Even before the season started, things were crazy, as Tom Brady retired from the NFL, then came back. So far this season, we have seen surprising wins and agonizing defeats. The Buccaneers were one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl, but now they are under .500 and have lost three straight games, so how much wilder can it get?
Well, it can always get wilder with the Broncos, as any true fan of the team will know. This year has been a strange one for them so far. They have a record of 3-5 and head into their bye week after being the Jaguars in London, breaking a four-game losing streak. They have lost to the Chargers, Seahawks, Raiders, Colts, and Jets. On November 13th they will face the Titans and hope to continue their upward trajectory.
The Broncos may not be a playoff team this year, but there is a lot of potential on this team, and they did manage to pull off an upset victory over the 49ers earlier in the season.
However, if you are a Broncos fan, you should know more than just how things are going right now. You need to know all things about the team, such as their history, the wild moments and more. That way, if you put your full support behind the team, you will have an idea of what that Broncos spirit can do.
Here are 8 Broncos facts you need to know:
The Denver Altitude Can Affect The Game
When you play your home games a mile above sea level, there can be some interesting effects. At the altitude of Denver, a kickoff can go around 10% further than in other cities the NFL plays in.
Denver’s thinner air can also contribute to longer field goals. Out of the five longest field goals in NFL history, three of them have been kicked at Mile High Stadium, with the longest being a 64-yarder by Matt Prater in 2013.
Robin Williams Was The First Male Broncos Cheerleader
The late comedian Robin Williams joined the Broncos cheerleaders on the sideline as a gimmick for his sitcom "Mork & Mindy" during a November 1979 home game against the Patriots. Williams wore a glittery mini-skirt and boots and waved his pom-poms in front of over 74,000 fans.
The Broncos beat the Patriots 45-10, so it can be said that Williams was a good-luck charm.
Denver Mayor is a Former Broncos Mascot
Michael Hancock, who has served as Mayor of Denver since 2011, is actually an ex-Broncos mascot. In 1986, the NFL created "Huddles" mascots for each team, with the Broncos mascot being a white horse that wore a helmet. Beneath the costume that year was 17-year-old Michael Hancock. As a bonus, Hancock took the trip with the team to the Super Bowl that year.
As mayor, Hancock is known to partake in friendly bets on Broncos playoff games with mayors of other NFL cities. In January 2013, when the Broncos lost to the Ravens in the AFC playoffs, Hancock paid off the bet by filming himself doing a Ray Lewis dance.
John Elway Once Dabbled In Baseball
Elway became a Hall of Fame quarterback, but he was also once a much coveted MLB prospect. He actually spent the summer of 1982 playing right field for a New York Yankees farm team in Oneonta. He played 42 games and put up a batting average of .318.
Elway did not want to play for the Colts when they planned to draft him with the first pick of the 1983 NFL Draft, so he was able to use the Yankees as leverage to demand a trade. The Colts drafted him anyway, but Elway managed to force a trade to the Broncos.
Elway Is Not Intimidated by Browns Fans
Elway’s victory in the 1986 AFC championship, known for "The Drive", is known as one of the greatest wins in NFL playoff history.
The Broncos were the visiting team, playing the Cleveland Browns. Fans of the Browns tried to prevent the Broncos from getting a good night's sleep by driving around the Broncos team hotel and honking all night. In the end, however, it did not work, as the Broncos won the game to reach the Super Bowl.
Davis Played Super Bowl XXXII With Severe Migraine
Terrell Davis has dealt with migraine headaches through most of his life, but forgot to take his preventative medication prior to Super Bowl XXXII. As a result, he had to sit out the second quarter after suffering another migraine.
Fortunately, Davis managed to return to the game and power through for 157 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Broncos to their first Super Bowl championship. Davis deservedly won the Super Bowl MVP.
South Park Loves The Broncos
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the animated comedy South Park, are both massive fans of the Broncos, both having attended the University of Colorado at Boulder. Back in 2012, when the national tour of their musical “The Book of Mormon” reached Denver, they offered Elway a free ticket.
It turned out that Elway had already seen it...on Broadway.
Elway Was Once the Oldest Starting Quarterback to Win a Super Bowl
When Elway beat the Falcons in 1999, he was 38 years old, becoming the oldest starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl. That record has been surpassed in recent years, however, as Tom Brady has won multiple Super Bowls in his 40s.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
