Elway is a winner, plain and simple.

[iknowftbll]

Let's think about what has happened since John Elway took over. Wait, let's start with what happened before he took over.

The 2009 Broncos went on a 2-8 skid to finish 8-8 and out of the playoffs. The 2010 Broncos...ugh. That team went 4-12 and will go down as the worst in franchise history. That's a 6-20 record over the last 26 games that Elway walking into.

It was not pretty early on in Elway's tenure, either. John Fox's team started out 1-4 before an improbable run combined with a mediocre division to give the Broncos an AFC West title at 8-8. I call the AFC West mediocre that year and not bad because three teams went 8-8 and the 4th went 7-9, so it's not like these were awful teams from top to bottom. They were just not great teams.

I once thought that having an 8-8 team in the playoffs would be like having to make out with one's sister. But on the heels of a 6-20 stretch, that wild card game was one of my favorite moments as a Broncos fan. The Broncos were given NO CHANCE to beat the Steelers. And we all know how that ended. We also knew that the Broncos that year were not built to win a championship. And the Patriots confirmed that for us.

But 2011 was a good season. It put the Broncos back on the NFL map, especially for one Peyton Manning. I remember watching the "Manning sweepstakes" on TV seeing him and Elway walking around the Dove Valley facilities together. It literally gave me chills.

Outsiders will tell us 2012 was a disappointing season. But I recall the vast majority of us on the CBS board at the time were expecting somewhere around a 10-6 finish and to make it at least to the divisional round of the playoffs. In that regard, 2012 was not a waste at all. And while they did raise everyone's expectations that season, the playoff loss to the Ravens it a tough pill to swallow.

Thankfully the team has responded. Following that playoff loss the Broncos have overcome an obscene amount of adversity. Between Dumerville and "faxgate" (I wonder what's going through his mind this morning) and team execs getting DUIs to Miller getting suspended for being an idiot, to an unusually high amount of injuries to star players (including but not limited to Bailey, Miller, Clady, Vickerson, Harris, Woodyard, Nacho, Welker) to the head coach missing time due to a life threatening health condition this team has been through a lot.

Then there are all the sub plots. Manning responding to critics by rewriting the NFL record books. The defense being a bottom third unit all season, but downright bawlin' through the last 4 games. Champ Bailey getting healthy in time to help the team in the playoffs and get to his first Super Bowl.

This was the 2013 season, the third of Elway's tenure. Since he and Fox have been running the show, the Broncos have three AFC West titles (first time in team history they've won it three consecutive years) and have now booked a trip to the Super Bowl. I remember in 2011 when Bowlen hired Elway. A lot of critics questioned the move, saying just because Elway was a good player didn't mean he knew how to run a franchise. Forget about the fact that he's an accomplished businessman and coaxed the Colorado Crush to an AFL title.

This year's Broncos team has its greatest challenge still ahead of them. In two weeks they will make their 7th Super Bowl appearance. And John Elway has been a factor in 6 of them.

 

[MrDoc420]

I know it's early, but you sir get post of the day

Good stuff.

 

[HOF-ELWAY-7]

Yup. I said it back in the CBS days. The guy has been successful at everything he does.

 

[cdumler7]

To me everybody looks at the Manning signing and seem to talk about nothing else that Elway has done. Obviously the Manning signing was huge but to me it is all the other little things that he has done that have made a huge difference and are why we are where we are.


Just looking at this season alone...In the draft Sly Williams has stepped up big time with Vickerson gone. Montee Ball has been ballin to close out the season and actually looks like the best runner we have on the team. Webster has had his moments but looks to be a better draft pick than many thought.
Then of course Elway really made his mark in FA. Vasquez is the only All-Pro that was a FA this past year. DRC has been our best player on defense that isn't on IR (I think Chris Harris was overall better because of his addition to the run game), Knighton (as great as Peyton played this guy was my MVP from yesterday's game just dominated one of the best OL players in the NFL yesterday), Welker (great veteran to add to an already great receiving core), Phillips (not only replaced Dumervil but has been our pass rush all season), and even Lennon (really solidified our defense against the run this year).


Almost everybody that Elway signed this past off season alone has come up huge for this team. Probably the best FA class the Broncos have ever had.

 

[TDs3nOut]

He has been so instrumental in reviving the franchise from what was probably its lowest point in over twenty-five years. Extra satisfying that Johnny Bronco is the one to lead the turnaround.

 

[DownSetHutch]

Great post, IKF.

All I can say is Elway is Awesome!

 

[Broncosr0k]

I was talking with my girlfriend yesterday about getting another jersey but I was not sure who to get. I currently have a TD jersey from middle school that I can barely squeeze into and a Dumervil jersey that I refuse to wear. I wanted one that was a broncos player through and through, I still think Manning is a colt at heart but I am happy he has chosen Denver as his home away from home. That is when I thought about an Elway jersey. He is a the reason I am a broncos fan, he has brought 2 Lombardi trophies to Mile High and he has managed to pull this team out of a pool of mediocrity (I might have been generous on the mediocrity part).

I am glad Elway has come back to help the broncos. The guy is one of the greatest football people of all time.

 

[cdumler7]

I was talking with my girlfriend yesterday about getting another jersey but I was not sure who to get. I currently have a TD jersey from middle school that I can barely squeeze into and a Dumervil jersey that I refuse to wear. I wanted one that was a broncos player through and through, I still think Manning is a colt at heart but I am happy he has chosen Denver as his home away from home. That is when I thought about an Elway jersey. He is a the reason I am a broncos fan, he has brought 2 Lombardi trophies to Mile High and he has managed to pull this team out of a pool of mediocrity (I might have been generous on the mediocrity part).

I am glad Elway has come back to help the broncos. The guy is one of the greatest football people of all time.

Another player I would think about is Champ Bailey. The guy is a complete class act. He never has to talk *cough Sherman cough* but let's his game do the talking. He is a silent leader on the team. The young guys look up to him. When the team did suck he didn't complain or demand a trade. Even when he had a chance to hit FA and maybe play for a better team at the time he stuck with the Broncos. More than anybody else I want the Broncos to win this Super Bowl for Champ. I don't think there is another player in the NFL right now that deserves one more than him.

 

[MrDoc420]

Another player I would think about is Champ Bailey. The guy is a complete class act. He never has to talk *cough Sherman cough* but let's his game do the talking. He is a silent leader on the team. The young guys look up to him. When the team did suck he didn't complain or demand a trade. Even when he had a chance to hit FA and maybe play for a better team at the time he stuck with the Broncos. More than anybody else I want the Broncos to win this Super Bowl for Champ. I don't think there is another player in the NFL right now that deserves one more than him.

I'm with you 100% on this one. Nobody deserves a ring more than Champ does. Always been a humble, down to Earth guy that you just can't help but like.