The first American Football League organizational meeting is held in Chicago. Denver, with Bob Howsam as its principal owner, is named as a charter member along with New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Houston.

The AFL’s first player selection draft is held, lasting 32 rounds. Denver’s first pick is Roger LeClerc of Trinity College in Connecticut. He does not play for the Broncos until 1967, as he opts to join the NFL’s Chicago Bears, who made him a 15th-round selection in the 1959 draft.

The Broncos had their share of memorable characters in the early days, including “probably the hardest-hitting back ever to come out of the Missouri Valley Conference,” which was the euphemistic description from the 1960 Broncos media guide of linebacker Hardy Brown.

“They’re killing me, Whitey; they’re killing me!” Lou Saban’s immortal quote came on this date, when he wore a wireless microphone from AFL Films during the Broncos’ game with Houston.

Former Broncos assistant Robert “Red” Miller returns to the Broncos to become the club’s eighth head coach under circumstances never seen by a Broncos head coach.

A then-Broncos record crowd of 75,002 at newly expanded Mile High Stadium saw the defense make a late stand deep in Broncos territory to seal a 7-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jim Turner’s touchdown reception on a fake field goal broke a close game wide open, and with seven interceptions, the Broncos crushed the defending world champion Raiders 30-7 to reach 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Before the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event in the state of Colorado, 75,011, the Broncos stop the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of playoff action, 34-21.

In a hard-fought game at Mile High Stadium, Haven Moses’ two touchdown receptions lead the Broncos to a 20-17 AFC Championship Game win over Oakland and a trip to Super Bowl XII.

The Broncos open their AFC title defense — and their first 16-game season — by defeating Oakland, 14-6, in a rematch of the 1977 AFC Championship Game.

The Broncos dismantle the Raiders 21-6, holding the Raiders without a touchdown for the second time in the season to move within one game of AFC West crown.

Denver loses in the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 33-10.

One year after sending a then-team-record five players to the Pro Bowl, the Broncos have seven: Lyle Alzado, Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Riley Odoms, Bill Thompson, Rick Upchurch and Louis Wright.

Rick Upchurch becomes the all-time pro football record holder in career punt return yardage. He set the record vs. New England, surpassing the late Emlen Tunnell’s total of 2,209 yards.

DB Billy Thompson is selected to join the Ring of Fame. He is the only member of the 1987 class.

The Broncos lose 28-27 to the Los Angeles Rams in American Bowl ‘87, a preseason game played in storied Wembley Stadium in London, England.

Under rainy conditions on a muddy Milwaukee County Stadium field, Rich Karlis and Al Del Greco each miss overtime field-goal attempts, consigning the Broncos and Packers to a 17-17 tie. It remains the last deadlock in Broncos history.

The NFL Players Association goes on strike, resulting in the cancellation of games for the weekend of Sept. 28, including a Broncos-Browns game on Monday Night Football. Replacement games begin a week later, with the Broncos losing 40-10 to the Oilers.

As the strike continues, a raucous Monday night Mile High Stadium crowd of 61,230 watches Joe Dudek run for 128 yards and two touchdowns as the Broncos throttle the Raiders, 30-14. A handful of regular Broncos, including Steve Watson, Dave Studdard, Billy Bryan and Keith Kartz, take part.

The Broncos win their third AFC West title in four years after shutting out San Diego 24-0 in a blizzard. Denver finishes the season with a 10-4-1 record, becoming the only team in the NFL to post eight 10-win seasons since 1977. Quarterback John Elway is named NFL Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press.

The Broncos advance to the AFC Championship Game with a 34-10 victory over Houston before 75,968 in Mile High Stadium.

The Broncos lose to Washington 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII in San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium.

LB Bill Romanowski signs with the Broncos after spending his previous two seasons with the Eagles. “Romo” becomes one of the team’s most tenacious defenders over the next six seasons, which include two world titles.

John Elway signs a five-year, $29.5-million extension that assures the future Hall of Fame QB will finish his playing career with the Broncos.

The Broncos win the AFC West and clinch home-field advantage for the playoffs with a 34-7 win over Seattle.

As the Broncos concluded a season that saw them win a then-franchise-record 13 regular-season games, the honors piled up.

Terrell Davis is named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press and joins three other Broncos as first-team All-Pro performers — Shannon Sharpe, Alfred Williams and Gary Zimmerman.

Denver hosts its first playoff game since Jan. 4, 1992, as the Jacksonville Jaguars come to Mile High Stadium for an AFC Divisional Playoff contest. Jacksonville upset the Broncos, 30-27.

Former CU standout Alfred Williams returns to Colorado, signing with the Broncos. He spends four seasons with Denver, including a 1996 campaign in which he notches a career-high 13 sacks and earns Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

Denver and Miami meet in Mexico City, Mexico, in an American Bowl ‘97 contest won by the Dolphins, 38-19.

The Broncos defeat the Bills 23-20 in overtime at Buffalo’s Rich Stadium, a mere 15 hours after arriving in Buffalo due to a severe snowstorm that dumped more than a foot of snow on the Denver area with drifts piled several feet higher in some areas.

The Broncos claim their first World Championship with a 31-24 victory over defending champion Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

The Broncos acquire DT Gerard Warren from the Browns in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Warren spends two seasons anchoring the interior of the Broncos’ offensive line. Denver also re-signs guard Ben Hamilton, capping two weeks of negotiations.

The Broncos sign free-agent TE Stephen Alexander and bring back LB Keith Burns, who spent the 2004 season with the Buccaneers.

The Broncos sign former No. 1 overall pick Courtney Brown and trade for DE Ebenezer Ekuban and DT Mike Myers. The Broncos send 1,000-yard RB Reuben Droughns to Cleveland for Ekuban and Myers.

Jake Plummer’s streak of consecutive passes without an interception ends at 229 attempts with a second-quarter interception at Dallas in the Broncos’ 24-21 overtime win against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

The Broncos defeat the Patriots 27-13 in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game to mark the club’s first postseason victory at INVESCO Field at Mile High and propel the team to the AFC Championship Game.

Denver concludes the regular season with a 23-7 win at San Diego, putting the team’s record at 13-3 to tie for the second-most wins in a season in franchise history.

The Broncos sign WR Emmanuel Sanders from the Steelers. A No. 3 receiver in Pittsburgh, Sanders makes a successful transition to an every-down role and in 2014 smashes every previous career standard he had set while making his first Pro Bowl.

The Broncos announce that Owner Pat Bowlen has been privately battling Alzheimer’s disease and is no longer able to be part of the team’s daily operations.

Peyton Manning throws three touchdowns against San Francisco to give him 509 for his career, passing Favre (508) for the most in NFL history.

With a host of Broncos from his years with the team joining him, Champ Bailey announces his retirement after 15 NFL seasons.

Chris Harris Jr. agrees to terms on a five-year contract extension. Harris had overcome being undrafted and tearing an ACL in the 2013 postseason to become one of the game’s best cornerbacks. He goes to his first Pro Bowl one month later.

Denver earns a 22-10 victory against San Diego to earn its fourth consecutive AFC West Division title. The game marks the Broncos’ 12th straight divisional road win to tie for the longest such streak in league history.

The Broncos and Head Coach John Fox mutually part ways one day after Denver’s 24-13 loss to Indianapolis in the AFC Divisional Playoff.

Former Broncos quarterback and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is named the 15th head coach in franchise history.

Running back C.J. Anderson becomes the 11th Bronco to be named to the 2015 Pro Bowl, representing the most selections in a single year in team history.