The greatest Denver Broncos of all time

The greatest Denver Bronco of all time, Elway holds every major passing record in franchise history. He played lights out at Stanford and was drafted first overall by the struggling Baltimore Colts. He refused to play for the team and was traded to the Broncos for a King's ransom. Elway headlined the legendary 1983 quarterback draft class and was an immediate success with the Broncos, leading the team to three Super Bowls in the 1980s — all losses. 

When the Broncos fired head coach Dan Reeves and brought in Mike Shanahan, the Broncos' playoff luck changed for the better. Elway went out a champion by winning back-to-back Super Bowls to end his career (1997, 1998). After the fact, he stuck around as the team's general manager. In this role, he signed free agent quarterback Peyton Manning and built the No Fly Zone defense — moves that led to the Broncos winning Super Bowl 50, the franchise's third championship.

Nalen was Elway's center during the most successful part of his career, paving the way for back-to-back Super Bowls as the iron man of the offensive line. The five-time Pro Bowler blocked for running backs like Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis and Mike Anderson, who all rushed for 1,000 yards at least once with Nalen as the offensive line's shot-caller. 

Smith's 11,389 career receiving yards are the most in Broncos history. The underdog wideout went undrafted and proved the doubters wrong by becoming Elway's go-to receiver during the Broncos' Super Bowl wins in the 1990s. He caught an 80-yard bomb from Elway in Super Bowl XXXIII, a momentum-swinging play. The three-time Pro Bowler also led the league in receptions in 2001 with 113. 

The best edge rusher of his era, Miller racked up 106 sacks in the 2010s, more than any other player that decade, per StatMuse. The Broncos drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and he delivered right away, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he recorded 10 sacks or more seven times over his career. 

In Super Bowl 50, Miller's herculean effort propelled the Broncos to victory. Miller had the best game of his career with six tackles and 2.5 sacks, including a strip-sack of MVP quarterback Cam Newton that sealed the deal in the final moments of the game.

During his career, Mecklenburg was nicknamed The Albino Rhino. Don't let the funny nickname fool you. There was nothing funny about getting hit by Mecklenburg, who played in three Super Bowls with the Broncos in the 1980s. The gritty linebacker was a stalwart on the Broncos defense.

Before becoming an award-winning sports commentator with ESPN, Jackson was the starting outside linebacker for the Broncos. A vital part of the Orange Crush Defense of the '70s and '80s, Jackson lifted the Broncos to Super Bowl appearances in 1977 and 1986, retiring after the '86 season. The three-time Pro Bowler was a perfect fit for Denver's 3-4 defense. 

Gradishar was the heart and soul of the Orange Crush Defense. He led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1977. The do-it-all linebacker won the 1978 Defensive Player of the Year award. After an illustrious career, he retired in 1983. 

Like many others on this list, Thompson was a member of the Orange Crush Defense. The three-time Pro Bowler started 197 games for the Broncos, a whopping total for a strong safety. With Thompson's help, the Broncos went to their first Super Bowl in 1977. 

Wright had the right moves to succeed as a cornerback in the NFL. The five-time Pro Bowler was a problem for the opposing team's offense, intercepting 26 passes over his career. He was part of two Super Bowl squads (1977, 1986), losing on both occasions. 

The Hall of Fame cornerback started out with the Washington Commanders and was traded to Denver in exchange for star running back Clinton Portis in a blockbuster deal. He continued his dominant ways in Mile High, leading the NFL in interceptions in 2006 with 10. 

Bailey rarely allowed a touchdown. He was so good that it got to a point where quarterbacks stopped throwing the ball in his direction. One of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, he retired in 2013 after the Broncos' loss in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Smith was a member of the stacked Broncos teams that went to three Super Bowls in the '80s. He was a surprisingly good tackler for a safety and went to six Pro Bowls. Smith had his best season in 1991, intercepting a career-high five passes. 

Atwater was the leader of the Broncos defense when they won back-to-back Super Bowls in the '90s. The eight-time Pro Bowler was feared around the league for his bone-chilling hits. One of the hardest hitters ever, he closed out his career with the New York Jets. After a long wait, Atwater was finally enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Once his standout college career was over at South Carolina State, an HBCU, Chavous became a mainstay on the Broncos' defensive line. He rarely missed a game, starting in 178 contests during his career.

The Hall of Fame tight end was Elway's security blanket when the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in the '90s. Once the party was over, Sharpe set his sights on greener pastures and signed with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won his third ring as the centerpiece of the Ravens' passing attack. The eight-time Pro Bowler came back to the Broncos and finished his career there. 

Since leaving football behind, Sharpe became an analyst on "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed" aired on Fox Sports 1 until 2023 and reportedly will continue his broadcasting career.

Carter was the bruising nose tackle of the Orange Crush Defense. He played in two Super Bowls with the Broncos. His son, Andre Carter, played in the NFL and was a Pro Bowler in 2011 with the AFC champion New England Patriots. 

Selected by the Broncos in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft, Little was dubbed "The Franchise" because he filled seats at Mile High Stadium and put the team on his back. The five-time Pro Bowler was the Broncos' longtime captain. A great rusher for his era, he led the NFL in rushing yards in 1971 and rushing touchdowns in 1973. The Hall of Famer never played in a postseason game.

Not much was expected of Davis, a sixth-round draft pick. Eventually, he worked his way up and was thrown into the fire, becoming the team's workhorse back. Davis got off to a hot start, rushing for 1,000 yards or more in his first four seasons, and spearheaded the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl wins. In 1998, he ran for over 2,008 yards, won NFL MVP and helped the Broncos win the Super Bowl. At the age of 29, he retired in his prime because of knee injuries. 

Lanier, a right tackle, was like a brick wall on the offensive line. He was a key piece on the Broncos teams that went to three Super Bowls in the '80s. Lanier would sign with the AFC West rival Los Angeles Raiders in 1993, but came back to Denver the next season. 

Lepsis played college football at nearby Colorado in Boulder and went undrafted. The overlooked prospect turned out to be a great pickup for the Broncos. The right tackle was a stalwart on the offensive line during the Mike Shanahan era and blocked for star running backs like Terrell Davis and Clinton Portis. 

Wilson had everything you want in a linebacker: leadership, toughness and crushing hits. Under his reign over the defense, the Broncos made four postseason appearances and handed Tom Brady his first playoff loss in 2005. The five-time Pro Bowler racked up 100 tackles or more almost every season. Wilson gave the Broncos eight phenomenal seasons before retiring at 29 because of the injuries he endured.

Fletcher reeled in 97.5 career sacks, second all-time in Broncos history. The edge rusher was unblockable and helped the Broncos reach three Super Bowls in the '80s. He had five seasons in a row with at least 11 sacks.

Thomas became a star when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Tim Tebow in the Wild Card of the 2012 playoffs. From there, his legend only grew. When Peyton Manning arrived as the team's star acquisition under center, Thomas and the entire offense's stats exploded as Denver unleashed an aerial assault on the league. He was the team's leading receiver during the 2015 season, which ended with them winning Super Bowl 50.

Howard knew how to get his hands dirty in the trenches. The offensive guard blocked for a young Elway and went to the Super Bowl in 1986. 

Pryce had it good, winning back-to-back Super Bowls to start his career. In the years that followed, he grew into one of the better defensive ends in the league. The four-time Pro Bowler ended his career with the Baltimore Ravens and the Jets.

Harris Jr. went from an undrafted free agent to one of the best shutdown corners of his generation. In 2015, he played a vital role on the Broncos squad that won Super Bowl 50. The No Fly Zone Defense, as they came to be known, was an all-time great defense and catapulted them to championship status.