The Denver Broncos are an American football franchise based in Denver, Colorado. Founded by Bob Howsam on August 14, 1959, the team was one of the founder members of the American Football League (AFL), which began in 1960, before merging with the National Football League (NFL) ahead of the 1970 season,[1] when the Broncos became part of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division; they have been in the same division ever since. As of the end of the 2020 season, Denver has completed 61 seasons (playing in over 970 combined regular season and playoff games), and has appeared in eight Super Bowls; although they lost in each of their first four Super Bowl appearances, they have since won three of them, most recently Super Bowl 50.
The franchise has experienced three major periods of success. The first was from to, when the Broncos did not have a losing season (a season when the team has more losses than wins), and won two AFC West division titles, and one AFC championship. The second began in and ended in . During this period, the Broncos had just two losing seasons, were AFC champions five times and were Super Bowl champions for two consecutive years. This second period of success is best remembered for John Elway being the team's quarterback.[2] The most recent run of success began in 2011, lasting until their victory in Super Bowl 50 at the end of the 2015 season. The five-year stretch was primarily spearheaded by the 2012 free agent acquisition of the then four-time League MVP former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, and included five AFC West titles, two AFC championships, as well as the Super Bowl. From their inaugural season in 1960 until, they did not make either the AFL playoffs or NFL playoffs and had just two winning seasons. The Broncos were the only charter AFL franchise to never have a winning season during the AFL's 10 years of existence (although the team finished at 7–7 in 1962), with their first winning season not occurring until 1973, their fourth year as a member of the NFL's AFC. They also experienced their two seasons with the fewest wins ever, winning just two of 14 games in both and .[3]
The Broncos have been AFC West champions 15 times, winning the division for five consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2015, and have also earned wild card berths into the playoffs seven times, for a total of 22 playoff appearances. They have been conference champions eight times (tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and two behind the New England Patriots who have the most AFC championships) and Super Bowl champions thrice.[3]
| Super Bowl Champions (1970–present) | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card berth |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Post-season results | Awards | Head coaches | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | width=2.5% | |||||||||||
| scope"row" | 1960 | 1960 | AFL | West | 4th | 4 | 9 | 1 | Frank Filchock | |||
| scope"row" | 1961 | 1961 | AFL | West | 3rd | 3 | 11 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1962 | 1962 | AFL | West | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | Jack Faulkner (COY) | Jack Faulkner | ||
| scope"row" | 1963 | 1963 | AFL | West | 4th | 2 | 11 | 1 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1964 | 1964 | AFL | West | 4th | 2 | 11 | 1 | Jack Faulkner (0–4) Mac Speedie (2–7–1) | |||
| scope"row" | 1965 | 1965 | AFL | West | 4th | 4 | 10 | 0 | Mac Speedie | |||
| scope"row" | 1966 | 1966 | AFL | West | 4th | 4 | 10 | 0 | Mac Speedie (0–2) Ray Malavasi (4–8) | |||
| scope"row" | 1967 | 1967 | AFL | West | 4th | 3 | 11 | 0 | Lou Saban | |||
| scope"row" | 1968 | 1968 | AFL | West | 4th | 5 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1969 | 1969 | AFL | West | 4th | 5 | 8 | 1 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1970 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 5 | 8 | 1 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1971 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 4 | 9 | 1 | Lou Saban (2–6–1) Jerry Smith (2–3) | |||
| scope"row" | 1972 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 5 | 9 | 0 | John Ralston | |||
| scope"row" | 1973 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1974 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1975 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 6 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1976 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 9 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1977 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 12 | 2 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 34–21 Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 20–17 Lost Super Bowl XII (vs. Cowboys) 10–27 | Craig Morton (CBPOY) | Red Miller | |
| scope"row" | 1978 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Steelers) 10–33 | Randy Gradishar (DPOY) | ||
| scope"row" | 1979 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Oilers) 7–13 | |||
| scope"row" | 1980 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1981 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | Dan Reeves | |||
| scope"row" | 1982 | NFL | AFC | 12th | 2 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| scope"row" | 1983 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Seahawks) 7–31 | |||
| scope"row" | 1984 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 17–24 | |||
| scope"row" | 1985 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 11 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1986 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 22–17 Won AFC Championship (at Browns) 23–20 Lost Super Bowl XXI (vs. Giants) 20–39 | |||
| scope"row" | 1987 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 10 | 4 | 1 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Oilers) 34–10 Won AFC Championship (Browns) 38–33 Lost Super Bowl XXII (vs. Redskins) 10–42 | John Elway (MVP) | ||
| scope"row" | 1988 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1989 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 24–23 Won AFC Championship (Browns) 37–21 Lost Super Bowl XXIV (vs. 49ers) 10–55 | |||
| scope"row" | 1990 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 5 | 11 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1991 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Oilers) 26–24 Lost AFC Championship (at Bills) 7–10 | Mike Croel (DROY) | ||
| scope"row" | 1992 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1993 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Raiders) 24–42 | Wade Phillips | ||
| scope"row" | 1994 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 1995 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Mike Shanahan | |||
| scope"row" | 1996 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 27–30 | Terrell Davis (OPOY) | ||
| scope"row" | 1997 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Jaguars) 42–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Chiefs) 14–10 Won AFC Championship (at Steelers) 24–21 Won Super Bowl XXXII (1) (vs. Packers) 31–24 | Terrell Davis (SB MVP) | ||
| scope"row" | 1998 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 14 | 2 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 38–3 Won AFC Championship (Jets) 23–10 Won Super Bowl XXXIII (2) (vs. Falcons) 34–19 | Terrell Davis (MVP, OPOY) John Elway (SB MVP) | ||
| scope"row" | 1999 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 6 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2000 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Ravens) 3–21 | Mike Anderson (OROY) | ||
| scope"row" | 2001 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2002 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | Clinton Portis (OROY) | |||
| scope"row" | 2003 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 10–41 | |||
| scope"row" | 2004 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 24–49 | |||
| scope"row" | 2005 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 13 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 27–13 Lost AFC Championship (Steelers) 17–34 | |||
| scope"row" | 2006 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2007 | 2007 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| scope"row" | 2008 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2009 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Josh McDaniels | |||
| scope"row" | 2010 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Josh McDaniels (3–9) Eric Studesville (1–3) | |||
| scope"row" | 2011 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 29–23 (OT) Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 10–45 | Von Miller (DROY) | John Fox | |
| scope"row" | 2012 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Ravens) 35–38 (2 OT) | Peyton Manning (CBPOY) | ||
| scope"row" | 2013 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 13 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Chargers) 24–17 Won AFC Championship (Patriots) 26–16 Lost Super Bowl XLVIII (vs. Seahawks) 8–43 | Peyton Manning (MVP, OPOY) | ||
| scope"row" | 2014 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 12 | 4 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 13–24 | |||
| scope"row" | 2015 | NFL | AFC | West | 1st | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 23–16 Won AFC Championship (Patriots) 20–18 Won Super Bowl 50 (3) (vs. Panthers) 24–10 | Von Miller (SB MVP) | Gary Kubiak | |
| scope"row" | 2016 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2017 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | Vance Joseph | |||
| scope"row" | 2018 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2019 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 7 | 9 | 0 | Vic Fangio | |||
| scope"row" | 2020 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2021 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 7 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| scope"row" | 2022 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 5 | 12 | 0 | Nathaniel Hackett (4–11) Jerry Rosburg (1–1) | |||
| scope"row" | 2023 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 8 | 9 | 0 | Sean Payton | |||
| scope"row" rowspan="3" colspan="6" | Total records (regular season/playoffs/combined) | scope"row" | 508 | scope"row" | 465 | scope"row" | 10 | scope"row" colspan="3" | (1960–2023, includes only regular season) | |||
| scope"row" | 23 | scope"row" | 19 | scope"row" | — | scope"row" colspan="3" | (1960–2023, includes only playoffs) | |||||
| scope"row" | 531 | scope"row" | 484 | scope"row" | 10 | scope"row" colspan="3" | (1960–2023, regular season and playoffs; 3 NFL Championships) | |||||
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