20/20 Retrospective – The 20 most memorable Broncos moments of the 2000s
Jan 30, 2020, 6:00 AM | Updated: Jan 31, 2020, 1:36 am
The past two decades have seen a lot of memorable moments in Denver Broncos history — from the good and bad to the beautiful and ugly.
The franchise reached the pinnacle, while also exploring the abyss. They’ve enjoyed great players, while also enduring head-scratching moments.
Full of heartbreak and joy, laughter and awe, these remarkable occasions have added to the team’s long and storied history.
In that vein, we countdown the most memorable of these moments since the dawn of the new millennium:
***
20. Prater’s 64-yard field
It almost seemed unfair that as good as the Broncos offense was in 2013, when they shattered almost every NFL mark for scoring, they also had a kicker who could put points on the board from record-setting distances. That’s what Matt Prater did against the Titans, however, breaking the NFL record for the longest field goal of all time with this booming kick.
***
19. The Rahim Moore play
Leading 35-28 with 44 seconds to play, the Broncos were all but assured of beating the Ravens in the 2012 Divisional Playoffs. Baltimore was out of timeouts, facing a third-and-three and 70 yards from the end zone. Then, safety Rahim Moore made one of the biggest blunders in franchise history, setting the stage for a heartbreaking loss in double overtime that still stings to this day.
***
18. Darrent Williams passes away
Most Broncos fans will forever remember where they were when they heard the tragic news to start their 2017 off on a horrific note. On New Year’s Day, word started to circulate that Darrent Williams, a promising cornerback who had just finished his second season with the team, had been gunned down earlier that morning on the streets of Denver while riding in a limousine with teammate Javon Walker.
***
17. Stokley’s miraculous TD
The first game of the Josh McDaniels was about to be a disaster. Denver trailed 7-6 with 28 seconds to play in their season opener at Cincinnati, as their offense had been anemic all day. Then, Kyle Orton threw a pass up for grabs, it bounced into the arms of wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who ran for an 87-yard touchdown, and the Broncos pulled a victory from the jaws of defeat.
***
16. 2013 AFC Championship Game
The Broncos dominated the Patriots from start to finish, jumping out to a 23-3 lead and winning 26-16 to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl in 15 years. It was the culmination of a special season, one in which Peyton Manning and Denver’s offense looked nearly unstoppable, lighting up scoreboards at an unprecedented rate.
***
15. Portis-Bailey trade
During his first two seasons with the Broncos, Clinton Portis was a prolific running back. He had posted back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons and scored 29 touchdowns, setting expectations that he could become the best runner in franchise history. Then, Mike Shanahan pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending Portis to Washington for future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey.
***
14. The first snap of Super Bowl 48
After a season in which nearly everything went right, the biggest game of the season started in the worst possible way. On the first play of Super Bowl 48, Manny Ramirez’s snap flew past Peyton Manning, rolled into the end zone and turned into a safety for the Seahawks. It was a sign of things to come, as the high-flying Broncos were blown out that day, losing 43-8 at the Meadowlands
***
13. The comeback in San Diego
People forget that the Peyton Manning era in Denver didn’t get off to a roaring start. Heading into Week 6 of the 2012 season, the Broncos were 2-3, traveling to San Diego to take on the Chargers. In that game, Denver fell behind 24-0 and things looked bleak. People were wondering if the Manning decision was the right one. Then, 35 unanswered points later, everything changed. Denver won 11 straight games and finished the season 13-3.
***
12. Tebow’s win over the Bears
There were plenty of miraculous victories during the Broncos six-game winning streak with Tim Tebow at quarterback in 2011, but the one over the Bears brought back memories of “Mile High Magic.” Denver trailed 10-0 with less than three minutes to play, but managed to force overtime thanks to some inexplicable plays. Then, the ball bounced their way in overtime and they pulled out an improbable 13-10 victory.
***
11. Mike Shanahan is fired
After winning back-to-back Super Bowls, Mike Shanahan was essentially declared the Broncos head coach for life. But after three-straight non-playoff seasons, in which the team posted a combined 24-24 record, Pat Bowlen decided to fire the most-successful coach in the history of the franchise after the 2008 season.
***
10. Portis scores five TDs against the Chiefs
Late in the 2013 season, the Broncos kept their playoff hopes alive by knocking off the previously 11-1 Chiefs in Denver. They did it behind running back Clinton Portis, who had a game for the ages, racking up 218 rushing yards on 22 carries, while scoring five times. He was nearly unstoppable, especially in the second half, when three long touchdown runs powered Denver to a convincing 45-27 victory.
***
9. Hiring No. 7 to be the GM
Coming off a disastrous 4-12 season in which Josh McDaniels was fired, the Broncos were at a low point. The franchise had missed the playoffs for five straight years and the fan base was getting restless. That’s when Pat Bowlen turned to Denver’s favorite son, John Elway, to save the day. They sealed the deal with a high-five at Elway’s steakhouse, as No. 7 rolled back into Dove Valley and got the franchise back on track.
***
8. Champ’s pick of Brady
In the 2005 Divisional Playoffs, the Broncos were leading the Patriots 10-6 late in the third quarter, with New England knocking on the door and ready to take the lead. On third-and-goal, however, Champ Bailey stepped in front of a Tom Brady pass in the end zone, picked it off and ran 100 yards the other direction, before getting knocked out of bounds at the one-yard line. The play changed the game, as Denver went on to win 27-13.
***
7. Peyton Manning throws seven touchdown passes against the Ravens
The Broncos 2012 season came to a shocking end when the Ravens upset them in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Baltimore went on to win the Super Bowl, setting up a revenge game of sorts to start the next season. Denver took advantage of the opportunity, winning 49-27 behind a seven-touchdown performance from quarterback Peyton Manning. Seven touchdowns. In one NFL game.
***
6. 2015 AFC Championship Game
By this point, the clock was clearly ticking on Peyton Manning. He’d be injured during the season, his numbers were down and time was running out on his stellar career. So if the Broncos were going to win a Super Bowl with No. 18, it was now or never when the Patriots rolled into town for the 2015 AFC title game. In a game that came down to the wire, Denver held on for victory, sending them to Super Bowl 50.
***
5. Elway goes into the Hall of Fame
Despite the fact that the franchise had been to six Super Bowls and won two Lombardi Trophies, the Broncos didn’t have a single representative in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004. That grand oversight, a theme that continues to this day, finally was rectified in August of that year when John Elway was enshrined in Canton. Broncos Country made the trek to central Ohio, creating a memorable day for fans everywhere.
***
4. Manning’s 2013 season
During Peyton Manning’s second season in Denver, the quarterback posted one of the most-prolific seasons in NFL history. By the time it was all said and done, Manning had thrown for 5,477 yards and a whopping 55 touchdowns. He became only the second QB in league history to eclipse the 50-TD plateau, besting Tom Brady’s single-season record by five in this season for the ages.
***
3. Tebow to Demaryius
By the time the playoffs arrived, “Tebow magic” seemed to be over. The team’s six-game winning streak was a memory, replaced by a three-game skid to end the season as the Broncos backed into the playoffs. As a result, few expected them to knock off the Steelers and their top-rated defense. But Denver did just that, winning on the first play of overtime when Tebow hit Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown strike.
***
2. Winning Super Bowl 50
Two years removed from getting blown out by the Seahawks, Broncos fans were a bit leery heading into Super Bowl 50. But behind a dominant defense, Denver was able to knock off league MVP Cam Newton and the Panthers, winning 24-10 to bring a third Lombardi Trophy back to the Mile High City. After the game, John Elway echoed the thoughts of Broncos fans everywhere when he told the football world, “This one’s for Pat!”
***
1. Signing Peyton Manning
In March 2012, the greatest free agent in the history of the NFL was on the open market. Initially, nobody considered the Broncos in the hunt to secure his services; attention was on the Jets, Texans, Titans and other teams. But in the end, John Elway wooed Peyton Manning, convincing the future Hall of Fame quarterback to sign with Denver, ushering in what would arguably be the best four-year stretch in franchise history.
