Sept. 15, 1962: Frank Tripucka hits Al Frazier for a 96-yard touchdown pass at Buffalo. At the time, the reception marked the longest play from scrimmage in Broncos history.

The AFL and NBC announce a new TV contract that pays the AFL $36 million over five seasons.

Aug. 14, 1964: Broncos obtained QB Jacky Lee form Houston in “lend-lease” trade for Bud McFadin.

Dec. 12, 1965: Broncos conclude home season with total attendance of 219,786, an average of 34,398 per game. Both the total and average attendance were AFL Western Division records.

1968 schedule

Date Opponent Score
9/15 at Cincinnati Bengals 10-24
9/22 at Kansas City Chiefs 2-34
9/29 Boston Patriots 17-20
10/6 Cincinnati Bengals 10-7
10/13 at New York Jets 21-13
10/20 at San Diego Chargers 24-55
10/27 Miami Dolphins 21-14
11/3 at Boston Patriots 35-14
11/10 Oakland Raiders 7-43
11/17 at Houston Oilers 17-38
11/24 Buffalo Bills 34-32
12/1 San Diego Chargers 23-47
12/8 at Oakland Raiders 27-33
12/14 Kansas City Chiefs 7-30

Jan. 19, 1969: Dave Costa, Rich Jackson and Floyd Little participate in AFL All-Star Game in Jacksonville, Fla.

In their first regular-season game against a team that was a part of the NFL before the merger, the Broncos defeat Pittsburgh 16-13 in front of 50,705 at Mile High Stadium.

Broncos wallop San Diego 38-13 in a game played in 9-degree conditions, the coldest regular-season home game in Broncos history.

Dec. 9, 1973: Broncos defeat San Diego 42-28 and assures the club of a winning record for the first time.

Jan. 26, 1976: TE Riley Odoms makes his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, and ILB Randy Gradishar makes his Pro Bowl debut.

Oct. 24, 1976: Rick Upchurch ties an NFL record with his fourth punt return touchdown of the season in a 35-26 win over Kansas City.

Jan. 31, 1977: John Ralston resigns as head coach of the Broncos after five seasons that included the club’s first three winning records.

Dec. 17, 1979: Denver clinches a playoff berth for the third consecutive year, but fails to win its third consecutive division title, falling 17-7 at San Diego.

Oct. 5, 1980: Randy Gradishar returns an interception 93 yards for a TD vs. Cleveland, the longest such return in team history and the NFL’s longest in 1980.

Jan. 17, 1981: Red Miller and the Broncos’ coaching staff coach the South team in the 1981 Senior Bowl. It will turn out to be Miller’s last game as a Broncos head coach.

March 9, 1981: Less than two weeks after Kaiser assumed control of the Broncos, head coach Red Miller and GM Fred Gehrke are fired.

Feb. 6, 1983: The Broncos are represented in the Pro Bowl game by Randy Gradishar, Luke Prestridge and Rick Upchurch.

Jan. 29, 1984: Randy Gradishar makes his seventh Pro Bowl appearance. Louis Wright also is named to the AFC Pro Bowl team but is unable to play because of a fractured finger.

March 23, 1984: Pat Bowlen is introduced as the new owner of the Denver Broncos, assuming the title of President and Chief Executive Officer.

Jan. 27, 1985: Sammy Winder represents the Broncos in the Pro Bowl.

Pat Bowlen announces that former owner Gerald Phipps will become the fifth member of the Ring of Fame. “I can’t overstate the gratitude that I feel for this honor,” Phipps said.

1986 schedule

Date Opponent Score
9/7 Los Angeles Raiders 38-36
9/15 at Pittsburgh Steelers 21-10
9/21 at Philadelphia Eagles 33-7
9/28 New England Patriots 27-20
10/5 Dallas Cowboys 29-14
10/12 at San Diego Chargers 31-14
10/20 at New York Jets 10-22
10/26 Seattle Seahawks 20-13
11/2 at Los Angeles Raiders 21-10
11/9 San Diego Chargers 3-9
11/16 Kansas City Chiefs 38-17
11/23 at New York Giants 16-19
11/30 Cincinnati Bengals 34-28
12/7 at Kansas City Chiefs 10-37
12/13 Washington Redskins 31-30
12/20 at Seattle Seahawks 16-41
1/4 New England Patriots (AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF) 22-17
1/11 at Cleveland Browns (AFC CHAMPIONSHIP) 23-20
1/25 New York Giants (SUPER BOWL XXI) 20-39

Oct. 12, 1986: The Broncos post a 31-14 win over San Diego to equal the best start in team history with 6-0 record.

“The Drive”

The Broncos post a thrilling, 23-20 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns. It began auspiciously, with a poorly fielded squib kickoff knocking the Broncos back to their 2-yard line. In the Broncos’ huddle, tension grew along with the noise from 79,915 fans yelling, barking and brandishing Milk-Bones in honor of their beloved “Dawg Pound” defense. […]

Oct. 16, 1988: QB Craig Morton, WR Haven Moses and K Jim Turner are inducted into the Ring of Fame at halftime of a 30-14 win over Atlanta.

Oct. 15, 1989: LB Randy Gradishar is officially inducted into the Ring of Fame at halftime of a game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Nov. 26, 1989: The Broncos clinch their third AFC West title in four seasons after a 41-14 victory at home against Seattle.

Jan. 28, 1990: Denver loses 55-10 to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIV in the Louisiana Superdome.

Sept. 1, 1991: Denver records its biggest opening day win ever with a 45-14 pounding of Cincinnati.

Dec. 1, 1991: A 17-7 win at Cleveland clinches a playoff berth for the Broncos.

Dec. 22, 1991: Denver closes out the regular season at 12-4 and wins the AFC West title for the fifth time in eight years.

Feb. 2, 1992: Gaston Green, Karl Mecklenburg, Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith represent the Broncos in the Pro Bowl. S

Dec. 28, 1992: Pat Bowlen announces that the franchise will not renew the contract of Dan Reeves, thus creating a coaching vacancy in Denver for the first time since 1981.

Oct. 3, 1993: CB Louis Wright is inducted into the Ring of Fame at halftime of a game against Indianapolis.

Feb. 6, 1994: The Broncos are represented in Pro Bowl game by John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Karl Mecklenburg, Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith.

Dec. 29, 1994: Wade Phillips and his staff are dismissed after two seasons.

1995 schedule

Date Opponent Score
9/3 Buffalo Bills 22-7
9/10 at Dallas Cowboys 21-31
9/17 Washington Redskins 38-31
9/24 at San Diego Chargers 6-17
10/1 at Seattle Seahawks 10-27
10/8 at New England Patriots 37-3
10/16 Oakland Raiders 27-0
10/22 Kansas City Chiefs 7-21
11/5 Arizona Cardinals 38-6
11/12 at Philadelphia Eagles 13-31
11/19 San Diego Chargers 30-27
11/26 at Houston Oilers 33-42
12/3 Jacksonville Jaguars 31-23w
12/10 Seattle Seahawks 27-31
12/17 at Kansas City Chiefs 17-20
12/24 at Oakland Raiders 31-28

Aug. 5, 1995: The Broncos defeat the 49ers 24-10 in the American Bowl in Tokyo, Japan. At this point, the Broncos are one of just three teams to play in five American Bowl games.

Nov. 5, 1995: John Elway surpasses the 40,000-yard passing plateau, becoming the seventh player in pro football history to accomplish that feat.

Dec. 10, 1995: Simon Fletcher plays his last home game as a Bronco, having announced his intention to retire before the season.

Feb. 4, 1996: Denver is represented in the annual AFC-NFC Pro Bowl by Steve Atwater, Jason Elam, Glyn Milburn, Anthony Miller and Shannon Sharpe. Gary Zimmerman was selected but did not play because of injury.

2004 schedule

Date Opponent Score
9/12 Kansas City Chiefs 34-24
9/19 at Jacksonville Jaguars 6-7
9/26 San Diego Chargers 23-13
10/3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13
10/10 Carolina Panthers 20-17
10/17 at Oakland Raiders 31-3
10/25 at Cincinnati Bengals 10-23
10/31 Atlanta Falcons 28-41
11/7 Houston Texans 31-13
11/21 at New Orleans Saints 34-13
11/28 Oakland Raiders 24-25
12/5 at San Diego Chargers 17-20
12/12 Miami Dolphins 20-17
12/19 at Kansas City Chiefs 17-45
12/25 at Tennessee Titans 37-16
1/2 Indianapolis Colts 33-14
1/9 at Indianapolis Colts (AFC WILD CARD) 24-49

2013 schedule

Date Opponent Score
9/5 Baltimore Ravens 49-27
9/15 at N.Y. Giants 41-23
9/23 Oakland Raiders 37-21
9/29 Philadelphia Eagles 52-20
10/6 at Dallas Cowboys 51-48
10/13 Jacksonville Jaguars 35-19
10/20 at Indianapolis Colts 33-39
10/27 Washington Redskins 45-21
11/10 at San Diego Chargers 28-20
11/17 Kansas City Chiefs 27-17
11/24 at New England Patriots 31-34
12/1 at Kansas City Chiefs 35-28
12/8 Tennessee Titans 51-28
12/12 San Diego Chargers 20-27
12/22 at Houston Texans 37-13
12/29 at Oakland Raiders34-14 w
1/12 San Diego Chargers (AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF) 24-17
1/19 New England Patriots (AFC CHAMPIONSHIP) 26-16
2/2 Seattle Seahawks (SUPER BOWL XLVIII) 8-43

Record: 5-9
Fourth Place, AFL West

Record: 11-5
First Place, AFC West

Record: 8-8
Fourth Place, AFC West

Record: 10-6
Second Place, AFC West

Record: 13-3
First Place, AFC West

Sept. 22, 1974: The Broncos and Steelers play in the first regular-season overtime game, neither team scored in the sudden death period ending in a 35-35 tie.

Sept. 29, 1975: The Broncos defeat Green Bay, 23-13, for their first-ever win on Monday Night Football.

Record: 9-5
Second place, AFC West

Nov. 7, 1976: With two field goals and six extra points, Jim Turner becomes the fifth player in pro football history to surpass 1,200 points.

Sept. 14, 1980: Denver defeats Dallas, 41-20 for the Broncos’ first-ever win over the Cowboys in regular-season or postseason play.

Feb. 1, 1987: Six Broncos play in the Pro Bowl—Keith Bishop, John Elway, Rulon Jones, Karl Mecklenburg, Dennis Smith and Sammy Winder.

Feb. 2, 1986: The Broncos are represented by four players in the Pro Bowl — Rulon Jones, Karl Mecklenburg, Dennis Smith and Louis Wright.