Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver , Colorado . They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference ( AFC ) in the National Football League ( NFL ) . The Broncos began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League and joined the NFL as part of the AFL – NFL merger of 1970 . The team has won two Super Bowl s and six AFC Championship s . They play at INVESCO Field at Mile High , and have four players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : John Elway , Floyd Little , Gary Zimmerman and Shannon Sharpe . Franchise history . 1960 – 1969 : AFL era . The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14 , 1959 when minor league baseball owner Bob Howsam was awarded an American Football League charter franchise . The Broncos won the first - ever American Football League game over the Boston Patriots , 13 – 10 , on September 9 , 1960 . On August 5 , 1967 , they became the first ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team after beating the Detroit Lions , 13 – 7 , in a preseason game . However , the Broncos were largely not successful in the 1960s , compiling a record of 39 – 97 – 4 in the league . Denver came close to losing its franchise in 1965 , but a local ownership group took control that year and began to rebuild the team . However , the team ' s first superstar , " Franchise " Floyd Little , due to his signing in 1967 and his Pro Bowl efforts on and off the field , was instrumental in keeping the team in Denver . They were the only original AFL team never to have played in the title game during the upstart league ' s 10 - year history . 1970 – 1982 : " Orange Crush " . In 1972 , the Broncos hired former Stanford University coach John Ralston as their head coach . The following year , 1973 , he was UPI ' s choice as AFC Coach of the Year after Denver achieved its first - ever - winning season at 7 – 5 – 2 . In five seasons with the Broncos , Ralston guided the team to winning seasons three times , the franchise ' s only three winning seasons up to that time . Even though Ralston finished the 1976 season with a winning record of 9 – 5 , the team , as was the case in Ralston ’ s previous winning seasons , still failed to qualify for the playoffs . Following the 1976 season several prominent players publicly voiced their discontent with Ralston ’ s leadership which soon led to his dismissal by the team owner . Rookie coach , Red Miller , along with the Orange Crush Defense ( a nickname originating in the early ' 70 ' s , also the name of a popular soda pop ) and aging quarterback Craig Morton , promptly took the Broncos to their first playoff appearance in 1977 , and ultimately first Super Bowl , where they were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys , 27 – 10 . In 1981 Broncos owner Gerald Phipps , who had purchased the team in May 1961 from the original owner Bob Howsam , sold the team to Canadian Financier , Edgar Kaiser , Jr . , grandson of shipbuilding industrialist Henry J . Kaiser . 1983 – 1998 : John Elway era . Quarterback John Elway , who played college football at Stanford , arrived in 1983 . Originally drafted by the Baltimore Colts as the first pick of the draft , Elway proclaimed that he would shun football in favor of baseball ( he was drafted by the New York Yankees to play center field and was also a pitching prospect ) , unless he was traded to a selected list of other teams , which included Denver . Prior to Elway , Denver had over 24 different starting quarterbacks in its 23 seasons to that point . Elway would remain the quarterback through five Super Bowls , with the Broncos winning two of them . The Broncos lost Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants , 39 – 20 ; Super Bowl XXII to the Washington Redskins , 42 – 10 ; and Super Bowl XXIV to the San Francisco 49ers , 55 – 10 , the latter of which is , to date , the most lopsided scoring differential in Super Bowl history . In 1995 , the Broncos debuted a new head coach , Mike Shanahan , and a new rookie running back , Terrell Davis . In 1996 , the Broncos were the top seed in the AFC with a 13 – 3 record , dominating most of the teams that year . The fifth - seeded Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Broncos , 30 – 27 , ending the Broncos ' 1996 run . During the 1997 season , both Elway and Davis would help guide the Broncos to their first Super Bowl victory , a 31 – 24 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII . Although Elway completed only 12 of 22 passing attempts , throwing one interception and no touchdowns ( he did , however , have a rushing touchdown ) , Davis rushed for 157 yards and a Super Bowl – record three touchdowns to earn the Super Bowl MVP Award – this while overcoming a severe migraine headache that caused him blurred vision . The Broncos repeated as Super Bowl champions the following season , defeating the Atlanta Falcons ( led by Elway ' s longtime head coach Dan Reeves ) in Super Bowl XXXIII , 34 – 19 . Elway was named Super Bowl MVP , completing 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards , with an 80 - yard touchdown to wide receiver Rod Smith and one interception ) . 1999 – 2008 : post - Elway era . John Elway retired following the 1998 season , and Brian Griese started at quarterback for the next four seasons . After a 6 – 10 record in 1999 , the Broncos recovered in 2000 , earning a Wild Card playoff berth , but losing to the Baltimore Ravens . After missing the playoffs the following two seasons , former Arizona Cardinals ' quarterback Jake Plummer replaced Griese in 2003 , and would lead the Broncos to two straight 10 – 6 seasons , earning Wild Card playoff berths both years . However , the Broncos went on the road to face the Indianapolis Colts in back - to - back seasons , and were blown out by more than 20 points in each game . After losing the 2005 season opener , the Broncos won five straight games . Plummer and the Broncos clinched their first AFC West division title since 1998 on December 24 , and finished with an 8 – 0 home record and a 13 – 3 overall record . The Broncos entered the playoffs for the third consecutive year with the momentum of a four - game winning streak . After a first round bye , the Broncos defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots , 27 – 13 , denying New England from becoming the first NFL team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships . The Broncos ' playoff run came to an end next week , after losing at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship , 34 – 17 . Denver turned the ball over four times and were outscored in the first half , 24 – 3 . The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL . The Broncos ' defense began the first five games of the 2006 season allowing only one touchdown , an NFL record , but struggled down the season stretch . Plummer led the team to a 7 – 2 record , only to lose two straight and be replaced by rookie quarterback Jay Cutler . Cutler went 2 – 3 as a starter , and the Broncos finished with a 9 – 7 record , losing the tiebreaker to the Kansas City Chiefs for the final playoff spot . Cutler ' s first full season as a starter in 2007 became the Broncos ' first losing season since 1999 , with a 7 – 9 record . The 2008 season ended in a 52 – 21 loss at the San Diego Chargers , giving the Broncos an 8 – 8 record and their third straight season out of the playoffs . Mike Shanahan , the longest - tenured and most successful head coach in Broncos ' franchise history , was fired on December 30 , 2008 , after 14 seasons . 2009 – present : post - Mike Shanahan era . On January 11 , 2009 , two weeks after Mike Shanahan was fired , the Broncos hired former New England Patriots ' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the team ' s new head coach . Three months later , the team acquired quarterback Kyle Orton as part of a trade that sent Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears . Under McDaniels and Orton , the Broncos jumped out to a surprising 6 – 0 start in 2009 . However , the team lost eight of their next ten games , finishing 8 – 8 for a second consecutive season and missing the playoffs . After the season , Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall was traded to the Miami Dolphins , and the Broncos set a new franchise record for losses in a single season , with a 4 – 12 record in 2010 . On December 6 , 2010 , McDaniels was fired following a combination of the team ' s poor record and the fallout from a highly - publicized videotaping scandal . Running backs coach Eric Studesville was named interim coach for the remaining four games of the 2010 season . He chose to start rookie first - round draft choice Tim Tebow at quarterback for the final 3 games . After the season , Joe Ellis was promoted from the Chief Operating Officer to team president , while John Elway was named the team ' s Executive Vice President of Football Operations on January 5 , 2011 . In this capacity , Elway will report to Ellis and will oversee the position held by the General Manager ( Brian Xanders ) and head coach positions . On January 13 , 2011 , the Broncos hired former Carolina Panthers ' coach John Fox as the team ' s 14th head coach . Logos and uniforms . When the Broncos debuted in 1960 , their original uniforms drew as much attention as their play on the field . It featured white and mustard yellow jerseys , with contrasting brown helmets , brown pants , and vertically striped socks . Two years later , the team unveiled a new logo featuring a bucking horse , and changed their team colors to orange , royal blue and white . The 1962 uniform designed by Laura North - Allen , consisted of white pants , orange helmets , and either orange or white jerseys . In 1968 , the Broncos debuted a design that became known as the " Orange Crush . " Their logo was redesigned so that the horse was coming out of a " D . " Also , the helmets were changed to royal blue , with thin stripes placed onto the sleeves , and other minor modifications were added . From 1969 to 1971 , and again from 1978 to 1979 , the team wore orange pants with their white jerseys . The Broncos wore their white jerseys at home throughout the 1971 season , as well as for 1980 home games vs . the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys , the latter in hopes to bring out the " blue jersey jinx " which has followed the Cowboys for decades ( it worked , Denver won 41 – 20 ) . Denver wore its white jerseys for 1983 home games vs . the Philadelphia Eagles , Los Angeles Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals , but would not wear white at home again for two decades " ( see below ) " . In 1994 , in honor of the 75th anniversary season of the NFL , the Broncos wore their 1965 throwback uniforms for two games – a Week 3 home game against the Los Angeles Raiders , as well a road game at the Buffalo Bills the following week . The Broncos then radically changed their logo and uniforms in 1997 , a design that the team continues to use to this day . Navy blue replaced royal blue on the team ' s color scheme . The current logo is a profile of a horse ' s head , with an orange mane and navy blue outlines . They began wearing navy blue jerseys , replacing their longtime orange jerseys . This new uniform design also features a streak that runs up and down the sides of both the jerseys and the pants – it ' s orange on the navy blue jerseys , and navy on the white jerseys . When they debuted , these uniforms were , once again , vilified by the press and fans , until the Broncos won their first ever Super Bowl in the new design that same season . In 2002 , the Broncos introduced an alternate orange jersey , with a navy blue streak going up the sides . The orange trades places with the navy blue on this alternate jersey , as it becomes the dominant color while the navy blue complements . Like the road white jerseys , the white pants with the navy blue streaks running down the sides are worn with this uniform . This jersey was most recently used in a November 14 , 2010 game vs . the Kansas City Chiefs . Former head coach Mike Shanahan was not a big fan of the alternate orange jerseys . The Broncos previously wore orange jerseys as a throwback uniform in a Thanksgiving Day game at the Dallas Cowboys in 2001 . The team also introduced navy blue pants in 2003 , with orange streaks to be worn with the navy blue jerseys . These pants are primarily used for select prime - time and late - season home games . Though they were part of the uniform change in 1997 and most players wanted to wear them , the only player who vetoed wearing them was John Elway , thereby delaying their eventual introduction . On November 16 , 2003 , the Broncos wore their white jerseys at home for the first time since 1983 , in a game vs . the San Diego Chargers . This was compensation for a uniform mix - up , after the teams ' first meeting at San Diego ' s Qualcomm Stadium in Week 2 earlier that season , when the Chargers were the team that was supposed to declare their uniform color . The Chargers were planning to wear their white jerseys , but the visiting Broncos came to the stadium in white , and were fined $ 25 , 000 by the NFL as a result . When the two teams met at INVESCO Field at Mile High later that season ( Week 11 ) , the NFL allowed the visiting Chargers to choose their uniform color in advance , and they chose navy blue , forcing the Broncos to wear their white jerseys at home . In 2009 , in honor of their 50th anniversary season as one of the eight original AFL teams , the Broncos wore their 1960 throwback uniforms ( brown helmets , mustard yellow and brown jerseys ) for games against fellow AFL rivals New England Patriots ( October 11 ) and San Diego Chargers ( October 19 ) . Overwhelming popularity with fans has resulted in the Broncos planning to declare orange as the team ' s primary home jersey color for the 2012 season ( the team was too late to notify the NFL of the uniform change for the 2011 season ) . Home field . For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium . The AFL Broncos played at the University of Denver ' s Hilltop Stadium from time to time , including the first - ever victory of an AFL team over an NFL team : The Broncos beat the Detroit Lions on August 5 , 1967 , in a preseason game . The team has sold out every home game ( including post - season games ) since the NFL merger in 1970 , with the exception of two replacement games during the 1987 strike ( but both were sold out before the strike ) . During home games , the attendance is announced to the crowd , along with the number of no - shows ( the fans subsequently boo the no - shows ) . The fans are also known to chant " IN - COM - PLETE " every time the visiting team throws an incomplete pass . The stadium ' s legendary home - field advantage is regarded as one of the best in the NFL , especially during the post - season . The Broncos have had the best home record in pro football over the past 32 years ( 1974 – 2006 , 191 – 65 – 1 ) . Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL ' s loudest stadiums , with steel flooring instead of concrete , which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents . Since 2001 , they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High , built next to the former site of the since demolished old Mile High Stadium . Sportswriter Woody Paige , along with many of Denver ' s fans , however , often refuse to call the new stadium by its full name , preferring to use Mile High Stadium because of its storied history and sentimental import . Additionally the Denver Post had an official policy of referring to the stadium as simply " Mile High Stadium " in protest , but dropped this policy in 2004 . The Colorado altitude has also been attributed as part of the team ' s home success . The stadium displays multiple references to the stadium ' s location of above sea level , including a prominent mural just outside the visiting team ' s locker room . Players of note . Ring of Fame . The Broncos have a Ring of Fame on the Level 5 facade of Invesco Field at Mile High , which honors the following : Radio and television . , the Broncos ' flagship radio station was KOA , 850AM , a 50 , 000 - watt station owned by Clear Channel Communications . Dave Logan is the play - by - play announcer , with former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese serving as the color commentator . Until 2010 , preseason games not selected for airing on national television were shown on KCNC , channel 4 , which is a CBS owned - and - operated station , as well as other CBS affiliates around the Rocky Mountain region . On May 26 , 2011 , the Broncos announced that KUSA channel 9 , an NBC affiliate also known as 9NEWS in the Rocky Mountain region , will be the team ' s new television partner for preseason games .