List of Denver Broncos seasons

Sports Authority Field at Mile High, where the Broncos have played their home games since 2001

The Denver Broncos are an American football franchise. They are members of the American Football Conference West Division (AFC West) of the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The list documents their season-by-season records from 1960 to the present day, including post-season records, and league awards for individual players and head coaches. As of the end of the 2008 season, the team has completed 49 seasons and will be entering their 50th at the start of the 2009 season. The Broncos franchise was founded on August 14, 1959 by Bob Howsam and played their first season in 1960, in Denver, Colorado as part of the original American Football League (AFL).^[1] They became part of the NFL in 1970 after the AFL-NFL merger.^[1]

The franchise has experienced two major periods of success. The first was from 1976 to 1981, 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 1983 and ended in 1998. During this period, the Broncos had just two losing seasons, were AFC champions five times and 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 Denver Broncos have also experienced one notable period of deterioration. From their inaugural season in 1960 until 1975, they did not make the 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, with their first winning season not occurring until 1973, their fourth year as a member of the NFL's American Conference. They also experienced their two seasons with the most losses ever, winning just two of fourteen games in both 1963 and 1964.^[3]

The Broncos have been AFC West champions ten times, and have also earned wild card berths into the playoffs six times. They have been conference champions six times and Super Bowl champions twice. However, the Broncos did not make the AFL playoffs prior to the merger in 1970. As of the end of the 2007 season, the Broncos have played over 800 regular and post-season games in 51 seasons, and have appeared in the post-season sixteen times.^[3]

Seasons

Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any post-season play.

Super Bowl Champions (1970–present)

Conference Champions

Division Champions

Wild Card Berth

Official NFL records as of December 28, 2008

AFL/NFL Season	Team's season[3]	League	Conference	Division	Regular season				Post-season results	Awards[4][5][6][7][8][9]
					Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
1960	1960	AFL	West		4th	4	9	1
1961	1961	AFL	West		3rd	3	11	0
1962	1962	AFL	West		2nd	7	7	0		Jack Faulkner (Coach of the Year)
1963	1963	AFL	West		4th	2	11	1
1964	1964	AFL	West		4th	2	11	1
1965	1965	AFL	West		4th	4	10	0
1966	1966	AFL	West		4th	4	10	0
1967	1967	AFL	West		4th	3	11	0
1968	1968	AFL	West		4th	5	9	0
1969	1969	AFL	West		4th	5	8	1
1970a	1970	NFL	AFC	West	4th	5	8	1
1971	1971	NFL	AFC	West	4th	4	9	1
1972	1972	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	5	9	0
1973	1973	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	7	5	2		John Ralston
1974	1974	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	7	6	1
1975	1975	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	6	8	0
1976	1976	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	9	5	0
1977	1977	NFL	AFC	West	1st	12	2	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 34–21 Won Conference Championship (Raiders) 20–17 Lost Super Bowl XII (Cowboys) 27–10	Red Miller (AFC Coach of the Year) Craig Morton (Comeback Player of the Year)
1978	1978	NFL	AFC	West	1st	10	6	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 33–10	Randy Gradishar (Defensive Player of the Year)
1979	1979	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	10	6	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Oilers) (13–7)
1980	1980	NFL	AFC	West	4th	8	8	0
1981	1981	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	10	6	0
1982b	1982	NFL	AFC		12th	2	7	0
1983	1983	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	9	7	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Seahawks) 31–7
1984	1984	NFL	AFC	West	1st	13	3	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 24–17
1985	1985	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	11	5	0
1986	1986	NFL	AFC	West	1st	11	5	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Patriots) 22–17 Won Conference Championship (Browns) 23–20c Lost Super Bowl XXI (Giants) 39–20
1987d	1987	NFL	AFC	West	1st	10	4	1	Won Divisional Playoffs (Oilers) 34–10 Won Conference Championship (Browns) 38–33e Lost Super Bowl XXII (Redskins) 42–10	John Elway (NFL MVP)
1988	1988	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	8	8	0
1989	1989	NFL	AFC	West	1st	11	5	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 24–23 Won Conference Championship (Browns) 37–21 Lost Super Bowl XXIV (49ers) 55–10	Dan Reeves (AFC Coach of the Year)
1990	1990	NFL	AFC	West	5th	5	11	0
1991	1991	NFL	AFC	West	1st	12	4	0	Won Divisional Playoffs (Oilers) 26–24 Lost Conference Championship (Bills) 10–7	Dan Reeves (AFC Coach of the Year) Mike Croel (Defensive Rookie of the Year)
1992	1992	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	8	8	0
1993	1993	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	9	7	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Raiders) 42–24
1994	1994	NFL	AFC	West	4th	7	9	0
1995	1995	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	8	8	0
1996	1996	NFL	AFC	West	1st	13	3	0	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 30–27	Terrell Davis (Offensive Player of the Year)
1997	1997	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	12	4	0	Won Wild card Playoffs (Jaguars) 42–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (Chiefs) 14–10 Won Conference Championship (Steelers) 24–21 Won Super Bowl XXXII (Packers) 31–24	Terrell Davis (Super Bowl MVP)
1998	1998	NFL	AFC	West	1st	14	2	0	Won Division Playoffs (Dolphins) 38–3 Won Conference Championship (Jets) 23–10 Won Super Bowl XXXIII (Falcons) 34–19	Terrell Davis (NFL MVP) (Offensive Player of the Year) John Elway (Super Bowl MVP)
1999	1999	NFL	AFC	West	5th	6	10	0
2000	2000	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	11	5	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Ravens) 21–3	Mike Anderson (Offensive Rookie of the Year)
2001	2001	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	8	8	0
2002	2002	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	9	7	0		Clinton Portis (Offensive Rookie of the Year)
2003	2003	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	10	6	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Colts) 41–10
2004	2004	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	10	6	0	Lost Wild card Playoffs (Colts) 49–24
2005	2005	NFL	AFC	West	1st	13	3	0	Won Division Playoffs (Patriots) 27–13 Lost Conference Championship (Steelers) 34–17
2006	2006	NFL	AFC	West	3rd	9	7	0
2007	2007	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	7	9	0
2008	2008	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	8	8	0
2009	2009	NFL	AFC	West	2nd	8	8	0
2010	2010	NFL	AFC	West	4th	4	12	0
2011	2011	NFL	AFC	West					season currently underway
Total						398	363	10	(1960–2010, includes only regular season)
						17	15	--	(1960–2010, includes only playoffs)
						415	378	10	(1960–2010, includes both regular season and playoffs; 2 NFL Championships)

^a As a result of the AFL-NFL Merger, the league was broken into two conferences, with the AFL teams moving into the American Football Conference.^[10]

^b Due to the 1982 strike-shortened season, the league was broken up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment.^[11]

^c This game included The Drive, where Elway led the Broncos on a 98 yard drive to tie the game with less than a minute left.^[12]

^d The strike of 1987 reduced the regular season schedule from sixteen to fifteen games.^[11]

^e This game included The Fumble where Browns running back Earnest Byner fumbled at the Broncos 3-yard line, enabling the Broncos to win the game.^[13]

References

General

• "NFL - History - Yearly Standings (click the drop down box for yearly standings)". NFL. http://www.nfl.com/standings. Retrieved January 15, 2008. 
• "Denver Broncos - History". CBS. http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/history/DEN. Retrieved August 18, 2008. 
• "Denver Broncos Franchise Encyclopedia". pro-football-reference.com. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/. Retrieved April 28, 2008. 

Specific

1. ^ ^{a b} "Denver Broncos". Pro Football Hall of Fame. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp?franchise_id=10. Retrieved July 9, 2008. 
2. ^ "John Elway". Pro Football Hall of Fame. http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=64. Retrieved July 17, 2008. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Denver Broncos Franchise Encyclopedia". Sports Reference LLC. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/. Retrieved April 28, 2008. 
4. ^ "HickokSports.com". HickokSports.com - History - NFL Rookie of the Year Awards. http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nflroy.shtml. Retrieved January 15, 2008. 
5. ^ "HickokSports.com". HickokSports.com - History - NFL Coach of the Year Awards. http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nflcoy.shtml. Retrieved June 19, 2008. 
6. ^ "Annual NFL Awards NFL Comeback Player of the Year". about.com. http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/a/nflawardscomeba.htm. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
7. ^ "NFL Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year". about.com. http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/l/bl_awardsmvp.htm. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
8. ^ "Annual NFL Awards NFL Defensive Player of the Year". about.com. http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/a/nflawardsdpy.htm. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
9. ^ "Annual NFL Awards Offensive Player of the Year". about.com. http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/a/nflawardsopy.htm. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
10. ^ "The AFL: A Football Legacy". Sports Illustrated. 2001-01-22. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/01/22/afl_history_2/. Retrieved July 10, 2008. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "HISTORY 1981-1990". NFL. http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1981-1990. Retrieved July 10, 2008. 
12. ^ "Pro Football Hall of Fame - The Drive". Pro Football Hall of Fame. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1980s/the_drive.jsp. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
13. ^ "1987 AFC Championship Game vs. Cleveland Browns". Denver Broncos. http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=341&contentID=1216. Retrieved 2008-07-10.