Learn About the Colorado Football Team, the Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are an American football team that plays in the National Football League. The Broncos play in the Western Division of the AFC and are based in Denver, Colorado. Created in 1960, the Denver Broncos began as an American Football League team and became part of the NFL with the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The early Broncos were not a particularly successful franchise, in either play nor market. Today, however, the Denver Broncos are a formidable team, having won Super Bowl XXXII in 1998 against the Green Bay Packers and Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 against the Atlanta Falcons.

The early Denver Broncos were considered one of the worst teams playing in either the AFL or the NFL. However, it did have some claims to fame, even in that period. It won the very first AFL game in 1960. Also, it was the first AFL team to defeat an NFL team, the Detroit Lions, in 1967. In the 1970s, the team was famous for its "Orange Crush Defense." Linebackers Tom Jackson and Randy Gradisar were the key components, as well as defensive linemen Rubin Carter, Lyle Alzado and others. The Crush was the premier defense of the NFL in 1977. The Denver Broncos owe the name "Orange Crush" to the popular soft drink of the same name, which has a similar color scheme to the team's uniforms.

One of the best known Broncos is quarterback John Elway. Elway joined the Denver Broncos in 1983. When Elway was originally drafted he was picked by the now defunct Baltimore Colts. Having also been drafted by the New York Yankees (a testament to Elway's versatility and athleticism), he announced that unless he was drafted by one of his preferred NFL teams he would choose to play baseball instead. The Denver Broncos were among his NFL selections, and they were happy to receive Elway. He would go on to lead the Broncos in five Super Bowls and was selected as MVP in his last game, their victory in Super Bowl XXXIII.