the end zone.
The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on the initial possession of the second half, and on the Raiders' first play from scrimmage, Broncos' linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
forced a strip sack and fumble recovery of Carr deep in Raiders' territory. The Broncos had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by McManus to pull to within 7–6. Following a Raiders' three-and-out, the Broncos re-claimed the lead, with a 52-yard field goal by McManus. Following another Woodson interception of Manning, the Raiders were attempting to take the lead on the first play of the fourth quarter, however, Janikowski missed wide-left on a 40-yard field goal attempt. Trailing 9–7, the Raiders were once again attempting to take lead, until Broncos' cornerback
Chris Harris, Jr.
Christopher Harris Jr. (born June 18, 1989) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free age ...
stepped in front of an errant Carr pass and returned an interception 74 yards for a touchdown. With 6:14 remaining in the game, the Raiders were in punt formation with a 4th-and-6 at their own 24-yard line. However, a 5-yard neutral zone penalty on Broncos' safety
Omar Bolden
Omar Bolden (born December 20, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football for Arizona State University and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
High school career
Bolden attend ...
gave the Raiders a 4th-and-1, and after a successful fourth-down conversion, the Raiders kept the drive alive.
With 2:38 remaining in the game, the Broncos' defense denied a 4th-and-long pass completion from Carr to Reece near midfield. However, the Broncos were unable to earn a game-clinching first down just before the two-minute warning, which forced the Raiders to burn two of their three team timeouts. On the very next play, a defensive pass interference penalty on Broncos' cornerback
Bradley Roby
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at O ...
while defending a pass from Carr to wide receiver
Amari Cooper
Amari Cooper (born June 17, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's top receiv ...
moved the football to the Broncos' 32-yard line. With only one timeout remaining, the Raiders decided to send Janikowski onto the field for a 50-yard field goal to pull the Raiders to within 16–10 with 1:45 remaining in the game. The Raiders' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and were forced to use their last timeout on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage. Running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
gained only two yards on three running plays. With eight seconds remaining, Cooper received a punt near the goal line, but the Broncos' defensive special teams subdued the Raiders' last desperation play of the game.
Notes
The Broncos earned their eighth consecutive win over the Raiders, the Broncos' longest winning streak over the Raiders in franchise history, a streak that the Raiders would snap later in the season, during
the teams' Week 14 rematch in Denver.
Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
Coming off five hard-fought victories, the Broncos traveled to
FirstEnergy Stadium
FirstEnergy Stadium is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and h ...
to face the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
– the Broncos' first visit to Cleveland since
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. A 29-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
late in the first quarter gave the Broncos an early lead. The Broncos increased their lead to 10–0 early in the second quarter, when cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
returned an interception off Browns' quarterback
Josh McCown
Joshua Treadwell McCown (born July 4, 1979) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He attended Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Texas, where he was named the East Texas Player of the Year and earned All-State honorabl ...
63 yards for a touchdown. Each team alternated punts for the next five offensive possessions, and the Broncos were attempting to add to their lead just before halftime. However, McManus missed wide-left on a 51-yard field goal attempt.
An 11-yard touchdown pass from McCown to tight end
Gary Barnidge
Gary Michael Barnidge (born September 22, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft (pi ...
got the Browns on the scoreboard on the initial possession of the second half. Later in the third quarter, Broncos' linebacker
Shaquil Barrett
Shaquil Akeem "Shaq" Barrett (born November 17, 1992) is an American football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Nebraska-Omaha before transferri ...
forced a sack and fumble recovery off McCown on the Browns' side of the field, however, the Broncos had to settle on a 25-yard field goal by McManus. Another field goal by McManus – a 39-yarder early in the fourth quarter, increased the Broncos' lead to 16–7. The Browns responded, with another touchdown pass from McCown to Barnidge – from 14 yards out. On the third play of the Broncos' next drive, a short pass from quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
intended for running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
was bobbled by Hillman and Browns' linebacker
Karlos Dansby
Karlos Montez Dansby (born November 3, 1981) is a former American football outside linebacker. He played college football for Auburn University and received All-American recognition. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round o ...
intercepted the pass and scampered down the sideline 35 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos' defense denied a two-point conversion pass from McCown to wide receiver
Travis Benjamin
Travis Jayvinski Benjamin (born December 29, 1989) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Miami. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draf ...
– even after an offsides penalty on Talib that moved the conversion attempt to the 1-yard line, leaving the Browns with a 20–16 lead.
On the very first play of the Broncos' next drive, Manning threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
to give the Broncos a 23–20 lead with 8:02 remaining in the game. Both teams were forced to punt on their next offensive possessions. With 4:51 remaining, the Browns took possession at their own 40-yard line and were hoping for a go-ahead touchdown after forcing the Broncos to use all three of their team timeouts, but were forced to settle on a game-tying 26-yard field goal by placekicker
Travis Coons
Travis Charles Coons (born February 6, 1992) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Washington. He has been a member of the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, and Los Angeles Chargers.
High s ...
with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Broncos then went three-and-out, and punted the football back to the Browns to their own 40-yard line. The Browns reached the Broncos' 46-yard line in two plays. On the third play, McCown was intercepted by Broncos' safety
David Bruton at the Broncos' 30-yard line, giving the Broncos one last possession before the end of regulation. However, they were only able to advance 13 yards, sending the game to overtime.
The Broncos' won the overtime coin toss, but on the fourth play of the initial possession, Manning threw his third interception of the game – this one to Browns' linebacker
Barkevious Mingo
Barkevious Levon Mingo (; born October 4, 1990) is an American football outside linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Louisiana State (LSU) and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. He ...
, who advanced to the Broncos' 39 yards, giving the Browns a chance of a winning field goal. However, the Broncos' defense pushed the Browns' offense back 13 yards in three plays and out of field goal range. After return specialist
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 29, 1986) is a Filipino-American former professional American football, football wide receiver and punt returner who played eight seasons in the NFL. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted ...
nearly muffed a punt at the Broncos' 12-yard line at the 11:38 mark of overtime, the Broncos assembled a 13-play, 72-yard drive, and with 4:56 left, McManus kicked the game-winning 34-yard field goal.
Notes
The Broncos won their 11th consecutive game against the Browns, dating back to the
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
season – a streak in which
the Browns snapped during the 2018 season. The Broncos improved their all-time series record against the Browns to 23–5 (including the playoffs).
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
Coming off their
bye week, the Broncos played host to the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
on
Sunday Night Football, with both teams entering the game with 6–0 records. The Broncos jumped out to a 17–0 lead, consisting of a pair of touchdown runs by running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
– a 1-yarder in the first quarter and a 15-yarder in the second quarter, followed by a 50-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
. The Packers got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, with running back
Eddie Lacy
Edward Darwin Lacy Jr. (born June 2, 1990) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Alabama, where he was a member of three BCS National Championship teams in the 2009, 2011, and 2012 seasons. He was drafted by t ...
rushing for a 2-yard touchdown. The Packers narrowed the Broncos' lead to 17–10 on the initial possession of the second half, with a 56-yard field goal by placekicker
Mason Crosby
Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...
. The Broncos' defense then held the Packers scoreless for the remainder of the game, and their offense added to their lead, with running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
rushing for a 28-yard touchdown, followed in the fourth quarter by a 24-yard field goal by McManus. Later, linebacker
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Omar Ware (born July 31, 1982) is an American former football outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in th ...
forced a sack and fumble off Packers' quarterback
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the ...
, resulting in a safety that put the game out of reach.
Notes
Owner
Pat Bowlen
Patrick Dennis Bowlen (February 18, 1944 – June 13, 2019) was a Canadian–American lawyer, executive and the majority owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL), winning three Super Bowls. He was inducted in the Pro Foo ...
was inducted into the Broncos'
Ring of Fame during halftime.
Due to his battle with
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
, Bowlen relinquished control of the team to team president
Joe Ellis
Josiah Wear Ellis (born November 16, 1957) is a former American football executive who was the president and CEO of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
College
Ellis received his bachelor's degree from Colorado College i ...
and executive vice president/general manager
John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is an American professional football executive and former quarterback who is the president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
Elway played college f ...
prior to the start of the
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
season. The Broncos' defense limited Aaron Rodgers to just 77 yards passing – the lowest of Rodgers' career in a game where he wasn't knocked out by injury. The Broncos started 7–0 for only the second time in franchise history, the other time was in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
, when they started 13–0 and won
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (who were also defending their Super Bowl XXXII championship) and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atla ...
.
This was the first of two games in which the Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys – the other game was
Week 14 vs. the Oakland Raiders.
Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts
Coming off their dominating win over the previously unbeaten Packers, the Broncos traveled to
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the National Football League (NFL)'s Indianapolis Colts and opened on August 16, 2008. The stadium was ...
to face the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. A 7-yard touchdown run by running back
Frank Gore
Franklin Gore Sr. (born May 14, 1983) is an American former American football, football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers during most of his career, he ranks third ...
in the first quarter, followed in the second quarter by a 43-yard field goal by placekicker
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest kick ...
and a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Andrew Luck
Andrew Austen Luck (born September 12, 1989) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. One of the most highly touted amateur prospects during his c ...
to tight end
Jack Doyle gave the Colts a 17–0 lead. The latter scoring play occurred after Broncos' quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
was intercepted by Colts' safety
Mike Adams. The Broncos got on the scoreboard in the closing seconds of the first half, with return specialist
Omar Bolden
Omar Bolden (born December 20, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football for Arizona State University and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
High school career
Bolden attend ...
returning a punt 83 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos narrowed the gap on their initial possession of the second half, with Manning throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
, then tied the game, with a 29-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
. The Colts re-claimed the lead early in the fourth quarter, with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Luck to running back
Ahmad Bradshaw
Ahmad Bradshaw (born March 19, 1986) is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played college football at Marshall. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, ...
. The Broncos responded, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels (born November 9, 1982) is an American meteorologist and former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
, in what was the final regular-season touchdown pass of Manning's career. Another field goal by Vinatieri – from 55 yards out, gave the Colts a 27–24 lead with 6:18 remaining in the game. On the Broncos' first play of their next possession, Manning was intercepted by Colts' cornerback
Darius Butler
Darius Jermaine Butler (born March 18, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football at Connecticut. Butler was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also played for t ...
. The Colts' offense forced the Broncos to use all of their timeouts, and with 28 seconds remaining, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal. However, the Colts decided not to take the points due to a defensive holding penalty on Broncos' linebacker
Danny Trevathan
Danny Eugene Trevathan (born March 24, 1990) is an American football inside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he w ...
, which enabled Luck to end the game on a quarterback kneel.
Week 10: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Hoping to rebound from their first loss of the season, the Broncos returned home for an
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
divisional rematch with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. After
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
became the
NFL's all-time leader in regular season passing yardage, the game turned sour for the Broncos. Following a Manning interception, the Chiefs capitalized, with a 4-yard touchdown run by running back
Charcandrick West
Charcandrick West (born June 2, 1991) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Abilene Christian University and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
Early life
West was born in ...
. The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on their next two possessions, and the Chiefs increased their lead to 10–0, with a 48-yard field goal by placekicker
Cairo Santos
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
. The Chiefs increased their lead to 19–0 at halftime, with three more field goals by Santos – from 49, 34 and 33 yards out. By halftime, Manning had thrown three interceptions and the Broncos' offense had earned only one first down. The Broncos went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, and a 50-yarder field goal by Santos increased the Chiefs' lead to 22–0. After Manning threw his fourth interception of the game on the Broncos' next possession, he was pulled and replaced by backup quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
for the remainder of the game. Osweiler drove the Broncos' into the red zone early in the fourth quarter, but was intercepted by Chiefs' safety
Eric Berry
James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and recog ...
. Two plays later, the Chiefs increased their lead to 29–0, when quarterback
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...
connected with West on an 80-yard touchdown pass. The Broncos' finally got on the scoreboard with 5:31 remaining in the game, with running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
rushing for a 1-yard touchdown (two-point conversion attempt unsuccessful), followed by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Osweiler to wide receiver
Andre Caldwell
Andre Jerome "Bubba" Caldwell (born April 15, 1985), is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and kickoff returner in the National Football League (NFL). Caldwell played college football for the Florida Gator ...
, but the Chiefs' lead was too much for the Broncos to overcome. Peyton Manning finished the day with the first 0.0 passer rating of his career.
Week 11: at Chicago Bears
Hoping to rebound from back-to-back losses, the Broncos traveled to
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1 ...
to face the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. It was the first start for quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
, substituting for the injured
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
. The Broncos grabbed the lead on their initial possession, when Osweiler, playing on his 25th birthday, connected with wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
on a 48-yard touchdown pass. The Bears got on the scoreboard in the second quarter, with two field goals by placekicker
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...
– from 46 and 37 yards out. The Broncos increased their lead to 10–6, with a 24-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
as time expired in the second half. Midway through the third quarter, Broncos' linebacker
Danny Trevathan
Danny Eugene Trevathan (born March 24, 1990) is an American football inside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he w ...
intercepted a pass by Bears' quarterback
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
deep in Bears' territory. Six plays later, the Broncos were attempting to add to their lead on a 4th-and-goal, however, the Bears' defense prevailed after running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
was inadvertently tripped by Owseiler on the hand off at the 2-yard line. The Bears then marched down the field, and another 37-yard field goal by Gould narrowed the Broncos' lead to 10–9 near the end of the third quarter.
The Broncos then increased their lead to 17–9 early in the fourth quarter, when Osweiler fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Cody Latimer
Cody Derek Latimer (born October 10, 1992) is an American football wide receiver and tight end for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL (2020), XFL. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college f ...
, who was playing in place of the injured
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
. The Bears once again marched down the field, and were facing a 4th-and-goal from the Broncos' 4-yard line, however, a pass from Cutler to running back
Jeremy Langford
Jeremy Langford (born December 6, 1991) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Michigan State, and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Early years
Langfor ...
was broken up by Broncos' cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
with ten minutes remaining in the game. The Broncos' offense chewed up six minutes of the clock, but were forced to punt, giving the football back to the Bears with 4:23 remaining. On the sixth play of the Bears' next drive, Broncos' linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
forced a strip sack and fumble off Cutler at the Broncos' 35-yard line, which was recovered by defensive end
Malik Jackson with 2:30 remaining. However, the Broncos' offense went three-and-out, though they forced the Bears to burn two of their three team timeouts. Just after the two-minute warning, the Bears marched down the field, and finally got into the end zone with only 29 seconds remaining, with Langford lunging for a 2-yard touchdown run. However, the Broncos' defense denied a two-point conversion running attempt by Langford, which would have tied the game. The Bears' subsequent onside kick was unsuccessful, and the Broncos' offense ran out the clock.
Notes
This was the first game this season in which the Broncos' offense did not commit any turnovers.
This was Bears' head coach
John Fox's first game against the Broncos since mutually parting ways with the Broncos following the end of the
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
season. It also marked Jay Cutler's first game against the Broncos, who
drafted Cutler in the first round of the
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
draft before he was traded to the Bears prior to the season. Cutler did not play when the Broncos and Bears last faced each in other in
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
due to a thumb injury.
Week 12: vs. New England Patriots
Coming off their win over the Bears, the Broncos returned home for an
AFC duel with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
on
NBC's Sunday Night Football, on a snowy night in
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. The Patriots, who entered the game with a 10–0 record, jumped out to a 14–0 lead, with quarterback
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
tossing two touchdown passes – a 23-yarder to tight end
Rob Gronkowski
Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...
, followed in the second quarter by a 10-yarder to tight end
Scott Chandler. The latter score occurred after Broncos' quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
had a pass deflected and intercepted deep in Broncos' territory. The Broncos got on the scoreboard just before the two-minute warning, with running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
rushing for a 19-yard touchdown.
The Broncos had a chance to cut into the Patriots' lead on their first possession of the second half, however, placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
missed wide-right on a 47-yard field goal attempt. Each team proceeded to trade punts on their next two offensive possessions, until Brady connected with wide receiver
Brandon Bolden
Brandon Bolden (born January 26, 1990) is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2012 by the New Eng ...
on a 63-yard touchdown pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter to give the Patriots a 21–7 lead. The Broncos' offense went three-and-out, and were forced to punt. However, Patriots' return specialist
Chris Harper muffed the punt, which was recovered by
Shaquil Barrett
Shaquil Akeem "Shaq" Barrett (born November 17, 1992) is an American football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Nebraska-Omaha before transferri ...
at the Patriots' 36-yard line, giving the Broncos new life. Four plays later, the Broncos pulled to within a one-touchdown deficit, with a 15-yard touchdown run by running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
. The Broncos' defense forced a punt on the Patriots' next possession, which was aided by an offensive holding penalty on guard
Tre' Jackson
Tre' Jackson (born December 14, 1992) is a former American football guard. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Early years
Jackson attended Wayn ...
that nullified a 51-yard pass completion from Brady to wide receiver
Keshawn Martin
Keshawn Charles Martin (born March 15, 1990) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round with the 121st overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.
...
on a third-and-long play. The Broncos then marched down the field, but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by McManus to pull to within 21–17 with 6:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. The two teams traded punts on their next possessions, and with 2:39 remaining and no timeouts, the Broncos forced a Patriots' punt. The Broncos marched down the field and were facing a 2nd-and-goal from the Patriots' 7-yard line, when Osweiler was sacked for an eight-yard loss. However, the sack was nullified by a defensive holding penalty on Patriots' safety
Patrick Chung
Patrick Christopher Chung (born August 19, 1987) is a Jamaican-American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Oregon and wa ...
. On the very next play, the Broncos grabbed their first lead of the game, when Osweiler connected with wide receiver
Andre Caldwell
Andre Jerome "Bubba" Caldwell (born April 15, 1985), is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and kickoff returner in the National Football League (NFL). Caldwell played college football for the Florida Gator ...
on a 4-yard touchdown with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots were not done yet, as Brady engineered a 5-play, 51-yard drive, which culminated with placekicker
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
kicking a game-tying 47-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game to overtime. The Patriots won the overtime coin toss, but their offense went three-and-out. Following a Patriots' punt, the Broncos started their first overtime drive at their own 43-yard line, and three plays later, Anderson scampered down the sideline for a game-winning 48-yard touchdown run.
Week 13: at San Diego Chargers
Coming off their overtime win over the Patriots, the Broncos traveled to
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. The stadium opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium and was known as Jack Murphy Stadium from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 to 2017, the stadiu ...
for their first of two matches with their
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
division rivals, the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. On the Broncos' opening drive, quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
connected with wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
on a 3-yard touchdown pass. The Chargers had a chance to get on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter, but placekicker
Josh Lambo
Joshua Gregory Lambo (born November 19, 1990) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and then signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 17, 2017. H ...
missed wide-right on a 48-yard field goal attempt. Toward the end of the first quarter, the Broncos added to the lead, when linebacker
Danny Trevathan
Danny Eugene Trevathan (born March 24, 1990) is an American football inside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he w ...
intercepted an errant pass by Chargers' quarterback
Philip Rivers
Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown. After forcing a Chargers' punt early in the second quarter, the Broncos marched down the field with a long drive that chewed up seven minutes, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
that increased their lead to 17–0. The Chargers got on the scoreboard just after the two-minute warning, with a 51-yard field goal by Lambo, which would be the final scoring play of the game by either team. In the third quarter, the Broncos' defense recovered two forced fumbles, while on offense, McManus missed wide right on a 52-yard field goal attempt and Osweiler threw an interception deep in Chargers' territory. In the fourth quarter, the Broncos' offense punted on all of their possessions (save the final kneel down), while their defense did not allow the Chargers' offense to advance past their own 47-yard line.
Notes
The Broncos swept their division rivals on the road for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Week 14: vs. Oakland Raiders
![Brock Osweiler 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Brock_Osweiler_2015.JPG)
Coming off their win over the Chargers, the Broncos returned home for an
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
rematch against the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. In the first half, the Broncos' defense held the Raiders' offense to –12 net yards of offense, and the Broncos' offense dominated the time of possession by a nearly 3–1 margin, but had to settle for four field goals by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
– from 41 and 35 yards in the first quarter, and 29 and 20 yards in the second quarter. The latter field goal occurred after wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
dropped a crucial pass in the end zone from quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
with only four seconds before halftime.
The Raiders got on the scoreboard on the initial possession of the second half, with quarterback
Derek Carr
Derek Dallas Carr (born March 28, 1991) is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fresno State, where he twice received first-team All- MWC honors, and wa ...
connecting with wide receiver
Seth Roberts
Seth Roberts (August 17 1953 - April 26 2014) was a professor of psychology at Tsinghua University in Beijing and emeritus professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the author of the bestselling book ''The Shangri- ...
on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Later in the third quarter, the Broncos were backed up to their own 2-yard line following a Raiders' punt, and three plays later, the Raiders pulled to within 12–9, when defensive end
Khalil Mack
Khalil Delshon Mack (; born February 22, 1991) is an American football outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Buffalo, and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the ...
forced a fumble off Osweiler in the end zone for a safety. The Broncos' forced another Raiders' punt, however, at the beginning of the fourth quarter,
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
muffed a punt deep in Broncos' territory, and the Raiders capitalized three plays later, with Carr throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Mychal Rivera
Mychal Rashawn Rivera (born September 8, 1990) is a former American football tight end. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Early life
Rivera w ...
(with an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt). The Broncos drove down the field on their next offensive possession, but McManus missed on a 49-yard field goal attempt that hit the left upright. After each team traded punts, the Raiders were attempting to add to their lead, but placekicker
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
missed wide left on a 43-yard field goal attempt with 5:27 remaining in the game. The Broncos were facing a 4th-and-5 at their own 38-yard line with 3:50 remaining in the game, but tight end
Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis (born January 31, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2009, Davis co-led the NFL in touchdown rec ...
dropped a pass from Osweiler that would have been a first down. The Broncos' defense forced the Raiders to go three-and-out, while being forced to use two of their remaining three team timeouts. With 2:35 remaining, the Broncos had one last possession, but on the sixth play, another dropped 4th-down pass – this one by Thomas – sealed the Raiders' win.
Notes
The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys for this game.
Week 15: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Raiders, the Broncos traveled to
Heinz Field
Acrisure Stadium is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Pittsburgh Panth ...
to face the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. On the Broncos' first offensive possession, running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
committed a fumble deep in their own territory, and the Steelers capitalized two plays later, with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Chondon Williams (born April 25, 1983) is a former American football running back and professional wrestler. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He st ...
. The Broncos reeled off 20 unanswered points, with quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
throwing a pair of touchdown passes – an 18-yarder to wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
and a 61-yarder to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
, followed in the second quarter by Osweiler scrambling for a 7-yard touchdown. The latter score came after the Broncos' defense intercepted Steelers' quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...
, and also had a missed extra-point attempt by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
. The Steelers then marched down the field, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by placekicker
Chris Boswell
Christopher Lynn Boswell (born March 16, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rice and was signed by the Houston Texans in 2014 as an undrafted ...
. The Broncos then increased their lead to 27–10, with Osweiler connecting with Thomas on a 6-yard touchdown pass at the 2-minute warning. However, it would be the Broncos' final scoring play of the game, as the offense was shut out in the second half for the third consecutive week. The Steelers pulled to within 27–13, with Boswell kicking a 41-yard field goal just before halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, Roethlisberger connected with wide receiver
Antonio Brown
Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. (born July 10, 1988), nicknamed "AB", is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent, and an American rapper. Raised in Liberty City, Miami, Brown attended Miami Norland High School. He played college fo ...
on a 9-yard touchdown. Later in the third quarter, Broncos' return specialist
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 29, 1986) is a Filipino-American former professional American football, football wide receiver and punt returner who played eight seasons in the NFL. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted ...
returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown; however, the touchdown was nullified by an illegal substitution penalty. Following a Broncos' three-and-out, the Steelers tied the game early in the fourth quarter, with Roethlisberger throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Markus Wheaton
Markus Levonte Wheaton (born February 7, 1991) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Oregon State University and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (79th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft ...
. Each team proceeded to trade punt on their next two possessions, and with just over five minutes remaining, Osweiler was intercepted by Steelers' linebacker
Ryan Shazier
Ryan Dean Shazier (; born September 6, 1992) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Shazier had a successful fi ...
at the Broncos' 37-yard line, and three plays later, the Steelers re-claimed the lead, with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Brown. The Broncos then marched down to the Steelers' 36-yard line with 2:17 remaining, but turned the football over on downs. Just before the two-minute warning, the Steelers were attempting to run out the clock, however, Roethlisberger chose to pass the football, and was intercepted by linebacker
Brandon Marshall
Brandon Tyrone Marshall (born March 23, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was drafted by ...
just before the two-minute warning, giving the Broncos one last possession. However, Osweiler threw four straight incompletions, and the Steelers ran out the clock.
Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Hoping to avoid their first three-game losing streak since
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, the Broncos played host to the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
on
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
. The Bengals dominated the first half time of possession by more than a 2–1 margin. The Bengals took the opening possession of the game and marched down the field, with quarterback
A. J. McCarron
Raymond Anthony "A. J." McCarron Jr. (born September 13, 1990) is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL. He previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. McCarron played college f ...
, playing in place of the injured
Andy Dalton
Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Red Rifle", Dalton previously played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and ...
, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
A. J. Green
Adriel Jeremiah Green (born July 31, 1988) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia and was drafted by the Cincinnati ...
in the corner of the end zone. The Bengals later added to their lead in the second quarter, with wide receiver
Mohamed Sanu
Muhammad was an Islamic prophet and a religious and political leader who preached and established Islam.
Muhammad and variations may also refer to:
*Muhammad (name), a given name and surname, and list of people with the name and its variations
...
rushing for a 6-yard touchdown, in a "wildcat" formation. The Bengals were threatening to add to their lead just before the two-minute warning, but placekicker
Mike Nugent
Michael Nugent (born March 2, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Ohio State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round o ...
missed wide right on a 45-yard field goal attempt. The Broncos then marched down the field, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
just before halftime.
The Broncos took the initial possession of the second half, and pulled to within 14–10, with quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
connecting with wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Niamiah Sanders (born March 17, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third ...
on an 8-yard touchdown pass, which was the only scoring play of the third quarter. After having trouble stopping the Bengals' offense in the first half, the Broncos' defense forced the Bengals to punt on their first four possessions of the second half. The Broncos grabbed a 17–14 lead early in the fourth quarter, with running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
scampering down the sideline for a 39-yard touchdown. A 52-yard field goal by Nugent helped the Bengals tie the game at 17–17 with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Broncos had reached the Bengals' 27-yard line on the next possession, and were attempting a game-winning drive, but Bengals' defensive end
Michael Johnson forced a fumble off Anderson, which was recovered by safety
Reggie Nelson
Reggie Lee Nelson (born September 21, 1983) is a former American football safety. He played college football for the University of Florida, where he was a member of a national championship team and earned consensus All-American honors. He wa ...
. However, the Broncos' defense forced a Bengals' punt, and the Broncos' offense began their next drive at their own 20-yard line with 1:40 remaining. However, McManus badly missed wide left on a potential game-winning 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired, sending the game to overtime.
The Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and took a 20–17 lead on their initial possession, with a 37-yard field goal by McManus. The drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Bengals' linebacker
Vontaze Burfict
Vontaze DeLeon Burfict Jr. ( ; born September 24, 1990) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. A first-team All-American at Arizona St ...
for a late hit out-of-bounds. The Bengals started their first offensive possession of overtime at their own 33-yard line, and on their first play, McCarron attempted a pass that was incomplete, as his arm was hit by Broncos' linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
. Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak called a timeout, thinking the play should have been ruled as a game-ending fumble, however, the initial ruling was upheld by instant replay. On the very next play, McCarron fumbled the snap, which was recovered by Broncos' linebacker
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Omar Ware (born July 31, 1982) is an American former football outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in th ...
to end the game and send the Broncos to the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
Notes
This was the third game of the season that the Broncos won after trailing 14–0 – the other two were
Week 2 at the Kansas City Chiefs and
Week 12 vs. the New England Patriots.
Week 17: vs. San Diego Chargers
The Broncos regular-season finale was an
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
divisional rematch against the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. On the second play of the game, quarterback
Brock Osweiler
Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the s ...
completed a pass to
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
for a 72-yard touchdown pass. The Chargers scored on their first offensive possession, with a 50-yard field goal by placekicker
Josh Lambo
Joshua Gregory Lambo (born November 19, 1990) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and then signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 17, 2017. H ...
. The Broncos' offense turned the football over on four of their next five possessions, including two fumbles and two interceptions. Lambo added a 42-yard field goal later in the second quarter to pull the Chargers to within 7–6. On the Broncos first possession of the second half,
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
fumbled the ball for the second consecutive game, leading to quarterback
Philip Rivers
Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a pass to tight end
Antonio Gates
Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the Pro ...
for a 13-yard touchdown. On the Broncos' next offensive possession,
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
took over for Osweiler at quarterback – Manning's first time playing since Week 10 – and the Broncos re-claimed the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Anderson. The Broncos then added to their lead early in the fourth quarter, with a 48-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
. However, the Chargers grabbed a 20–17 lead on their next offensive play, with Rivers throwing an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Tyrell Williams
Tyrell Williams (born February 12, 1992) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Western Oregon and was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also played for ...
. A 35-yard field goal by McManus tied the game at 20–20 with 9:48 remaining in the game. After the two teams proceeded to traded punts, Rivers was intercepted by Broncos' safety
Shiloh Keo
Shiloh Keo (born December 17, 1987) is a former American football safety. Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, he played college football for the University of Idaho.
Early life and high school
Born in Bothell ...
, and the Broncos immediately capitalized, with running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
rushing for a 23-yard touchdown to give the Broncos a 27–20 lead with 4:50 remaining in the game. The Chargers' offense attempted a rally, and advanced to as far as the Broncos' 40-yard line, but turned the football over on downs just after the two-minute warning. The Broncos ran out the clock.
With the win, coupled with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
' loss to the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
earlier in the day, the Broncos clinched the
AFC's No. 1 seed – the Broncos, Patriots and
Bengals finished tied for the AFC's best record at 12–4, however, the Broncos claimed the No. 1 seed based on head-to-head sweep.
Standings
Division
Conference
Postseason
AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
Following a first-round bye, the Broncos began their run in the
2015–16 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2015 season began on January 9, 2016. The postseason tournament concluded with Super Bowl 50, on February 7, when the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca ...
at home by hosting the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
in the Divisional round, in the eighth playoff meeting between the two teams. The Broncos' first drive of the game started at the Steelers' 30-yard line, following a 42-yard punt return by
Omar Bolden
Omar Bolden (born December 20, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football for Arizona State University and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
High school career
Bolden attend ...
, but the Broncos were forced to settle on a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Steelers drove to the Broncos' 32-yard line on their next possession and chose to convert a 4th-and-1 instead of attempting a field goal in high winds, but Broncos' cornerback
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
broke up a long pass from Steelers' quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...
to wide receiver
Markus Wheaton
Markus Levonte Wheaton (born February 7, 1991) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Oregon State University and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (79th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft ...
at the goal line. Later in the first quarter, McManus added a 41-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 6–0 lead. The Steelers then drove 80 yards in five plays, and grabbed the lead, with running back
Fitzgerald Toussaint
Fitzgerald D'Andre Toussaint (born May 4, 1990) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Michigan and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He has also been a member of the Pittsbu ...
rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, then added to their lead early in the second quarter, with a 43-yard field goal by placekicker
Chris Boswell
Christopher Lynn Boswell (born March 16, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rice and was signed by the Houston Texans in 2014 as an undrafted ...
. McManus made a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to narrow the Steelers' lead to 10–9. The Broncos' offense converted only one third down out of eight attempts in the first half.
Boswell made a 28-yard field goal on the Steelers' first possession of the second half to extend to a 13–9 lead. After the two teams exchanged punts, McManus kicked his fourth field goal of the game – from 41 yards out. Following an exchange of punts, the Steelers, with a one-point lead, drove 41 yards to the Broncos' 34-yard line in three plays. On the fourth play, Broncos' cornerback
Bradley Roby
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at O ...
forced a fumble off Toussaint, which was recovered by linebacker
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Omar Ware (born July 31, 1982) is an American former football outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in th ...
with 9:52 remaining in the game. The Broncos then drove 65 yards in 13 plays that consumed 6:48 off the clock, and re-claimed the lead, with running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
marching for a 1-yard touchdown, coupled with quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
throwing a quick pass to wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
for a two-point conversion. The Steelers were attempting a rally, but the Broncos' defense tightened, and a Ware sack of Roethlisberger on fourth down just after the two-minute warning gave the Broncos the football at the Steelers' 30-yard line. Three plays later, after forcing the Steelers to burn two of their three remaining timeouts, the Broncos added to their lead, with McManus' fifth field goal of the game – a 45-yarder with 57 seconds remaining. The Steelers then advanced to the Broncos' 29-yard line, following a defensive pass interference penalty on Ward and two passes from Roethlisberger to Bryant totaling 29 yards. With only 19 seconds remaining, a 47-yard field goal by Boswell pulled the Steelers to within 23–16. However, the Steelers' ensuing onside kick attempt was unsuccessful.
With the win, the Broncos advanced to the AFC Championship game.
Notes
The Broncos improved their all-time playoff record against the Steelers to 5–3.
AFC Championship: vs. (2) New England Patriots
Coming off their Divisional playoff win over the Steelers, the Broncos hosted the No. 2 seed
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the AFC Championship. The Broncos claimed the lead on their first possession, with quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
throwing a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels (born November 9, 1982) is an American meteorologist and former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
. The Broncos' defense forced the Patriots' offense to punt on their first three possessions. Later in the first quarter, Manning threw a pass that was intended for running back
Ronnie Hillman
Ronald Keith Ryan Hillman Jr. (September 14, 1991 – December 21, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, earni ...
, but after a Patriots' challenge, the play was ruled a backwards pass and fumble, which was recovered by Patriots' linebacker
Jonathan Freeny
Jonathan Freeny (born June 15, 1989) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Rutgers. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Rush, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New ...
. The Patriots capitalized two plays later, with running back
Steven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson (born July 22, 1983) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams. He played college football at Oregon State and was sele ...
rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. However, placekicker
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
missed wide right on the extra-point attempt. Early in the second quarter, Patriots' quarterback
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
was intercepted by Broncos' linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
deep in Patriots' territory. Three plays later, Manning threw another touchdown pass to Daniels – from 12 yards out, in what was the final touchdown pass of Manning's career – regular season or postseason. The Patriots cut into the Broncos' lead midway through the second quarter, with Gostkowski making a 46-yard field goal. The Broncos extended their lead to 17–9 just before halftime, with a 52-yard field goal by placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
.
A 38-yard field goal by Gostkowski was the only scoring play of the third quarter. The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on two of their three possessions of the third quarter. To begin the fourth quarter, the Broncos marched to the Patriots' 13-yard line, keyed by a 30-yard run by running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
, but Manning overthrew wide receiver
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 29, 1986) is a Filipino-American former professional American football, football wide receiver and punt returner who played eight seasons in the NFL. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted ...
in the end zone on a third-down passing play. The Broncos had to settle on a 31-yard field goal by McManus to extend to a 20–12 lead with 10:06 remaining in the game. The Patriots marched down the field, and were facing a 4th-and-1 at the Broncos' 16-yard line with 6:06 remaining. However, instead of kicking a field goal, Brady threw a short pass to wide receiver
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Kent State as a Quarterback and ...
, who was tackled for 1-yard loss by cornerback
Chris Harris, Jr.
Christopher Harris Jr. (born June 18, 1989) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free age ...
The Broncos were forced to punt on their next possession, and the Patriots once again drove deep into Broncos' territory, facing a 4th-and-6 with 2:25 remaining. However, the Patriots' turned the football over on downs once again, with Brady throwing an incomplete pass in the back of the end zone that was intended for tight end
Rob Gronkowski
Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...
, who was triple-covered by the Broncos' secondary.
The Broncos' offense forced the Patriots to burn two of their three team timeouts prior to two-minute warning, but went three-and-out, giving the football back to the Patriots. The Patriots started their final offensive possession at midfield with 1:52 remaining. After Brady threw three consecutive incompletions, he connected with Gronkowski on a 40-yard pass on a 4th-and-10 play to keep the drive alive. With 17 seconds remaining, the Patriots were facing a 4th-and-goal at the Broncos' 4-yard line, and Brady found Gronkowski in the back of the end zone for a touchdown to narrow the Broncos' lead to 20–18. However, Broncos' cornerback
Bradley Roby
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at O ...
intercepted Brady on the potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt. The Patriots' ensuing onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Broncos.
With the win, the Broncos advanced to their eighth
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
in team history. This was also the final meeting in the
rivalry
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
between legendary quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady – regular season or postseason. Brady owned an 11–6 record vs. Manning, including the postseason, where Manning held a 3-2 edge (3–1 in AFC title games).
Super Bowl 50: vs. (N1) Carolina Panthers
![Peyton Manning handing off to C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Peyton_Manning_handing_off_to_C.J._Anderson_Super_Bowl_50.jpg)
Placekicker
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
gave the Broncos the lead on the first possession of the game, with a 34-yard field goal. Following an exchange of punts, Broncos' linebacker
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
forced a fumble off Panthers' quarterback
Cam Newton
Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NFL ...
, which was recovered by defensive end
Malik Jackson in the end zone, giving the Broncos a 10–0 lead. Following another exchange of punts, the Panthers got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, with running back
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart (born March 21, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Oregon and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round (13th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. H ...
diving for a 1-yard touchdown. Following miscommunication by the Panthers' defensive special teams, Broncos' return specialist
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 29, 1986) is a Filipino-American former professional American football, football wide receiver and punt returner who played eight seasons in the NFL. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted ...
returned a punt to the Panthers' 14-yard line. However, the Broncos were forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal by McManus.
The Panthers took the opening possession of the second half, and drove to the Broncos' 26-yard line. However, placekicker
Graham Gano
Graham Clark Gano (born April 9, 1987) is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free ag ...
missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt that hit the right upright. During the Panthers' drive, Miller broke up a pass from Newton to wide receiver
Jerricho Cotchery
Jerricho Cotchery (born June 16, 1982) is a coach and former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004 to 2015. He played college ...
that would have given the Panthers a first-and-goal. McManus added a 30-yard field goal to extend the Broncos' lead. Early in the fourth quarter, Panthers' defensive end
Kony Ealy
Kony Montoy Ealy (born December 21, 1991) is a gridiron football defensive end for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Missouri and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the ...
forced a strip sack and fumble recovery off Broncos' quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
near midfield, but were forced to settle on a 39-yard field goal by Gano to narrow the Broncos' lead to 16–10. With 4:51 remaining, Miller then forced yet another strip sack and fumble off Newton, ending the Panthers' drive, with safety
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
recovering the football at the Panthers' 4-yard line. Following a defensive holding penalty on Panthers' cornerback
Josh Norman
Joshua Ricardo Norman (born December 15, 1987) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Coastal Carolina and was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and has also played f ...
on a third-and-goal, the Broncos added to their lead, with running back
C. J. Anderson
Cortrelle Javon Anderson (born February 10, 1991) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Rice University. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with ...
rushing for a 2-yard touchdown, coupled with Manning completing a pass to wide receiver
Bennie Fowler
Bennie Fowler III (born June 10, 1991) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for Michigan State and was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
High school career
Fowler a ...
for a two-point conversion with 3:13 remaining. The Panthers had two more offensive possessions, but the Broncos' defense stood their ground, preventing a first down on both drives to win their third
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
.
Notes
Peyton Manning's two-point conversion pass to Bennie Fowler late in the fourth quarter was the final pass completion of Manning's 18-year
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
career, and this was Manning's final NFL game, as he retired on March 7, 2016.
Statistics
Team leaders
League rankings
Records and milestones
Numerous individual, franchise and league records and milestones were either tied, reached or broken during the season:
Team
* Week 2: With their 31–24 win over the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
at
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
, the Broncos set a new
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
record for consecutive divisional road wins with 13, surpassing the previous record that the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
held from 1987 to 1990.
They would extend their streak to 15 games, with wins over the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
(Week 5) and
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
(Week 13).
* Week 6: The Broncos became the second original
American Football League
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...
(AFL) franchise to reach 450 regular season wins, joining the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
.
* 2015 season:
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Gary Kubiak tied a franchise record for wins by a first-year head coach with 12, a feat achieved by
Red Miller
Robert "Red" Miller (October 31, 1927 – September 27, 2017) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1980. In his first year as Denver's head coach, h ...
in
1977
Events January
* January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...
.
The Broncos became the fourth team in NFL history to reach eight
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
s, which, at the time, was tied with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, New England Patriots and
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
for the most Super Bowl appearances, until the Patriots made their ninth Super Bowl appearance in .
*
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
: The Broncos tied an NFL record for
sacks in a Super Bowl, with 7.
Peyton Manning
* Week 2: Became the second
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
in
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
history to achieve 70,000 career passing yards, joining
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
.
* Week 3: Became the second quarterback in NFL history to achieve 6,000 career pass completions, joining Brett Favre.
* Week 4: The Broncos' 23–20 win over the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
was Peyton Manning's 100th career home win; he became the second quarterback in NFL history to achieve 100 home wins, joining Brett Favre (113).
* Week 5: At the time, Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in combined regular season and postseason passing yardage, surpassing Brett Favre, until
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
' quarterback
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
surpassed that record in .
* Week 8: At the time, Manning tied Brett Favre for the NFL's all-time record for
regular season wins by a starting quarterback (both with 186), until Tom Brady surpassed both Manning and Favre in . This would be Peyton Manning's final regular-season win as a starting QB, as he would lose his next two starts against the
Colts and
Chiefs and would not start another game until the Broncos' Divisional Round matchup against the
Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
due to his plantar fasciitis injury.
* Week 10: At the time, Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in
regular season passing yardage, surpassing Brett Favre.
Manning and Favre were both surpassed by
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
' quarterback
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
in 2018, and Manning was surpassed by Tom Brady in .
*
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
: Became the first quarterback in NFL history to lead two different teams to multiple Super Bowl berths and wins. Manning led the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
to Super Bowls
XLI and
XLIV
44 (forty-four) is the natural number following 43 and preceding 45.
In mathematics
Forty-four is a repdigit and palindromic number in decimal. It is the fourth happy number, and the fourth octahedral number.
Since the greatest prime factor ...
– the former of which the Colts won, with Manning winning
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
honors; he also led the Broncos to
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
(a loss) and won Super Bowl 50. At the time, Manning was the oldest quarterback to lead a team to a
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
berth and victory, as well as the NFL's all-time leader in combined regular season and playoff wins – records that have since been surpassed by Tom Brady.
Other players
*
Brandon McManus
Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
:
** Week 1: Became the second kicker in
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
history to make multiple field goals of 56 or more yards in the same game, joining
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arri ...
' kicker
Greg Zuerlein, who achieved that feat in .
** Divisional playoffs: Set a new franchise record and tied an NFL record for field goals in a playoff game, with five.
*
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
:
** Week 2: Miller recorded his 50th career
sack in his 58th game, becoming the third-fastest player in NFL history behind
Derrick Thomas
Derrick Vincent Thomas (January 1, 1967 – February 8, 2000), nicknamed D.T., was an American football linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Considered one of the greatest pass rushers of all time, he p ...
(54 games) and
Reggie White
Reginald Howard White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was an American professional football player who played defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for ...
(40 games) to achieve that feat.
** 2015 season: Became only the third player in Broncos' franchise history to be selected to at least four
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
s within the first five years with the team, joining
Steve Atwater
Stephen Dennis Atwater (born October 28, 1966) is an American former professional football player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a ...
and
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little (July 4, 1942 – January 1, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He ...
.
** AFC Championship: Set a franchise record with 2.5 sacks in a playoff game.
*
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood (born September 29, 1986) is a Filipino-American former professional American football, football wide receiver and punt returner who played eight seasons in the NFL. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted ...
: Set a new NFL record for the longest punt return in
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
history, with a 61-yard return.
*
Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
:
** Week 17: Surpassed
Rod Smith for the most 100-yard receiving games in franchise history, with 32.
** 2015 season: Became only the third
wide receiver in NFL history to achieve at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and five touchdowns in four consecutive seasons, joining
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. (born August 25, 1972) is an American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), much of it with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton ...
and
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championshi ...
.
Awards and honors
Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections
Four Broncos were selected to the
2016 Pro Bowl
The 2016 Pro Bowl (branded as the 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA for sponsorship reasons) was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2015 season, which was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 31, 2016. As of 20 ...
:
Cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
s
Chris Harris, Jr.
Christopher Harris Jr. (born June 18, 1989) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free age ...
and
Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib (born February 13, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Kansas, where he received consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first rou ...
, and
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
s
Von Miller
Vonnie B'VSean Miller (born March 26, 1989) is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and ...
and
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Omar Ware (born July 31, 1982) is an American former football outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in th ...
. Linebacker
Brandon Marshall
Brandon Tyrone Marshall (born March 23, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was drafted by ...
,
wide receiver Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
,
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
Louis Vasquez
Pierre Louis Vasquez also known as Luis Vázquez (October 3, 1798 – September 5, 1868) was a mountain man and trader. He was a contemporary of many famous European-American explorers of the early west and would come to know many of them, i ...
and
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
were named as reserves.
However, due to participation in
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
, none of them participated in the Pro Bowl. Harris and Miller were also voted to the
All-Pro Team – Miller was named to the First team, while Harris was named to the Second Team.
Other news and notes
* On March 4,
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
agreed to a restructured contract that paid him
$15 million for the season. Under the original contract that Manning signed in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, Manning had been slated to earn $19 million in 2015. Manning earned back $2 million with the Broncos' win over the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the
AFC Championship
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. ...
, and earned an additional $2 million with the Broncos'
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
win.
*
Tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels (born November 9, 1982) is an American meteorologist and former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
, who was signed at the beginning of the free agency period in March, played the first ten years of his
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
career (2006–15) under the tutelage of
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Gary Kubiak and tight ends coach
Brian Pariani
Brian Pariani (born July 2, 1965) is an American football coach. Pariani is a longtime assistant of Gary Kubiak and was a member of four Super Bowl winning teams with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX and the Denver Broncos in Super Bow ...
. Daniels played eight seasons with the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
from 2006 to 2013 and one season with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
in , the latter of which Kubiak served as an offensive coordinator.
Daniels was released on March 8, 2016, after only one season with the Broncos.
References
External links
2015 Season page on Pro Football Reference2015 Denver Broncos season at ESPN
{{2015 NFL season by team
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
Denver Broncos seasons
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
AFC West championship seasons
American Football Conference championship seasons
Super Bowl champion seasons