The Fan is turning 30! For three decades, the station has been covering Denver sports, serving as a media outlet of record for the biggest events over the past 30 years.
There have been a lot of them. From championships to MVPs, from historic seasons to improbable victories, The Fan has been there for all of them.
What were the best of the best? During a six week span, Denver Sports will chronicle the moments that stood out the most. It’s a countdown from No. 30 to No. 1, in a series called “Mile High Milestones.”
Enjoy the trip down memory lane!
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Everyone in Broncos Country can still see the graphic. It seemed like they were forced to watch it every week. No matter the network, they all made the same point.
The Broncos were an attraction at an amusement park. And not a fun one. Round and round they went, with different options on the carousel, none of which provided the answer the team was looking for.
After winning Super Bowl 50, Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset. The future Hall of Famer hung up his cleats, leaving a huge void in the Broncos lineup.
Brock Osweiler was the planned heir apparent. He started seven games during the team’s championship run in 2015, so Denver had total confidence in their young quarterback. But he had other ideas.
When the Texans offered him a four-year, $72-million contract, the QB bolted for the Lone Star State. And the Broncos were left scrambling, searching for an answer.
Mark Sanchez was the first option. The veteran didn’t make it through training camp before getting cut.
He got beat out by Trevor Siemian, a second-year signal caller. The Northwestern product knew Gary Kubiak’s offense, making the head coach comfortable with the inexperienced QB. He was a viable bridge before Denver turned things over to their next choice.
In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected Paxton Lynch in the first round. The No. 26 overall pick would start just four games in orange and blue before getting run out of town.
For two seasons, Denver bounced between Siemian and Lynch. They even sprinkled in a dose of Osweiler again, as the QB returned after flaming out in Houston.
Case Keenum was the next option. Fresh off a solid season in Minnesota, Denver gave him a two-year, $36-million contract. John Elway mispronounced his new quarterback’s name during the introductory press conference, a sign that “Case Keesum” wasn’t going to be the long-term answer.
A year later, it was Joe Flacco’s turn. Elway boldly proclaimed that the former Super Bowl MVP was “still in his prime.” He wasn’t.
Midway through the 2019 season, an injury to Flacco forced the Broncos to turn things over to Drew Lock, with a short Brandon Allen era between the veteran and the rookie. Lock played well, going 4-1 down the stretch, offering a glimmer of hope.
It was short-lived. Vic Fangio ran Rich Scangarello off during the offseason, as the head coach wanted a different offensive coordinator. Enter Pat Shurmur, an OC who didn’t mess well with the young quarterback.
The 2020 season was a mess. Lock started 13 games, posting a 4-9 record and throwing an NFL-high 15 interceptions. Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien each got a start, as did Phillip Lindsay; the running back was forced into action when Denver was without a quarterback due to COVID issues. Lindsay got the start, but wide receiver Kendall Hinton took most of the snaps in one of the most-embarrassing games in franchise history.
Lock lasted one more season in the Mile High City, but was primarily a backup in 2021. Teddy Bridgewater was brought in to compete with the young QB, winning the starting job during training camp. The journeyman went 7-7 during his one season in Denver, second only to Siemian in terms of winning percentage during the post-Manning years at that point.
Looking to finally end the carousel once and for all, the Broncos made a blockbuster trade in March 2022. George Paton sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks, Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant to the Seahawks in exchange for Russell Wilson.
It was a move that had Broncos Country buzzing. Everyone thought the franchise had found their next great quarterback, following in the footsteps of Elway and Manning. For the most part, the Wilson era was a disaster, however.
In 2022, Nathaniel Hackett was the team’s head coach. He didn’t last the season before getting fired, run off after just 15 games. The entire campaign was a mess, getting Wilson’s tenure off on the wrong foot; it created a sour tone that was impossible to recover from.
Sean Payton was hired in 2023, signaling the end of Wilson’s time in Denver. The head coach and quarterback tried to make it work, but their one season together was tense. A sideline altercation in Detroit was the beginning of the end.
With two games to go, after a Christmas Eve loss to the Patriots ended the Broncos playoff chances, Wilson was benched. He’d never take another snap in orange and blue. Jarrett Stidham became the 13th starter post-Manning.
Round and round the carousel went. It was a nausea-inducing ride. But hopefully, it’s come to an end.
With the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected Bo Nix. As a rookie, the quarterback went 10-7, threw 29 touchdowns, caught a score and rushed for four more.
It took nearly a decade, but Denver might’ve finally found the heir apparent to Manning. It certainly wasn’t due to a lack of looking, as they explored nearly every option along the way.
Veterans and rookies. Free agents and blockbuster trades. First-round picks and seventh-rounders. It was an exhausting process, one that proved just how hard it is to find a legit starting quarterback in the NFL.
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THE COUNTDOWN
30: Ubaldo Jimenez has a magical season
29: Todd Helton get enshrined in Cooperstown
28: Valeri Nichushkin goes missing in the postseason – twice!
27: The Avalanche win their second Stanley Cup
26: The Nuggets come back from two 3-1 deficits in the bubble
25: The seemingly never-ending Broncos ownership saga
24: Hurricane Josh hits the Mile High City
23: The Rockies trade Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals
22: The Nuggets reach the Western Conference Finals in 2009
21: John Elway gets enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
20: The Avalanche hoist third Stanley Cup in franchise history
19: The Avalanche acquire Patrick Roy from the Canadiens
18: The Broncos produce the greatest offensive season in NFL history
17: John Elway joins the Broncos front office to right the ship
16: The Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996
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Wanna hear more about this Mile High Milestone? Tune into “The Rundown” at noon or check out the show on YouTube to hear Richie Carni and a special guest take a walk down memory lane.