2011 Denver Broncos season
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The 2011 season was the
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 ...
' 42nd 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 their 52nd overall. It also marked their first season under
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, as well as the first with
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 ...
as the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations. On July 25, the
NFLPA The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...
and NFL owners agreed on a new
collective bargaining agreement A collective agreement, collective labour agreement (CLA) or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract negotiated through collective bargaining for employees by one or more trade unions with the management of a company (or with an ...
, which was ratified on August 4. The Broncos training camp began on July 28 at the team headquarters in
Dove Valley, Colorado Dove Valley is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The popula ...
, and the preseason and regular season started on time. This was the first of five consecutive AFC West titles for the Broncos. The first five weeks of the season were dominated by a
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 ...
controversy involving
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
and Tim Tebow, with fans voicing their displeasure with the play of Orton, which resulted in a 1–4 start, and the public outcry for Tebow to be moved to starter. On October 11, Tebow was named the starting quarterback beginning with the team's Week 7 game at 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 ...
on October 23. Tebow compiled an 8–5 record (including the playoffs, with a six-game win streak from Weeks 9–14) after replacing Orton, including game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and/or overtime in six of those games, despite constant criticism of his unorthodox mechanics and abilities as a passer. Orton was later waived on November 22. Another notable roster change was the trade that sent wide receiver
Brandon Lloyd Brandon Matthew Lloyd (born July 5, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Illinois, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth r ...
to the
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 arr ...
in exchange for a conditional
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draft selection. The Broncos doubled their win total from
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, finishing in a three-way tie 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 ...
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 ...
for the
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, with an 8–8 record. The Broncos, however, won the
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 ...
based on tiebreakers, thus clinching their first playoff berth and division title since
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. The Broncos opened 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 ...
with a 29–23 overtime 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 ...
in the Wild Card round, but were blown out by 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 Divisional round by a score of 45–10.


Coaching and front-office changes

* January 5:
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
quarterback
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 ...
was hired as the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations.
Brian Xanders Brian Xanders (born April 10, 1971) is an American football executive and former Florida State football player. He is the former general manager for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League The National Football League (NFL) ...
remained as general manager, but Elway had the final word in all football matters.
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 ...
, who served as the team's chief operating officer for the past three years, was promoted to team president. * January 13: The Broncos named former
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 ...
' head coach John Fox as 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 ...
. * January 17: The following changes were made to the Broncos' coaching staff:
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 ...
was moved from offensive line coach to tight ends coach, replacing
Bob Ligashesky Bob Ligashesky (born June 2, 1962) is an American football coach. He is the special teams coordinator at Syracuse University. Ligashesky has been as assistant coach with several teams in the National Football League (NFL). Playing career Ligash ...
. Dave Magazu was named the new offensive line coach.
Tyke Tolbert Tyke Tolbert (born September 15, 1967) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Tolbert previously served as wide receivers coach for the Arizo ...
was named the new wide receivers coach. Magazu and Tolbert both previously served on John Fox's staff with the Panthers. Brian Callahan was moved to the offensive quality control position, while
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 ...
was moved to the defensive quality control position.
Eric Studesville Eric Studesville (born May 29, 1967) is an American football coach who is the associate head coach and running backs coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Studesville is known as the former run game coordinator for ...
, who served as the team's interim head coach for the final four games of the
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season, retained his position as the running backs coach. * January 20:
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 ...
, who served as the Broncos' wide receivers coach during the previous two seasons, was named the team's new quarterbacks coach, replacing
Ben McDaniels Ben McDaniels (born June 6, 1980) is an American football coach who is the Wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the quarterbacks coach for the U ...
. That same day, Jeff Rodgers, who served on John Fox's staff with the Panthers during the previous two seasons, was named the team's new special teams coach. * January 24: The Broncos hired former
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 ...
' secondary coach Dennis Allen as the team's new defensive coordinator, replacing
Don Martindale Don "Wink" Martindale (born May 19, 1963) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). From 2018 to 2021, he held the same position for the Baltimore Ravens afte ...
. * January 25: Ron Milus was hired as the new secondary coach, replacing Dennis Allen, while Richard Smith was hired as the new linebackers coach. Milus previously served as the Broncos' secondary coach in
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, while Smith previously served as the Broncos' special teams coach and linebackers coach in the mid-1990s, and both previously served on John Fox's staff with the Panthers during the past two seasons. * January 27: The coaching staff was finalized, when Keith Burns was brought back as the assistant special teams coach and
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 ...
was hired as the teams' new assistant secondary coach. Garnes served on John Fox's staff with the Panthers last season. * July 22: The Broncos hired
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 ...
as the team's director of player development. Butler previously served in the same capacity with 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 ( ...
from 2001 to 2010, and was a wide receiver with 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. ...
from 1979 to 1986.


Pre-lockout roster changes

The Broncos made the following roster moves prior to the decertification of the
NFLPA The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...
on March 11 and subsequent
2011 NFL Lockout The 2011 National Football League Player lockout was a work stoppage imposed by the owners of the NFL's 32 teams that lasted from March 12, 2011, to July 25, 2011. When the owners and the NFL players, represented by the National Football League ...
: * On January 7, five days after the end of the
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season, the team signed fullback
Mike McLaughlin Michael McLaughlin (born October 6, 1956) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Nicknamed Magic Shoes, McLaughlin was a perennial fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award in 1997. He also scored several wins and t ...
,
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 ...
s Shawn Murphy and
Manny Ramirez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, L ...
and
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 ...
Herb Taylor to future contracts. McLaughlin was waived on July 29, Murphy was waived on August 29 and Taylor was waived on September 6. * On February 22, unrestricted
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 ...
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 ...
Champ Bailey Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. (born June 22, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-A ...
was re-signed. * On March 2,
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 ...
Daniel Graham Daniel Lawrence Graham (born November 16, 1978) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Colorado, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was ...
was released. * On March 3, unrestricted free agent
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 ...
Kevin Vickerson Kevin Darnell Vickerson (born January 8, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Vickerson has also been a ...
was re-signed, while defensive tackles
Justin Bannan Justin Lewis Bannan (born April 18, 1979) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado. Bannan also played for the Baltim ...
and
Jamal Williams Jamal Williams (born April 28, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 1998 ...
were released.


Draft

Despite the
2011 NFL Lockout The 2011 National Football League Player lockout was a work stoppage imposed by the owners of the NFL's 32 teams that lasted from March 12, 2011, to July 25, 2011. When the owners and the NFL players, represented by the National Football League ...
, the 2011 NFL draft was held from April 28–30. However, no
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 until after the lockout ended on July 25. Draft trades


Post-lockout roster changes


Free agents

The following free agents were left unsigned after the beginning of the
2011 NFL Lockout The 2011 National Football League Player lockout was a work stoppage imposed by the owners of the NFL's 32 teams that lasted from March 12, 2011, to July 25, 2011. When the owners and the NFL players, represented by the National Football League ...
in March (
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 ...
Champ Bailey Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. (born June 22, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-A ...
and
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 ...
Kevin Vickerson Kevin Darnell Vickerson (born January 8, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Vickerson has also been a ...
were re-signed before the lockout):


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 on July 27, two days after the end of the
2011 NFL Lockout The 2011 National Football League Player lockout was a work stoppage imposed by the owners of the NFL's 32 teams that lasted from March 12, 2011, to July 25, 2011. When the owners and the NFL players, represented by the National Football League ...
.


Signings


Departures


Trades

* July 27: Wide receiver Jabar Gaffney was traded to the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in exchange for
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 ...
Jeremy Jarmon Jeremy Jarmon (born November 30, 1987) is a former American football defensive end of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2009 Supplemental draft. He played college football at ...
. Jarmon was later waived on September 4. * August 1: The Broncos acquired
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 ...
Brodrick Bunkley Brodrick Bunkley (born November 23, 1983) is a former American football nose tackle. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. Bunkley also played for the Denv ...
from 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 ...
in exchange for an undisclosed
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draft selection. * October 17: Wide receiver
Brandon Lloyd Brandon Matthew Lloyd (born July 5, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Illinois, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth r ...
was traded to the
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 arr ...
in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the
2012 NFL draft The 2012 NFL draft was the 77th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players for their rosters. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held ...
; the selection was later upgraded to a fifth-rounder after a condition was met in which Lloyd made a minimum of 30 receptions with the Rams.


Injuries

* July 27: 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 ...
was placed on the non-football injury list. Thomas suffered a ruptured
Achilles tendon The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (h ...
shortly after the end of the season, and had surgery back in February. Thomas later suffered a broken finger during practice on September 8, and missed the first six weeks of the regular season. * August 15:
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 ...
s Marcus Thomas and
Ty Warren Ty'ron "Ty" Markeith Warren (born February 6, 1981) is an American football coach and former defensive end who is the defensive line coach for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL. He played college football at Texas A&M from 2000 to 2003. He then ...
each sustained separate injuries in practice. Thomas suffered a strained pectoral muscle, and missed the first four weeks of the regular season. Warren suffered torn triceps, and was initially expected to return in November, but 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 September 17. * August 27:
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 ...
D. J. Williams suffered a dislocated elbow during the team's third preseason game vs. the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
, and missed the first three weeks of the regular season. * September 2:
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 ...
Syd'Quan Thompson suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during the team's last preseason game at the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
, and missed the entire 2011 season. * October 10: Defensive tackle
Kevin Vickerson Kevin Darnell Vickerson (born January 8, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Vickerson has also been a ...
was placed on injured reserve, after suffering an ankle injury during the team's Week 5 loss to 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 ...
the previous day. * November 14:
Running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...
was placed on injured reserve, after he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during the team's Week 10 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 ...
the previous day. * November 28: Cornerback/
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 ...
Cassius Vaughn Cassius M. Vaughn (born November 3, 1987) is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Ole Miss. In the NFL, Vaughn has also played for the In ...
was placed on injured reserve, after suffering a broken bone in his leg during the team's Week 12 win over the San Diego Chargers the previous day. * January 2, 2012:
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 ...
Chris Kuper Chris Kuper (born December 19, 1982) is a former American football offensive guard for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for t ...
was placed on injured reserve, after suffering a broken leg during the team's regular season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs the previous day. * January 10, 2012: Fullback Spencer Larsen was placed on injured reserve.


Staff


Final roster


Preseason


Regular season


Schedule

:Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.


Game summaries


Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

The Broncos donned their alternate orange jerseys and kicked off their season at home against 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 ...
rival
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 ...
, the Broncos' first Week 1 home opener since
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
. The Broncos took an early lead in the first quarter, with a 28-yard field goal 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 ...
. The Raiders reeled off 16 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Jason Campbell Jason S. Campbell (born December 31, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college footbal ...
to 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 ...
, followed by three field goals of 37, 21 and 63 yards by 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 ...
, the latter of which tied the record for the longest field goal in NFL history. The Broncos responded in the third quarter, with kick returner
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
returning a punt 90 yards for a touchdown, followed by a 30-yard field goal by Prater. The Raiders increased their lead in the fourth quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by Campbell. The Broncos tried to rally, with quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to running back Lance Ball. However, Oakland ran out the clock. This would be the last time the Broncos lost their season opener and home opener until
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
; their opener that year was also against the Raiders.


Week 2: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Following their Monday Night loss to the Raiders, the Broncos remained on home turf to face 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 ...
. The Broncos took the lead in the first quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
. The Bengals got on the board in the second quarter, with a 45-yard field goal by 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 ...
. The Broncos responded, with a 34-yard field goal 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 ...
just before halftime. In the third quarter, the Broncos extended their lead, with a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
to wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
. The Bengals reeled off 12 unanswered points, with a 37-yard field goal by Nugent, a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
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 ...
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 ...
(with a failed two-point conversion attempt), followed by a 23-yard field goal by Nugent, narrowing the Broncos' lead to 17–15. In the fourth quarter, the Broncos once again increased their lead, with a 52-yard touchdown pass from Orton to Decker, but the Bengals responded, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dalton 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 ...
. The Broncos' defense prevented any more scoring.


Week 3: at Tennessee Titans

Following their close win over the Bengals, the Broncos traveled to
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
to face the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
at
LP Field Nissan Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, it is primarily used for football and is the home field of the Tennessee Titans of the Nati ...
. The Broncos took the lead in the first quarter, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
to wide receiver Matthew Willis. The Titans responded in the second quarter, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
to wide receiver
Nate Washington Nate Washington (born August 28, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and played on two Super Bowl-winning teams during four seasons with the Steelers. He t ...
, followed by a 46-yard field goal by placekicker
Rob Bironas James Robert Douglas Bironas (January 29, 1978 – September 20, 2014) was an American football placekicker who played the majority of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Auburn University and Georgia ...
. The Broncos re-claimed the lead in the third quarter, when Orton connecting with running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
on a 5-yard touchdown pass. However, after recovering a Hasselbeck fumble in Titans' territory late in the third quarter, the Broncos failed to capitalize on the turnover, as Tennessee's defense denied the Broncos from extending their lead with a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter. The Titans later claimed the lead, when Hasselbeck, playing on his 36th birthday, threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Daniel Graham Daniel Lawrence Graham (born November 16, 1978) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Colorado, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was ...
, who played with the Broncos from 2007 to 2010. Tennessee's defense thwarted the Broncos' final drive.


Week 4: at Green Bay Packers

Hoping to avenge their loss at Tennessee, the Broncos traveled to
Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor athletic stadium in the north central United States, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The home field of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL), it opened in 1957 as City Stadium, replacing ...
to face the defending
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 ...
champion
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 ...
. The Broncos took the early lead, with a 27-yard field goal 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 ...
. However, the Packers responded, with a 50-yard touchdown pass from 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 ...
to wide receiver
Jordy Nelson Jordy Ray Nelson (born May 31, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League for 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Kansas State, where he ...
, followed by cornerback Charles Woodson returning an interception off Broncos' quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
30 yards for a touchdown. After recovering an onside kick, the Packers added to their lead early in the second quarter, with Rodgers scrambling 11 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos responded, with Orton throwing two touchdown passes to wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
: a 5-yarder, followed by a 33-yarder. The Packers responded just before halftime, when Rodgers connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Greg Jennings Gregory Jennings Jr. (born September 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Western Michigan an ...
. The Packers increased their lead on the opening possession of the third quarter, with Rodgers scrambling for an 8-yard touchdown run, followed by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to wide receiver James Jones. The Packers continued their onslaught in the fourth quarter, with Rodgers hooking up with wide receiver
Donald Driver Donald Jerome Driver (born February 2, 1975) is a former American football wide receiver. After playing college football for Alcorn State University, Driver was picked by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He ...
on an 8-yard touchdown pass. The Broncos scored a late touchdown, when Orton connected with tight end
Daniel Fells Daniel Fells (born September 23, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at UC Davis and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Fells was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, D ...
on a 7-yard touchdown pass (with a failed two-point conversion attempt), but the outcome of the game had already been decided in Green Bay's favor. The loss drops the Broncos to 0–4–1 all-time in Green Bay.


Week 5: vs. San Diego Chargers

Hoping to rebound from their blowout loss at Green Bay, 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 ...
duel with 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 ...
. The Chargers took the early lead in the first quarter, with a 24-yard field goal by placekicker
Nick Novak Nicholas Ryan Novak (born August 21, 1981) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Maryland. Novak has played for the Washington Redskins, A ...
. The Broncos grabbed the lead, when cornerback
Cassius Vaughn Cassius M. Vaughn (born November 3, 1987) is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Ole Miss. In the NFL, Vaughn has also played for the In ...
returned an interception off 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 ...
55 yards for a touchdown. The Chargers responded, with a 32-yard field goal by Novak. The Broncos extended their lead in the second quarter, with a 32-yard field goal 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 ...
. However, the Chargers reclaimed the lead, with a 2-yard touchdown run by Rivers, a 28-yard field goal by Novak, followed by a 42-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiver
Malcom Floyd Malcom Maiuu Floyd (born September 8, 1981) is a former American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He played his entire NFL career with San Diego after sign ...
, giving San Diego a 23–10 halftime lead. The Broncos benched quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
in favor of Tim Tebow. After a scoreless third quarter, the Chargers added to their lead, with a 51-yard field goal by Novak. The Broncos responded, when Tebow scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown (with a two-point conversion run by running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
), then threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to running back
Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...
(with a failed two-point conversion attempt), to pull the Broncos to within 26–24 with just over three minutes left in the game. The Chargers responded, with a 35-yard field goal by Novak. The Broncos tried to rally with 24 seconds remaining in regulation, but Tebow's last-second desperation pass into the end zone was unsuccessful, sealing the win for San Diego. ;Injuries
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 ...
Kevin Vickerson Kevin Darnell Vickerson (born January 8, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Vickerson has also been a ...
suffering an ankle injury early in the game. Though he later returned, he was placed on
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 ...
one day later (October 10).


Week 7: at Miami Dolphins

Hoping to snap their three-game losing streak, and coming off their bye week, the Broncos traveled to face 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 ...
in
Sun Life Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I college ...
, where the Broncos had never won in their franchise history except against another team, 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 ...
in
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 ...
. After a scoreless first quarter, the Dolphins grabbed the lead in the second quarter, with field goals of 38 and 36 yards by kicker
Dan Carpenter Daniel Roy Carpenter (born November 25, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college football for the University of Montana. He has also played for ...
. After a scoreless third quarter, the Dolphins extended their lead in the fourth quarter, with quarterback Matt Moore throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Anthony Fasano Anthony Joseph Fasano (born April 20, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame. Fasano also played for the Kansas Cit ...
(with a failed two-point conversion attempt), followed by a 43-yard field goal by Carpenter, giving Miami a 15–0 lead. However, after each team traded punts, the Broncos staged a rally with just over five minutes remaining, with quarterback Tim Tebow throwing a 5-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 ...
to pull to within 15–7 with 2:44 remaining. After the Broncos recovered an onside kick, they subsequently marched down the field, with Tebow connecting on a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Daniel Fells Daniel Fells (born September 23, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at UC Davis and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Fells was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, D ...
, followed by Tebow scrambling for the two-point conversion to send the game into overtime. On the Dolphins' second possession in overtime, Broncos' linebacker D. J. Williams forced a fumble off Moore, giving the Broncos possession at the Dolphins' 36-yard line. Four plays later, kicker
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 ...
, who had missed two field goals in the first half, nailed the game-winning 52-yard field goal. Notes With the win, the Broncos earned their 400th win in franchise history, their first-ever win over the Dolphins at Miami in eight tries, and became the first team in NFL history since the
AFL–NFL merger The AFL–NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It paved the way for the combined league, w ...
to win a game after trailing by 15 or more points with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.


Week 8: vs. Detroit Lions

Hoping to build on the momentum of their comeback win at Miami, the Broncos donned their alternate orange jerseys and returned home for an interconference duel with 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 ...
. The Broncos grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 39-yard field goal 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 ...
. However, the Lions dominated the remainder of the game, beginning with a 41-yard touchdown pass from 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 ...
to wide receiver
Titus Young Titus Demetrius Young, Sr. (born August 21, 1989) is a former American football wide receiver. He played in the National Football League from 2011 to 2012. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He pla ...
, followed in the second quarter by a 50-yard field goal by placekicker
Jason Hanson Jason Hanson (born June 17, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a kicker who spent his entire 21-year career with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football with the Washi ...
, a 1-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to tight end
Tony Scheffler Tony Scheffler (born February 15, 1983) is a former American football tight end of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football and baseball at Wes ...
and a 1-yard touchdown run from running back
Maurice Morris Maurice Autora Morris (born December 1, 1979) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft and also played for the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Oregon ...
, giving Detroit a 24–3 halftime lead. The Lions continued their domination in the third quarter, with a 24-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive end
Cliff Avril Clifford Samuel Avril (born April 8, 1986) is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Purdue and was drafted in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He has also played for the Seattle Seahaw ...
, a 56-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to wide receiver
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
, followed in the fourth quarter by cornerback
Chris Houston Chris Houston may refer to: *Chris Houston (American football) (born 1984), American football cornerback * Chris Houston (musician), Canadian musician *Chris Houston (rugby league) Chris Houston (born 15 February 1985) is an Australian former p ...
returning an interception off Broncos' quarterback Tim Tebow 100 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos finally got into the end zone, with Tebow throwing a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
, but the outcome of the game had already been decided in Detroit's favor.


Week 9: at Oakland Raiders

Hoping to rebound from their disastrous home loss to the Lions, 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 ...
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 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 the first quarter, the Raiders grabbed the early lead, with a 48-yard field goal by 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 ...
. The Broncos responded, with quarterback Tim Tebow hooking up with wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
on a 27-yard touchdown pass. The Raiders re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with quarterback
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
throwing two touchdown passes: an 11-yarder to running back
Michael Bush Michael Warren Bush, Jr. (born June 16, 1984) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville. In addition to the Raiders, B ...
, followed by a 40-yarder to 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 ...
. In the third quarter, the Broncos cut into the Raiders' lead, with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Tebow to wide receiver
Eddie Royal William Edward "Eddie" Royal (born May 21, 1986) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist . He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech and ...
. The Raiders responded, with Palmer throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Jacoby Ford Jacoby Ford (born July 27, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was also an accomplished track and field athlete. He playe ...
, giving Oakland a 24–14 lead. However, the Broncos dominated the remainder of the game, beginning with a 43-yard field goal 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 ...
, followed by running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
rushing for a 60-yard touchdown at the end of the third quarter. The Broncos grabbed the lead with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, when Royal returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, then pulled away with a 24-yard touchdown run by McGahee.


Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off their win at Oakland, 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 ...
. In the first quarter, the Broncos grabbed the early lead, with quarterback Tim Tebow scrambling for a 7-yard touchdown, followed in the second quarter by a 38-yard field goal 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 ...
. The Chiefs got on the board in the third quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Matt Cassel Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots ...
to fullback
Le'Ron McClain Le'Ron De'Mar McClain (born December 27, 1984) is a former American football Fullback (American football), fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Alabama, and was drafted by the ...
. The Broncos responded in the fourth quarter, with Tebow throwing a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
. The Chiefs tried to rally, with placekicker
Ryan Succop Ryan Barrow Succop ( "suck-up"; born September 19, 1986) is an American football placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). Succop played college football at South Carolina and was the 2009 Mr. Irrelevant by ...
nailing a late 32-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining, but the ensuing onside kickoff was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Broncos. Notes With the win, the Broncos matched their win total from
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 ...
. ;Injuries
Running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...
suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during the first quarter, and was placed on
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 ...
.


Week 11: vs. New York Jets

Coming off their win at Kansas City, the Broncos returned home for an AFC duel against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
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 ...
. The Broncos grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with a 37-yard field goal 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 ...
. The Jets tied the game in the second quarter, with a 21-yard field goal by placekicker
Nick Folk Nicholas Alexander Folk (born Niklaus Aleksandre Faulke, November 5, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona, where he received first-tea ...
, then grabbed the lead in the third quarter, when guard
Matt Slauson Matthew Benjamin Slauson (born February 18, 1986) is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the Chicago Bears, San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, and Indi ...
returned a fumble off Jets' running back Bilal Powell into the end zone for a touchdown. The Broncos tied the game, when cornerback André Goodman returned an interception off Jets' quarterback
Mark Sanchez Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) and was draft ...
26 yards for a touchdown. The Jets re-claimed the lead in the fourth quarter, with a 45-yard field goal by Folk. After each team traded punts, the Broncos got the ball with 5:54 remaining, when quarterback Tim Tebow led the Broncos on a 12-play, 95-yard drive, culminating with Tebow scrambling 20 yards for a touchdown with 58 seconds remaining. The Broncos' defense thwarted Sanchez' last-second desperation pass toward the end zone. Notes With the win, the Broncos exceeded their win total from
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 ...
.


Week 12: at San Diego Chargers

Coming off their win over the Jets, 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 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 with 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 ...
. The Chargers jumped out to a 10–0 lead, with a 53-yard field goal by kicker
Nick Novak Nicholas Ryan Novak (born August 21, 1981) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Maryland. Novak has played for the Washington Redskins, A ...
in the first quarter, followed in the second quarter by a 6-yard touchdown pass from 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 ...
to tight end Antonio Gates. The Broncos responded just before halftime, with an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tim Tebow to wide receiver
Eric Decker Eric Thomas Decker (born March 15, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football and college baseball at the University of Minnesota, and was dr ...
. The Chargers added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 25-yard field goal by Novak. The Broncos countered just before the end of the third quarter, with a 41-yard field goal by kicker
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 ...
. Novak missed a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Trailing 13–10 with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Broncos marched down the field and tied the game with a 24-yard field goal by Prater. The Broncos' defense subdued San Diego's final drive of the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime. On the Chargers' second possession in overtime, Novak's potential game-winning 53-yard field goal was blocked. However, head coach John Fox had called a timeout prior to the kick. Novak missed the second attempt wide right. The Broncos' third possession in overtime began with 2:31 remaining, and Prater nailed the game-winning 37-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in overtime. Notes With the win, the Broncos swept their AFC West division rivals on the road for the second time in three seasons. ;Injuries
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 ...
Cassius Vaughn Cassius M. Vaughn (born November 3, 1987) is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Ole Miss. In the NFL, Vaughn has also played for the In ...
suffered a broken bone in his leg, and was placed on
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 ...
the following day.


Week 13: at Minnesota Vikings

Coming off their overtime win at San Diego, the Broncos traveled to the Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for an interconference duel with 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 game's first points came from the Vikings, when defensive end
Jared Allen Jared Scot Allen (born April 3, 1982) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football at Idaho State and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth ...
tackled running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
in the end zone for a safety. The Broncos grabbed the lead when linebacker Mario Haggan returned an interception off Vikings' quarterback
Christian Ponder Christian Andrew Ponder (born February 25, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Minnesot ...
16 yards for a touchdown. Vikings' kicker
Ryan Longwell Ryan Walker Longwell (born August 16, 1974Ryan Longwell
NFLPA.com. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
made a 40-yard field goal, then the Vikings reclaimed the lead in the second quarter, on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ponder to tight end
Kyle Rudolph Kyle Daniel Rudolph (born November 9, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second ...
, followed by another field goal by Longwell, this time from 25 yards, just before halftime. The Broncos narrowed Minnesota's lead in the third quarter, with a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tim Tebow 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 ...
, but the Vikings countered with a 52-yard touchdown pass from Ponder to wide receiver
Percy Harvin William Percival Harvin III (born May 28, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida, when the Gators won the BCS National Championship in 2006 and 2008, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings ...
. The Broncos responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Tebow to Thomas. Ponder then threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Harvin to give Minnesota a 29–21 lead. On the Broncos' next possession, McGahee rushed 24 yards for a touchdown and Tebow scrambled for a two-point conversion to tie the game at 29. The Vikings subsequently reclaimed the lead on Longwell's 39-yard field goal with 3:06 left in the game. The Broncos answered with kicker
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 ...
's 46-yard field goal with 1:33 left to tie the game at 32. On the Vikings' ensuing possession, Broncos' cornerback André Goodman returned an interception off Ponder to the Vikings' 15-yard line. Six plays later, Prater nailed the game-winning 23-yard field goal as time expired to give the Broncos their fifth consecutive win.


Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears

Coming off their last-second win at Minnesota, the Broncos returned home for an interconference duel 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 ...
. After a scoreless first half, which included Bears' defensive end
Julius Peppers Julius Frazier Peppers (born January 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, ...
blocking a 28-yard field goal attempt by kicker
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 ...
in the second quarter, the Bears grabbed the lead in the third quarter, with running back Marion Barber rushing for a 9-yard touchdown. The Bears extended their lead to 10–0 early in the fourth quarter, with a 57-yard field goal by kicker
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 ...
. With 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Broncos put together a 7-play, 63-yard drive, and finally got on the scoreboard with 2:08 remaining, when quarterback Tim Tebow threw a 10-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 ...
. With no timeouts remaining, the Broncos tried an onside kick, but Chicago recovered prior to the two-minute warning. After one running play, the two-minute warning stopped the clock. On the next play, Broncos' linebacker D. J. Williams was able to push Barber out of bounds, saving 40 seconds of time. The Bears eventually punted to the Broncos' 20-yard line with 56 seconds remaining. Tebow subsequently led the Broncos on an 8-play, 39-yard drive, with Prater nailing a game-tying 59-yard field goal to send the game to overtime. This was the first game in NFL history that had two field goals of 57 yards or more. Chicago won the overtime coin toss, however, they deferred, and the Broncos went three-and-out on their first possession. The Bears drove into field goal range on their first overtime possession, but Broncos' linebacker Wesley Woodyard forced a fumble off Barber, with defensive end
Elvis Dumervil Elvis Kool Dumervil (born January 19, 1984) is a former American football defensive end and linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football at Louisville, where he won the Bronko Nagurski Tr ...
recovering the fumble. Nine plays later, Prater nailed the game-winning 51-yard field goal. Notes In the fourth quarter and overtime, Tim Tebow was 18 of 24 with 191 yards passing and one touchdown. In his first 11 starts, Tebow has six game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. This is more than any other quarterback since the
AFL–NFL merger The AFL–NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It paved the way for the combined league, w ...
, and breaks the previous record of five, last accomplished by
Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme (; born January 10, 1975) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana ...
in .


Week 15: vs. New England Patriots

Coming off their overtime win over the Bears, the Broncos remained on home ground 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 ...
. The Broncos grabbed the early lead, with quarterback Tim Tebow scrambling for a 9-yard touchdown (with a failed two-point conversion attempt after a botched extra-point snap). The Patriots responded, 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 ...
throwing a 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Chad Ochocinco Chad Ochocinco Johnson (born Chad Javon Johnson; January 9, 1978), known from 2008 to 2012 as Chad Ochocinco, is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Santa Monica College and Oregon State University, and p ...
. The Broncos countered, with a 32-yard touchdown run by running back Lance Ball, followed in the second quarter by a 26-yard field goal by kicker
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 ...
. However, New England reeled off 27 unanswered points, 17 of which came off three Broncos' turnovers in the second quarter. Brady connected with tight end
Aaron Hernandez Aaron Josef Hernandez (November 6, 1989 April 19, 2017) was an American football tight end. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the New England Patriots until his career came to an abrupt end after his arrest ...
on a 1-yard touchdown pass, 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 ...
nailed a 21-yard field goal, Brady ran a 1-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown and Gostkowski nailed a 34-yard field goal at the end of the first half. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 10-yard touchdown run by running back
Danny Woodhead Daniel Jacob Henry Woodhead (born January 25, 1985) is an amateur golfer who has qualified for the United States Golf Association championship tournaments, and was a former professional American football running back. He played college football a ...
. The Broncos tried to cut into New England's lead in the fourth quarter, with Tebow scrambling for a 2-yard touchdown, but a 1-yard touchdown run by Patriots' running back
BenJarvus Green-Ellis BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football running back who played for the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played co ...
and a sack of Tebow for a loss of 28 yards put the game out of reach.


Week 16: at Buffalo Bills

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Patriots, the Broncos traveled to
Ralph Wilson Stadium Highmark Stadium is a stadium in Orchard Park, New York, in the Southtowns of the Buffalo metropolitan area. The stadium opened in 1973 as Rich Stadium and is the home venue of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). It was kn ...
for an AFC duel with 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. ...
. The Broncos grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with quarterback Tim Tebow scrambling for a 1-yard touchdown. The Bills stormed back, reeling off 17 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a 28-yard field goal by placekicker
Dave Rayner David Michael Rayner (born October 26, 1982) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan ...
, an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown by
Leodis McKelvin Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist. He played college football for Troy Trojans football, Troy University and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NF ...
and a 4-yard touchdown run by running back
C. J. Spiller Clifford "C. J." Spiller Jr. (born August 5, 1987) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Clemson University. He previously served as a graduate intern at Clemson in 2020. Spiller play ...
. The Broncos cut into Buffalo's lead early in the third quarter, with Tebow throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Daniel Fells Daniel Fells (born September 23, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at UC Davis and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Fells was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, D ...
. However, the Broncos were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Bills added to their lead, with three field goals by Rayner—a pair of 25-yarders in the third quarter, followed by a 29-yarder early in the fourth quarter. The Bills pulled further away, converting two turnovers off Tebow into touchdowns—a 37-yard interception return by safety
Jairus Byrd Jairus Keelon Byrd (born October 7, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football for the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He is a three-time Pro Bo ...
, followed by a 17-yard fumble return by linebacker Spencer Johnson.


Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hoping to rebound from their tough loss at Buffalo and keep their playoff hopes alive, 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
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 ...
, in the team's regular season finale. This was Chiefs' quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
's first visit to Denver since he was waived by the Broncos on November 22. The Chiefs grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 21-yard touchdown run by running back
Dexter McCluster Dexter Marquise McCluster (born August 25, 1988) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Mississippi. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and also ...
. After a scoreless second quarter, which included a fumble by Broncos' quarterback Tim Tebow deep in Chiefs' territory, the Broncos got on the scoreboard in the third quarter, with a 38-yard field goal 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 ...
. However, both teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Kansas City's defense thwarted the Broncos' last drive. Notes With the loss, the Broncos finished the regular season with an 8–8 record for the third time in four seasons, and were swept at home by their division rivals for the second time in three seasons. The Broncos finished tied 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 ...
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 ...
for the AFC West division title. However, the Broncos won the tiebreakers over both teams based on record against common opponents (5–5 to the Raiders' and Chargers' 4–6), thus clinching their first playoff berth and division title since
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
. This was the team's last loss to a division opponent until Week 15 of the 2013 season and last loss to the Chiefs until Week 10 of the 2015 season. Injuries
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 ...
Chris Kuper Chris Kuper (born December 19, 1982) is a former American football offensive guard for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for t ...
suffered a broken leg during the first quarter, and was placed on
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 ...
the following day (January 2).


Standings


Postseason


AFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (#5) Pittsburgh Steelers

The Broncos opened the
2011–12 NFL Playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2011 season began on January 7, 2012. The postseason tournament concluded with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21–17, on February 5, at Lucas Oil Stadiu ...
at home with a Wild Card matchup against the #5 seed
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 ...
, the Broncos' first playoff game since
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
. The only points of the first quarter came from the Steelers, with field goals of 45 and 38 yards by placekicker
Shaun Suisham Shaun Christopher Suisham (; born December 29, 1981) is a Canadian-born former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed ...
. The Broncos reeled off 20 unanswered points in the second quarter, with quarterback Tim Tebow throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Eddie Royal William Edward "Eddie" Royal (born May 21, 1986) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist . He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech and ...
, then scrambling for an 8-yard touchdown run, followed by field goals of 20 and 28 yards 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 ...
. A 1-yard touchdown run by Steelers' 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 ...
on an end-around was the only scoring play of the third quarter. The Broncos added to their lead early in the fourth quarter, with a 35-yard field goal by Prater. The Steelers countered with a 37-yard field goal by Suisham. On the Broncos' following possession, running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
fumbled, and the Steelers subsequently tied the game with a 7-play, 55-yard drive, culminating with a 31-yard touchdown pass from 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 Jerricho Cotchery. Each team traded punts on subsequent possessions, sending the game to overtime. The Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and on their first play, Tebow fired the game-winning 80-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 ...
. It was not only the longest scoring play in NFL overtime playoff history, but Thomas also set a new Broncos' franchise record for receiving yards in a playoff game, with 204 yards. With the win, the Broncos advanced to face 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 Divisional round.


AFC Divisional Playoffs: at (#1) New England Patriots

Following their overtime win over the Steelers in the Wild Card round of the
2011–12 NFL Playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2011 season began on January 7, 2012. The postseason tournament concluded with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21–17, on February 5, at Lucas Oil Stadiu ...
, the Broncos traveled to
Foxborough, Massachusetts Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, about southwest of Boston, northeast of Providence, Rhode Island and about northwest of Cape Cod. Foxborough is part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 18,618 at ...
to face the #1 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 ...
at
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is southwest of downtown Boston. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the New England Patriots of the National Footb ...
, in the Divisional round. The Patriots jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, 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 ...
throwing a pair of touchdown passes—a 7-yarder to wide receiver
Wes Welker Wesley Carter Welker (born May 1, 1981) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the San ...
and a 10-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 ...
. The Broncos responded at the beginning of the second quarter, with running back
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
rushing for a 5-yard touchdown, but the Patriots subsequently added to lead, with Brady throwing three more touchdown passes—a 12-yarder to Gronkowski, a 61-yarder to wide receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
followed by a 19-yarder to Gronkowski just before halftime. The Patriots continued their onslaught in the third quarter, with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Aaron Hernandez Aaron Josef Hernandez (November 6, 1989 April 19, 2017) was an American football tight end. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the New England Patriots until his career came to an abrupt end after his arrest ...
. A 41-yard field goal by Broncos' 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 ...
made the score 42–10. The Patriots added to their lead early in the fourth quarter, with a 20-yard field goal by 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 ...
, which was the last scoring play of the game by either team, sealing the win for New England.


Statistics


Team leaders


League rankings


Awards and honors


Other news and notes

* On August 16,
Sports Authority Sports Authority, Inc. (formerly The Sports Authority) was an American sports retailer. At its peak, Sports Authority operated 463 stores in 45 States and Puerto Rico. The company's website was on the GSI Commerce platform and supported the reta ...
, a
sporting goods Sports equipment, sporting equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear used to compete in a sport and varies depending on the sport. The equipment ranges from balls, nets, and protective gear like helmets. ...
retailer Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...
based in
Englewood, Colorado The City of Englewood is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 33,659 at the 2020 United States Census. Englewood is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Stati ...
, took over the naming rights of ''INVESCO Field at Mile High''.
Invesco Invesco Ltd. is an American independent investment management company that is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional branch offices in 20 countries. Its common stock is a constituent of the S&P 500 and trades on the New York stock exc ...
held the original naming rights to the
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 ...
' stadium since it opened in , and Invesco's naming rights agreement was set to expire in 2021. ''INVESCO Field at Mile High'' officially became known as
Sports Authority Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High (previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Invesco Field at Mile High and Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, New Mile High or Mile High Stadium) is an American football stadium ...
, in time for the Broncos' first preseason game against 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. ...
on August 20. * This season was the last in which the Broncos wore their navy blue jerseys as their primary home jersey. The team used the alternate orange jerseys for games in Weeks 1 (vs. 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 ...
) and 8 (vs. 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 ...
). Beginning with the
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 ...
season, the Broncos announced that the orange jerseys – the team's alternate colored jersey since
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
– will become the primary home jersey, while the navy blue jerseys, which had been the team's primary home jersey since their introduction 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 ...
, will switch to alternate designation. The change was made due to overwhelming popularity with fans, who clamored for the team to return to wearing orange at home, which was the team's predominant home jersey color from 1962 to 1996.


References


External links

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The Denver Post – Complete Broncos Coverage



2011 Denver Broncos at ESPN
{{2011 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 AFC West championship 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 ...