2009 Denver Broncos season
Encyclopedia
The 2009
Denver Broncos
season was their 40th season in the NFL and 50th season overall. The Broncos
matched their 8–8 regular season record from 2008
but did not make the playoffs. The Broncos welcomed many new defensive players signed during free agency, including veteran Eagles
safety Brian Dawkins
. This was their first season without head coach Mike Shanahan
since 1994, as he was fired on December 30, 2008. On January 12, 2009, Denver hired the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots
, Josh McDaniels
, to be their new head coach. At the time of his hiring, McDaniels was the youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports and the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever, although less than a week later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
named the even-younger Raheem Morris
as their head coach.
. On April 2 Denver acquired the Chicago Bears
' first and third round draft picks in a trade for quarterback
Jay Cutler
(see below).
(1 Acquired from Chicago
in Jay Cutler
trade.)
(2 Acquired from Seattle
in exchange for Denver's 2010
first-round selection..)
and a third potential team (Detroit Lions
or Tampa Bay Buccaneers
) that would have sent Denver quarterback Jay Cutler
to the Lions or Buccaneers and Denver would receive Matt Cassel
, who worked with McDaniels last season, from New England. After the trade talks surfaced, Cutler was angered and infuriated by the rumors because he didn't think he was going to be traded, and he refused to talk with either McDaniels or General Manager Brian Xanders
after both had denied the rumors.
Several teams became interested in trading for Cutler after it was apparent he was upset about this situation, though McDaniels confirmed that "We are not trading Jay Cutler-Period." McDaniels insisted that Cutler is their quarterback.
Broncos fans and critics were mixed over the incident. Some say that Cutler, who has posted superb statistics over his career but has never led the Broncos to the playoffs, shouldn't be complaining and "whining" over trade rumors despite his superstar status. On the other hand, others are quick to dismissed McDaniels and Xanders for mishandling the situation and starting the rumors in the first place, as well as questioning why somebody would trade a player of Cutler's caliber who was meant to succeed former quarterback John Elway
as the team's premier quarterback.
On March 11, 2009, Cutler and McDaniels agreed to meet for the first time since the incident. After having a conference call
between them, sources said that the two sides drifted further apart, although the team refused to comment. Cutler eventually requested to be traded some time afterward, feeling that the "trust" between the organization and himself were all but gone, and missed one of Denver's voluntary training camps.
On April 2, 2009, Denver traded Cutler, along with their 5th round pick (140th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft
, to the Chicago Bears
in exchange for their 1st round and 3rd round (18th and 84th overall respectively) picks in 2009, their 1st round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
, and quarterback Kyle Orton
.
On June 12, 2009, the Broncos named Orton as their starting quarterback. This ends speculation of a competition between Orton and Chris Simms
. However, within three days, WR Brandon Marshall
wanted out of Denver and demanded a trade.
LEGEND:
interception after Denver cornerback
Champ Bailey
tipped the ball into the air and Wesley Woodyard
recovered the interception. Denver was finally able to put together a drive at the end of the first half that finished with a Matt Prater
48-yard field goal as time ran out. Despite being out-gained in all offensive indicators, Denver took a 3–0 lead into halftime due to Cincinnati mistakes, including the fumbled field goal, interception, and multiple dropped passes.
During the third quarter, neither team was able to sustain an offensive drive – Cincinnati punted 3 times, while Denver punted 2 times. However, Denver's defense showed improvement, including one Cincinnati drive that ended after two consecutive sacks
of Carson Palmer. Denver was able to put together another field goal drive at the end of the third quarter, with Matt Prater this time kicking a 50-yard field goal to put the Broncos on top 6–0.
The fourth quarter continued in much the same vein. Denver made it into field goal range again before a 5-yard penalty and 7-yard sack forced them to punt it away again. However, Cincinnati was able to put together their first sustained drive of the entire game during the second half of the quarter – the Bengals gained 90 yards on 11 plays over 5:40. This culminated with a 1-yard Cedric Benson
touchdown run that avoided a Bengals shutout and put them on top for the first time.
Denver regained control of the ball at their own 13-yard line with 38 seconds remaining. After an incomplete pass, Kyle Orton
attempted a pass to Brandon Marshall
with 28 seconds remaining. The ball was tipped into the air by Bengals defensive back
Leon Hall
and into the hands of Denver wide receiver
Brandon Stokley
, who then took it untouched 87 yards to the end zone with 11 seconds remaining. Records showed that this was the longest play from scrimmage in NFL history with less than 1 minute remaining in the game. The play was referred to by some as "The Immaculate Deflection" after The Immaculate Reception. Denver took a 12–7 lead but failed a two-point conversion
. A desperation hail mary pass by Carson Palmer was intercepted in the end zone with 5 seconds to play by Denver tight end
Tony Scheffler
.
. In the first quarter, Denver would trail early as Browns kicker Phil Dawson
got a 22-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Broncos took the lead as quarterback Kyle Orton
completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
. Cleveland would creep close as Dawson made a 47-yard field goal, but Denver would answer as kicker Matt Prater
got a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth, the Broncos pulled away as fullback Peyton Hillis
got a 2-yard touchdown run and running back Correll Buckhalter
got a 45-yard touchdown run.
With the win, Denver improved to 2–0.
was intercepted by Denver safety Renaldo Hill
after throwing from his own end zone. The Broncos then drove 23 yards in 6 plays, scoring on a 2-yard Kyle Orton
pass to Brandon Marshall
. The next Raiders drive lasted just 3 plays after Russell was intercepted again, this time by Broncos cornerback
Andre Goodman. This led to a 48-yard field goal by Broncos kicker
Matt Prater
, giving them a 10–0 lead going into the 2nd quarter.
Oakland's first drive of the second quarter was also their most successful. They went 56 yards in over 8 minutes, leading to a 48-yard Sebastian Janikowski
field goal. Denver then drove 76 yards, although Oakland again held Denver out of the end zone, leading to a 21-yard Prater field goal and giving the Broncos a 13–3 lead going into halftime. Denver then opened the half with another scoring drive, this time going 80 yards in 8 plays and scoring on a 7-yard run by rookie running back
Knowshon Moreno
. It was the first touchdown of Moreno's NFL career. Oakland was forced to punt on their next drive. However, on Denver's first play from scrimmage, running back Correll Buckhalter
fumbled the ball at their own 16-yard line, giving Oakland the ball in Denver territory for just the 3rd time on the day. However, 2 plays later, Raiders running back Darren McFadden
fumbled the ball for the second time on the day (the first time was recovered by Oakland), giving Denver the ball back at their own 11. They then drove 88 yards in 16 plays and over 8 minutes, although the Raiders again held them out of the end zone, leading to a Prater 24-yard field goal.
The Broncos won the game primarily on the strength of their running game and the defense. Correll Buckhalter ran 14 times for 108 yards, while rookie Knowshown Moreno ran 21 times for 90 yards. Overall, the Broncos had 215 yards rushing on the day. The defense held the Raiders to just 137 total yards and 9 first downs, caused 2 interceptions and 1 fumble, and also sacked JaMarcus Russell 3 times, 2 of them by star defensive end
Elvis Dumervil
(who had 4 in the previous game against the Cleveland Browns
). Russell had just 61 yards passing on 21 attempts with 2 interceptions, giving him a quarterback rating of 22.6. Kyle Orton had 157 yards passing on 23 attempts with 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, giving him a respectable 92.1 rating.
With the win, Denver improved to 3–0.
. Denver would struggle out of the gates in the first quarter, as Cowboys kicker Nick Folk
got a 49-yard field goal and running back Marion Barber
would acquire a 1-yard touchdown run. The Broncos would start to gain some momentum in the second quarter with quarterback Kyle Orton
's 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Knowshon Moreno
. After a scoreless third quarter, Denver would take command of the game in the fourth quarter. The Broncos would get a 28-yard field goal from kicker Matt Prater
, followed by Orton's 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Marshall
. Afterwards, the defense would manage to hold off a late Dallas drive that actually made it to their 1-yard line.
With the win, the Broncos would acquire their first 4–0 start since 2003.
. This would mark the highly-anticipated match-up between Denver head coach Josh McDaniels
and New England's head coach Bill Belichick
.
The Broncos would trail in the first quarter as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
hooked up with wide receiver Wes Welker
on an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by kicker Stephen Gostkowski
getting a 53-yard field goal. Denver would answer in the second quarter as quarterback Kyle Orton
connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall
on an 11-yard touchdown pass, but New England would close out the half with Brady's 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Benjamin Watson
.
The Broncos would tie the game in the second half as kicker Matt Prater
nailed a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by Orton finding Marshall again on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. In overtime, Denver won possession and never relinquished possession as Prater booted the game-winning 41-yard field goal.
With the win, the Broncos improved to 5–0 for the first time since the team's Super Bowl run of 1998.
, donned their throwbacks again, and played a Week 6 AFL Legacy game with the San Diego Chargers
on Monday night. Even though the Chargers kicked off the first quarter with a 20-yard field goal from kicker Nate Kaeding
, the Broncos immediately struck back with wide receiver Eddie Royal
returned the kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. San Diego would then close out the opening period with quarterback Philip Rivers
hooking up with wide receiver Vincent Jackson
on a 3-yard touchdown pass. Denver would take the lead in the second quarter with kicker Matt Prater
making a 34-yard field goal, followed by Royal returning a punt 71 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, the Chargers closed out the half with Kaeding nailing a 44-yard field goal and running back Darren Sproles
returning a punt 77 yards for a touchdown.
Even though San Diego increased their lead in the third quarter with Kaeding's 50-yard field goal, the Broncos regained it with quarterback Kyle Orton
completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
. In the fourth quarter, Denver closed out the game with Prater's 29-yard field goal and Orton's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley
.
With the win, the Broncos went into their bye week at 6–0, which is the franchise's best start since their Super Bowl season of 1998.
for a Week 8 duel with the Baltimore Ravens
. Denver would trail in the first quarter as Ravens kicker Steven Hauschka
nailed a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter, followed by a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Broncos' deficit immediately climbed as cornerback Lardarius Webb returned the second half's opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Denver would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run from rookie running back Knowshon Moreno
, Baltimore came right back with Haushchka booting a 31-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Ravens would pull away in the fourth quarter with quarterback Joe Flacco
's 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason
and running back Ray Rice
getting a 7-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, the Broncos fell to 6–1.
. Denver would begin the first quarter with kicker Matt Prater
making a 40-yard field goal, yet the Steelers responded in the second quarter with safety Tyrone Carter
returning an interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
The Broncos would regain the lead in the third quarter as defensive end Kenny Peterson
forced a fumble during his sack of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
. It allowed rookie linebacker Robert Ayers
to return the fumble 54 yards for a touchdown. However, Pittsburgh came right back with Roethlisberger's 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward
. Afterwards, the Steelers would pull away in the fourth quarter as Roethlisberger completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ward.
Making an appearance during the game was American
Nordic combined
skier Johnny Spillane, a Steamboat Springs, Colorado
native, who would go onto win three silver medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
three months later.
With the loss, Denver fell to 6–2.
. In the first quarter, Denver struck first as quarterback Kyle Orton
found wide receiver Brandon Marshall
on a 40-yard touchdown pass. The Redskins would respond as quarterback Jason Campbell
completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Todd Yoder
, yet the Broncos would answer with Orton going right back to Marshall again on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Washington would tie the game again in the second quarter with a trick play as punter Hunter Smith
completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mike Sellers. Denver would close out the half with a 24-yard field goal from kicker Matt Prater
but on the previous play Orton (11/18 for 193 yards, 2 TDs) left the game with an ankle injury. This injury would prove costly not only in this game but the next for the Broncos. Chris Simms
replaced Orton at quarterback but was unable to get anything going on offense for the Broncos, going a dismal 3/21 for 13 yards with 1 INT. After a scoreless third quarter, the Redskins would take the lead in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Ladell Betts
and a 35-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
.
With their third-straight loss, the Broncos fell to 6–3.
With the fourth straight loss, the Broncos fell to a 6–4 record as the Chargers improved to a 7–3 record and took the divisional lead.
.
In the first quarter the Broncos got on the board with kicker Matt Prater
making a 26-yard field goal and then a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Broncos kept on top with RB Knowshon Moreno
making a 1-yard touchdown run. After that Matt Prater made a 47-yard field goal to end the half. In the third quarter the Giants replied with kicker Lawrence Tynes
nailing a 39 then a 52-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter Denver increased their lead with QB Kyle Orton
making a 17-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley
, and Prater making a 24-yard field goal.
With the win, the Broncos improved to 7–4.
1) A New York Jets
loss and either a loss by the Baltimore Ravens
or the Pittsburgh Steelers
OR
2) A New York Jets loss and a win by the Houston Texans
OR
3)A Baltimore Ravens loss and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss or a Houston Texans win.
Also, Denver could have made the playoffs even with a loss to Kansas City in these scenarios-
1) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston, and the Jacksonville Jaguars
OR
2) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston, and New York
OR
3) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and New York
OR
4) Losses by Pittsburgh, Houston, Jacksonville, and New York
OR
5) Losses by New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, and the Miami Dolphins
In the days prior to the game, Coach Josh McDaniels
got into an injury-related dispute with receiver Brandon Marshall
and deactivated Marshall.
In the game, Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles
had a franchise record 259 yards rushing yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns (Including runs of 52 and 56 yards). Kyle Orton, who had thrown only 9 interceptions all year, threw 3: 2 to Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson
, both returned for scores, and another in the end zone to Brandon Flowers
. Orton did finish with a career high 431 yards through the air on 32/56 passing. Jabar Gaffney
, replacing the inactive Brandon Marshall, had a career-high 14 receptions for 213 yards.
Both career days were empty, as the Chiefs beat the Broncos, ending their season. The Broncos became the seventh team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to miss the playoffs after a 6–0 start.
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was their 40th season in the NFL and 50th season overall. The Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
matched their 8–8 regular season record from 2008
2008 Denver Broncos season
The 2008 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 49th season for the team . They improved from their 7–9 record from 2007 but failed to make the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
but did not make the playoffs. The Broncos welcomed many new defensive players signed during free agency, including veteran Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
safety Brian Dawkins
Brian Dawkins
Brian Patrick Dawkins is an American football safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
. This was their first season without head coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
since 1994, as he was fired on December 30, 2008. On January 12, 2009, Denver hired the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
, to be their new head coach. At the time of his hiring, McDaniels was the youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports and the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever, although less than a week later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
named the even-younger Raheem Morris
Raheem Morris
Raheem Morris is the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was hired by the Buccaneers as head coach on January 17, 2009 after previous head coach Jon Gruden was fired after seven seasons....
as their head coach.
Departures
- WR Cliff RussellCliff RussellClifford Antonio Russell is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent after being waived by the Denver Broncos on February 11, 2009....
(released) - RB P.J. PopeP. J. PopeWilliam Leroy "P. J." Pope, Jr. is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
(waived) - TE Chad MustardChad MustardChad Mustard is a former American football tight end and offensive tackle of the National Football League. He was signed by the Omaha Beef as a street free agent in 2003...
(released) - RB Alex HaynesAlex HaynesAlex Haynes is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
(released) - RB Anthony AlridgeAnthony AlridgeAnthony E. Alridge is a professional gridiron football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
(released) Played 2009 on Washington's Practice Squad - DT Josh Shaw (released)
- LB Jamie WinbornJamie WinbornJamie Winborn is an American football linebacker, currently a free agent and most recently for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
(released) Played in 2 games during 2009 season for Tennessee - DT Dewayne RobertsonDewayne RobertsonDewayne Jamar Robertson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets fourth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft...
(released) - S Marquand ManuelMarquand ManuelMarquand Alexander Manuel is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for eight seasons during the 2000s...
(released) Played in 9 games starting 6 during 2009 for Detroit, injured reserve after game 9 - LB Niko KoutouvidesNiko KoutouvidesNiko Stelios Koutouvides is an American football linebacker, currently with the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
(released) Played in 16 gamed during 2009 for Tampa Bay - TE Nate JacksonNate JacksonNate Jackson is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Menlo...
(released) Signed on in 2009 with Cleveland for a short time and was subsequently cut - DE John EngelbergerJohn EngelbergerJohn Albert Engelberger is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech...
(released) - CB Dré BlyDré BlyDonald André "Dré" Bly is a former American football cornerback who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. After playing college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Bly was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
(released) Played in 16 games starting 6 during 2009 for San Francisco - TE/LS Mike LeachMike Leach (long snapper)John Michael Leach is an American football long snapper for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
(released) Played in 16 games during 2009 for Arizona - RB Cory BoydCory BoydCory J. Boyd is a gridiron football running back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
(waived) - QB Darrell HackneyDarrell HackneyDarrell Hackney is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
(waived) - QB Jay CutlerJay Cutler (American football)Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
(traded) Started 16 games during 2009 for Chicago - DE/OLB Tim CrowderTim Crowder-Denver Broncos:Crowder was selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He was the second defensive end selected by the club in that draft, and the second player to come from a recent BCS Championship team....
(waived) played in 15 games starting 4 during 2009 for Tampa Bay - RB Selvin YoungSelvin YoungSelvin Young is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
(waived) - S Herana-Daze JonesHerana-Daze JonesHerana-Daze Lavalle Jones is an American football safety for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
(released) Signed on in 2009 with New Orleans for a short time and was subsequently cut - TE Jeb PutzierJeb PutzierJebediah Lee Putzier ) is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent.-Early years:Putzier attended Eagle High School in his hometown Eagle, Idaho. He also lettered in Basketball...
(released) - C Kory LichtensteigerKory LichtensteigerKory Adam Lichtensteiger is an American football center currently playing for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
(waived) Signed on with Minnesota for three games and was subsequently cut - WR Chad JacksonChad Jackson-New England Patriots:On the first day of the 2006 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded draft picks with the Green Bay Packers to move up sixteen places in the second round to select Jackson, giving up a third-round pick acquired in a trade...
(waived) - DE Matthias AskewMatthias AskewMatthias Askew is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
(waived) Signed on in 2009 with Detroit for a short time and was subsequently cut - DE Nic ClemonsNic ClemonsNic Clemons is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Georgia....
(waived) - P Brett KernBrett KernBrett Kern is an American football punter for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Toledo....
(waived) waived by Denver after playing in 6 games, was signed by Tennessee and played 10 games with the Titans - CB Jack WilliamsJack Williams (American football)Jack Williams is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kent State....
(waived) waived by Denver after playing in 7 games, was signed by Detroit and played in 1 game and was injured - CB Joshua BellJoshua BellJoshua David Bell is an American Grammy Award-winning violinist.-Childhood:Bell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, United States, the son of a psychologist and a therapist. Bell's father is the late Alan P...
(waived/injured) Signed by Green Bay in Week 10, played in 4 games with the Packers
Free agents
| Position | Player | Free agency Free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... tag |
Date signed | 2008 team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Brian Dawkins Brian Dawkins Brian Patrick Dawkins is an American football safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft... |
UFA | February 28, 2009 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| LS | Lonnie Paxton | UFA | March 1, 2009 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| WR | Jabar Gaffney Jabar Gaffney Derrick Jabar Gaffney is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft... |
UFA | March 1, 2009 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| RB | Correll Buckhalter Correll Buckhalter Correll Buckhalter is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... |
UFA | March 1, 2009 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| DL/LB | Darrell Reid Darrell Reid Darrell Reid is an American football linebacker who is currenrly a free agent of the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2005... |
UFA | March 2, 2009 | Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
| S | Renaldo Hill Renaldo Hill Renaldo Hill is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.... |
UFA | March 2, 2009 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| LB | Andra Davis Andra Davis Andra Raynard Davis [pronounced André] is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Florida... |
UFA | March 2, 2009 | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| CB | Andre Goodman | UFA | March 3, 2009 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| DT | Ronald Fields Ronald Fields Ronald Fields is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | March 3, 2009 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
| RB | LaMont Jordan LaMont Jordan LaMont Damon Jordan is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft... |
UFA | March 4, 2009 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| QB | Chris Simms Chris Simms Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers... |
UFA | March 5, 2009 | Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
| RB | J.J. Arrington J.J. Arrington Johnathan Jerone "J. J." Arrington is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | March 5, 2009 | Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| DL | Kenny Peterson Kenny Peterson James Kenneth Peterson is an American football defensive end who is a Free Agent. He was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft... |
UFA | March 10, 2009 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| G | Scott Young | UFA | March 13, 2009 | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| RFA: Restricted free agent Restricted free agent A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :... , UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent |
||||
2009 draft class
After finishing the 2008 season with a 8–8 record, the Broncos hold the 12th selection in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. On April 2 Denver acquired the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' first and third round draft picks in a trade for quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
(see below).
| Draft order | Player name | Position | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Choice | |||
| 1 | 12 | Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in... |
RB | Georgia University of Georgia The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States... |
| 181 | Robert Ayers Robert Ayers -Denver Broncos:Ayers was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the second one of their two first round picks at 18th overall of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 4, 2009, Ayers signed a five-year contract with $9.7 million guaranteed. In his rookie season he recorded 19 tackles and no sacks... |
DE | Tennessee University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States... |
|
| 2 | 372 | Alphonso Smith Alphonso Smith Alphonso Smith, Jr. is a professional football cornerback for the Detroit Lions. Smith played college football at Wake Forest... |
CB | Wake Forest Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is... |
| 48 | Darcel McBath Darcel McBath Steven Darcel McBath is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
S | Texas Tech Texas Tech University Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the... |
|
| 64 | Richard Quinn Richard Quinn (American football) Richard Emanuel Quinn, Jr. is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina.-Denver Broncos:... |
TE | North Carolina University of North Carolina Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century... |
|
| 4 | 114 | David Bruton David Bruton (American football) David Lee Bruton, Jr. is an American football safety for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted in the fourth round, 114th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school:Bruton attended Miamisburg High School in Miamisburg, Ohio... |
FS | Notre Dame University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... |
| 132 | Seth Olsen Seth Olsen Seth Olsen is an American football guard for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa... |
G | Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
|
| 5 | 141 | Kenny McKinley Kenny McKinley Kendrick L. McKinley was an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.-Early years:Born in Mableton, Georgia, he graduated from South... |
WR | South Carolina University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House... |
| 6 | 174 | Tom Brandstater Tom Brandstater Thomas "Tom" Brandstater is an unrestricted free agent American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs... |
QB | Fresno State |
| 7 | 225 | Blake Schlueter Blake Schlueter Blake Schlueter is an American football center who is a currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
C | TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
(1 Acquired from Chicago
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
trade.)
(2 Acquired from Seattle
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in exchange for Denver's 2010
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
first-round selection..)
Jay Cutler controversy
After head coach Josh McDaniels was hired, rumors eventually surfaced that a there was a three-way trade involving McDaniels' former team the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and a third potential team (Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
or Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
) that would have sent Denver quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
to the Lions or Buccaneers and Denver would receive Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, who worked with McDaniels last season, from New England. After the trade talks surfaced, Cutler was angered and infuriated by the rumors because he didn't think he was going to be traded, and he refused to talk with either McDaniels or General Manager Brian Xanders
Brian Xanders
Brian Xanders is the current General Manager of the NFL's Denver Broncos.-Florida State:Xanders played for Bobby Bowden at Florida State University from 1989–92, he was a member of four bowl-winning teams with the Seminoles that had a 42-7 combined record...
after both had denied the rumors.
Several teams became interested in trading for Cutler after it was apparent he was upset about this situation, though McDaniels confirmed that "We are not trading Jay Cutler-Period." McDaniels insisted that Cutler is their quarterback.
Broncos fans and critics were mixed over the incident. Some say that Cutler, who has posted superb statistics over his career but has never led the Broncos to the playoffs, shouldn't be complaining and "whining" over trade rumors despite his superstar status. On the other hand, others are quick to dismissed McDaniels and Xanders for mishandling the situation and starting the rumors in the first place, as well as questioning why somebody would trade a player of Cutler's caliber who was meant to succeed former quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
as the team's premier quarterback.
On March 11, 2009, Cutler and McDaniels agreed to meet for the first time since the incident. After having a conference call
Conference call
A conference call is a telephone call in which the calling party wishes to have more than one called party listen in to the audio portion of the call. The conference calls may be designed to allow the called party to participate during the call, or the call may be set up so that the called party...
between them, sources said that the two sides drifted further apart, although the team refused to comment. Cutler eventually requested to be traded some time afterward, feeling that the "trust" between the organization and himself were all but gone, and missed one of Denver's voluntary training camps.
On April 2, 2009, Denver traded Cutler, along with their 5th round pick (140th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in exchange for their 1st round and 3rd round (18th and 84th overall respectively) picks in 2009, their 1st round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, and quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
On June 12, 2009, the Broncos named Orton as their starting quarterback. This ends speculation of a competition between Orton and Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
. However, within three days, WR Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
wanted out of Denver and demanded a trade.
Schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | August 14 | 8:00 p.m. MDT Mountain Time Zone The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn... |
at San Francisco 49ers 2009 San Francisco 49ers season The 2009 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 64th season, and the first full year with Mike Singletary as head coach after being named interim head coach in 2008. It is the seventh year in which the 49ers have their seventh offensive coordinator... |
L 16–17 | 0–1 | Candlestick Park | Recap | |
| 2 | August 22 | 8:30 p.m. MDT | at Seattle Seahawks 2009 Seattle Seahawks season The 2009 Seattle Seahawks season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League. The Seahawks improved in Jim Mora's first season as their head coach, after a disappointing 4–12 record and a 3rd place finish in what was Mike Holmgren's final season coaching the team... |
L 13–27 | 0–2 | Qwest Field Qwest Field CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer... |
Recap | |
| 3 | August 30 | 6:00 p.m. MDT | Chicago Bears 2009 Chicago Bears season The 2009 Chicago Bears season is the franchise's 90th season overall in the National Football League. The Bears had looked to improve upon their 9–7 record from 2008 and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season, but failed to do so for the third consecutive season. The team... |
L 17–27 | 0–3 | INVESCO Field at Mile High INVESCO Field at Mile High Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001... |
NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | 7:00 p.m. MDT | Arizona Cardinals 2009 Arizona Cardinals season The 2009 Arizona Cardinals season is the 90th season for the team in the National Football League and the 22nd season in Arizona. The Cardinals finished the season with a 10–6 record, an improvement from their 9–7 previous season record and the first time the team has won ten games since 1976 The... |
W 19–0 | 1–3 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | Recap | |
Schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | September 13 | 11:00 a.m. MDT Mountain Time Zone The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn... |
at Cincinnati Bengals 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6–0, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the... |
W 12–7 | 1–0 | Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | 2:15 p.m. MDT | Cleveland Browns 2009 Cleveland Browns season The 2009 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 63rd season as a professional sports franchise and its 59th season as a member of the National Football League . The team placed fourth in the AFC North with a record of 5–11, improving upon its 2008 record of 4–12... |
W 27–6 | 2–0 | INVESCO Field at Mile High INVESCO Field at Mile High Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001... |
CBS | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | 2:15 p.m. MDT | at Oakland Raiders 2009 Oakland Raiders season The 2009 Oakland Raiders season is the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. On September 6, 2009, The Raiders traded a 2011 draft pick to the New England Patriots for 5x Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour. With their loss to Dallas on November... |
W 23–3 | 3–0 | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | CBS | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | 2:15 p.m. MDT | Dallas Cowboys 2009 Dallas Cowboys season The 2009 Dallas Cowboys season is the 50th season for the team in the National Football League. It is the team's first season playing at Cowboys Stadium. Their victory over the Oakland Raiders on November 26 extended their Thanksgiving winning streak to four in a row and also ended a three game... |
W 17–10 | 4–0 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | 2:15 p.m. MDT | New England Patriots 2009 New England Patriots season The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs.... |
W 20–17 (OT) | 5–0 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | CBS | Recap |
| 6 | October 19 | 6:30 p.m. MDT | at San Diego Chargers 2009 San Diego Chargers season The 2009 San Diego Chargers season was the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons... |
W 34–23 | 6–0 | Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area.... |
ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap |
| 7 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
|||||||
| 8 | November 1 | 11:00 a.m. MST | at Baltimore Ravens 2009 Baltimore Ravens season The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super... |
L 7–30 | 6–1 | M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
CBS | Recap |
| 9 | November 9 | 6:30 p.m. MST | Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 77th season in the National Football League . They were coming off a season in which they compiled a 12–4 regular season record and capped the season by winning the franchise's record sixth Super Bowl... |
L 10–28 | 6–2 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | ESPN | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | 11:00 a.m. MST | at Washington Redskins 2009 Washington Redskins season The 2009 Washington Redskins season is the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. They failed to improve upon their 8–8 record from 2008, which resulted in Jim Zorn being fired after two seasons.-Movement:... |
L 17–27 | 6–3 | FedEx Field | CBS | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | 2:15 p.m. MST | San Diego Chargers | L 3–32 | 6–4 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | CBS | Recap |
| 12 | November 26 Thanksgiving Classic The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving... |
6:20 p.m. MST | New York Giants 2009 New York Giants season The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League. It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; In 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record, avenge their divisional round loss to the... |
W 26–6 | 7–4 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation... |
Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | 11:00 a.m. MST | at Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 50th season, and first with head coach Todd Haley at the helm. It was also the first season with Scott Pioli as the team's general manager. The Chiefs attempted to improve on their 2–14 record from 2008 with the third overall selection in the... |
W 44–13 | 8–4 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 14 | December 13 | 11:00 a.m. MST | at Indianapolis Colts 2009 Indianapolis Colts season The 2009 Indianapolis Colts season was the 57th season for the team in the National Football League and the 26th in Indianapolis. It was the first season since 2002 that the Colts did not have Tony Dungy on their coaching staff, due to his retirement from coaching... |
L 16–28 | 8–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to... |
CBS | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | 2:05 p.m. MST | Oakland Raiders | L 19–20 | 8–6 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | CBS | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | 2:15 p.m. MST | at Philadelphia Eagles 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season was the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. After advancing to their fifth NFC Championship game in eight years, the Eagles improved upon their 9–6–1 record and second-place finish in the NFC East in their 2008 campaign... |
L 27–30 | 8–7 | Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
CBS | Recap |
| 17 | January 3, 2010 | 2:15 p.m. MST | Kansas City Chiefs | L 24–44 | 8–8 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | CBS | Recap |
LEGEND:
- The game was simulcast locally on KTVDKTVDKTVD, virtual channel 20 is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station based in Denver, Colorado, and is owned by the Gannett Company. The station is a sister to KUSA, Denver's NBC affiliate and is housed and operated out of KUSA's high definition studios...
. - The Broncos wore their alternate orange jerseys.
- The Broncos wore their navy blue jerseys as the visiting team.
- These two games were among the 16 that the NFL designated as "AFLAmerican Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
Legacy Games," in honor of the 50th anniversary of the AFL. The Broncos wore their throwback uniforms during those two games, as did the Patriots and Chargers.
Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals
The game began with little action. Denver and Cincinnati both traded possessions to begin the game. However, on the Bengals' second possession they were able to drive deep into Denver territory, reaching the 11-yard line before setting up for a short field goal. However, the field goal snap was fumbled. After the flubbed field goal, both teams entered a period of offensive ineptness – Denver had four consecutive one-and-done drives, while Cincinnati was forced to punt, then had a promising drive end with a Carson PalmerCarson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
interception after Denver cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Champ Bailey
Champ Bailey
Roland "Champ" Bailey is an American football cornerback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Bailey was drafted in the 1st round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Georgia.Bailey is 8th among Broncos in all-time...
tipped the ball into the air and Wesley Woodyard
Wesley Woodyard
Wesley Woodyard is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky, where he helped lead the team to a victory in Music City Bowl over Clemson in 2006.-High school career:Woodyard was born in LaGrange,...
recovered the interception. Denver was finally able to put together a drive at the end of the first half that finished with a Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
48-yard field goal as time ran out. Despite being out-gained in all offensive indicators, Denver took a 3–0 lead into halftime due to Cincinnati mistakes, including the fumbled field goal, interception, and multiple dropped passes.
During the third quarter, neither team was able to sustain an offensive drive – Cincinnati punted 3 times, while Denver punted 2 times. However, Denver's defense showed improvement, including one Cincinnati drive that ended after two consecutive sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
of Carson Palmer. Denver was able to put together another field goal drive at the end of the third quarter, with Matt Prater this time kicking a 50-yard field goal to put the Broncos on top 6–0.
The fourth quarter continued in much the same vein. Denver made it into field goal range again before a 5-yard penalty and 7-yard sack forced them to punt it away again. However, Cincinnati was able to put together their first sustained drive of the entire game during the second half of the quarter – the Bengals gained 90 yards on 11 plays over 5:40. This culminated with a 1-yard Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
touchdown run that avoided a Bengals shutout and put them on top for the first time.
Denver regained control of the ball at their own 13-yard line with 38 seconds remaining. After an incomplete pass, Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
attempted a pass to Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
with 28 seconds remaining. The ball was tipped into the air by Bengals defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Leon Hall
Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
and into the hands of Denver wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, who then took it untouched 87 yards to the end zone with 11 seconds remaining. Records showed that this was the longest play from scrimmage in NFL history with less than 1 minute remaining in the game. The play was referred to by some as "The Immaculate Deflection" after The Immaculate Reception. Denver took a 12–7 lead but failed a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
. A desperation hail mary pass by Carson Palmer was intercepted in the end zone with 5 seconds to play by Denver tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Tony Scheffler
Tony Scheffler
-Denver Broncos:Scheffler was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006,...
.
Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns
Coming off their last-second victory over the Bengals, the Broncos would play their Week 2 home opener against the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In the first quarter, Denver would trail early as Browns kicker Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
got a 22-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Broncos took the lead as quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
Tony Scheffler
-Denver Broncos:Scheffler was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006,...
. Cleveland would creep close as Dawson made a 47-yard field goal, but Denver would answer as kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
got a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth, the Broncos pulled away as fullback Peyton Hillis
Peyton Hillis
Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback...
got a 2-yard touchdown run and running back Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
got a 45-yard touchdown run.
With the win, Denver improved to 2–0.
Week 3: at Oakland Raiders
After Oakland began the game with a 3-and-out, Denver sustained a long drive deep into Oakland territory. However, the Raiders orchestrated a successful goal-line stand, forcing Denver to turn the ball over on downs after a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line was stopped. Two plays later, however, Raiders quarterback JaMarcus RussellJaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Trenell Russell is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. Russell played college football for the LSU Tigers where he finished 21–4 as a starter and was named MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Oakland Raiders selected Russell with the first overall pick of the 2007...
was intercepted by Denver safety Renaldo Hill
Renaldo Hill
Renaldo Hill is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State....
after throwing from his own end zone. The Broncos then drove 23 yards in 6 plays, scoring on a 2-yard Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
pass to Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
. The next Raiders drive lasted just 3 plays after Russell was intercepted again, this time by Broncos cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Andre Goodman. This led to a 48-yard field goal by Broncos kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
, giving them a 10–0 lead going into the 2nd quarter.
Oakland's first drive of the second quarter was also their most successful. They went 56 yards in over 8 minutes, leading to a 48-yard Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...
field goal. Denver then drove 76 yards, although Oakland again held Denver out of the end zone, leading to a 21-yard Prater field goal and giving the Broncos a 13–3 lead going into halftime. Denver then opened the half with another scoring drive, this time going 80 yards in 8 plays and scoring on a 7-yard run by rookie running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
. It was the first touchdown of Moreno's NFL career. Oakland was forced to punt on their next drive. However, on Denver's first play from scrimmage, running back Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
fumbled the ball at their own 16-yard line, giving Oakland the ball in Denver territory for just the 3rd time on the day. However, 2 plays later, Raiders running back Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
fumbled the ball for the second time on the day (the first time was recovered by Oakland), giving Denver the ball back at their own 11. They then drove 88 yards in 16 plays and over 8 minutes, although the Raiders again held them out of the end zone, leading to a Prater 24-yard field goal.
The Broncos won the game primarily on the strength of their running game and the defense. Correll Buckhalter ran 14 times for 108 yards, while rookie Knowshown Moreno ran 21 times for 90 yards. Overall, the Broncos had 215 yards rushing on the day. The defense held the Raiders to just 137 total yards and 9 first downs, caused 2 interceptions and 1 fumble, and also sacked JaMarcus Russell 3 times, 2 of them by star defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Elvis Dumervil
Elvis Dumervil
-Denver Broncos:Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end....
(who had 4 in the previous game against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
). Russell had just 61 yards passing on 21 attempts with 2 interceptions, giving him a quarterback rating of 22.6. Kyle Orton had 157 yards passing on 23 attempts with 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, giving him a respectable 92.1 rating.
With the win, Denver improved to 3–0.
Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Coming off their divisional road win over the Raiders, the Broncos went home for a Week 4 interconference duel with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Denver would struggle out of the gates in the first quarter, as Cowboys kicker Nick Folk
Nick Folk
Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Folk is an American football kicker who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
got a 49-yard field goal and running back Marion Barber
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
would acquire a 1-yard touchdown run. The Broncos would start to gain some momentum in the second quarter with quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
's 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
. After a scoreless third quarter, Denver would take command of the game in the fourth quarter. The Broncos would get a 28-yard field goal from kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
, followed by Orton's 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
. Afterwards, the defense would manage to hold off a late Dallas drive that actually made it to their 1-yard line.
With the win, the Broncos would acquire their first 4–0 start since 2003.
Week 5: vs. New England Patriots
Coming off of a home win against the Cowboys, the Broncos stayed at home, donned their throwback uniforms, and prepared for a Week 5 AFL Legacy game with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. This would mark the highly-anticipated match-up between Denver head coach Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
and New England's head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
.
The Broncos would trail in the first quarter as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
hooked up with wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
on an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by kicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
getting a 53-yard field goal. Denver would answer in the second quarter as quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
on an 11-yard touchdown pass, but New England would close out the half with Brady's 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Benjamin Watson
Benjamin Watson
Benjamin Watson is an American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 32nd overall in the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Georgia.-Early years:Watson attended Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, South...
.
The Broncos would tie the game in the second half as kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
nailed a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by Orton finding Marshall again on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. In overtime, Denver won possession and never relinquished possession as Prater booted the game-winning 41-yard field goal.
With the win, the Broncos improved to 5–0 for the first time since the team's Super Bowl run of 1998.
Week 6: at San Diego Chargers
Coming off an impressive home win over the Patriots, the Broncos flew to Qualcomm StadiumQualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
, donned their throwbacks again, and played a Week 6 AFL Legacy game with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on Monday night. Even though the Chargers kicked off the first quarter with a 20-yard field goal from kicker Nate Kaeding
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...
, the Broncos immediately struck back with wide receiver Eddie Royal
Eddie Royal
William Edward "Eddie" Royal is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
returned the kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. San Diego would then close out the opening period with quarterback Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
hooking up with wide receiver Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
on a 3-yard touchdown pass. Denver would take the lead in the second quarter with kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
making a 34-yard field goal, followed by Royal returning a punt 71 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, the Chargers closed out the half with Kaeding nailing a 44-yard field goal and running back Darren Sproles
Darren Sproles
Darren Lee Sproles is an American football running back of the NFL who plays for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
returning a punt 77 yards for a touchdown.
Even though San Diego increased their lead in the third quarter with Kaeding's 50-yard field goal, the Broncos regained it with quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
Tony Scheffler
-Denver Broncos:Scheffler was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006,...
. In the fourth quarter, Denver closed out the game with Prater's 29-yard field goal and Orton's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
.
With the win, the Broncos went into their bye week at 6–0, which is the franchise's best start since their Super Bowl season of 1998.
Week 8: at Baltimore Ravens
Coming off their bye week, the Broncos flew to M&T Bank StadiumM&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
for a Week 8 duel with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Denver would trail in the first quarter as Ravens kicker Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka is an American football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
nailed a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter, followed by a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Broncos' deficit immediately climbed as cornerback Lardarius Webb returned the second half's opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Denver would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run from rookie running back Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
, Baltimore came right back with Haushchka booting a 31-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Ravens would pull away in the fourth quarter with quarterback Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
's 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason
Derrick Mason
Derrick James Mason is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.Mason has also played for the Baltimore Ravens where he...
and running back Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
getting a 7-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, the Broncos fell to 6–1.
Week 9: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Ravens, the Broncos went home for a Week 9 Monday night duel with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. Denver would begin the first quarter with kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
making a 40-yard field goal, yet the Steelers responded in the second quarter with safety Tyrone Carter
Tyrone Carter
Tyrone "Chowder" Carter is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League...
returning an interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
The Broncos would regain the lead in the third quarter as defensive end Kenny Peterson
Kenny Peterson
James Kenneth Peterson is an American football defensive end who is a Free Agent. He was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
forced a fumble during his sack of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. It allowed rookie linebacker Robert Ayers
Robert Ayers
-Denver Broncos:Ayers was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the second one of their two first round picks at 18th overall of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 4, 2009, Ayers signed a five-year contract with $9.7 million guaranteed. In his rookie season he recorded 19 tackles and no sacks...
to return the fumble 54 yards for a touchdown. However, Pittsburgh came right back with Roethlisberger's 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...
. Afterwards, the Steelers would pull away in the fourth quarter as Roethlisberger completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ward.
Making an appearance during the game was American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier Johnny Spillane, a Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
native, who would go onto win three silver medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
three months later.
With the loss, Denver fell to 6–2.
Week 10: at Washington Redskins
Trying to snap a two-game losing streak, the Broncos flew to FedEx Field for a Week 10 interconference duel with the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. In the first quarter, Denver struck first as quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
found wide receiver Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
on a 40-yard touchdown pass. The Redskins would respond as quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Todd Yoder
Todd Yoder
Todd Yoder is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. Yoder was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000. He played college football at...
, yet the Broncos would answer with Orton going right back to Marshall again on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Washington would tie the game again in the second quarter with a trick play as punter Hunter Smith
Hunter Smith
Hunter Dwight Smith is an American football punter, currently a free agent and most recently for the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mike Sellers. Denver would close out the half with a 24-yard field goal from kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
but on the previous play Orton (11/18 for 193 yards, 2 TDs) left the game with an ankle injury. This injury would prove costly not only in this game but the next for the Broncos. Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
replaced Orton at quarterback but was unable to get anything going on offense for the Broncos, going a dismal 3/21 for 13 yards with 1 INT. After a scoreless third quarter, the Redskins would take the lead in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Ladell Betts
Ladell Betts
Matthew Ladell Betts is an American football running back who is currently a free agent He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa....
and a 35-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
.
With their third-straight loss, the Broncos fell to 6–3.
Week 11: vs. San Diego Chargers
In the first half, the Chargers got off to a great start when QB Philip Rivers got a 2-yard touchdown pass to WR Legedu Naanee. Then kicker Nate Kaeding hit a 28 and a 47-yard field goal. In the third quarter the Broncos scored their only points of the game when kicker Matt Prater got a 23-yard field goal, yet the Chargers replied and started to rally with RB LaDainian Tomlinson getting a 1-yard touchdown run, and in the fourth quarter Kaeding making a 28 then a 19-yard field goal, and finally FB Mike Tolbert ran 8 yards to the end zone for a touchdown (With PAT kick blocked).With the fourth straight loss, the Broncos fell to a 6–4 record as the Chargers improved to a 7–3 record and took the divisional lead.
Week 12: vs. New York Giants
Trying to avoid a five-game losing streak, the Broncos went home for a Week 12 Interconference Duel against the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In the first quarter the Broncos got on the board with kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
making a 26-yard field goal and then a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Broncos kept on top with RB Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
making a 1-yard touchdown run. After that Matt Prater made a 47-yard field goal to end the half. In the third quarter the Giants replied with kicker Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...
nailing a 39 then a 52-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter Denver increased their lead with QB Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
making a 17-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, and Prater making a 24-yard field goal.
With the win, the Broncos improved to 7–4.
Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14: at Indianapolis Colts
Coming off a two game winning streak, the Broncos headed to Lucas Oil Stadium to play the undefeated Colts. In the first half, the Colts jumped out to a 21–0 lead. Denver finally scored when Kyle Orton found Brandon Marshall in the end zone going to the locker rooms trailing 21–7. For most of the second half, the Colts offense sputtered. In a long drive, Orton found Marshall for his second touchdown, however, the two point conversion was no good, making the score 21–16. Then the Colts offense got things going late in the fourth. After a long drive, Manning found Dallas Clark in the end zone for his third touchdown of the day, putting the Colts on top 28–16 with under three minutes left in the game. On a long fourth down, Orton found Marshall who lateraled the ball to a lineman who was tackled short of the first down. With the win, the Colts broke an NFL record with 23 straight wins. Though despite the loss, Broncos WR Brandon Marshall had a record of his own with 21 catches beating Terrell Owens' record.Week 15: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 16: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Going into week 17, Denver could have made the playoffs if they won in these scenarios-1) A New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
loss and either a loss by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
or the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
OR
2) A New York Jets loss and a win by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
OR
3)A Baltimore Ravens loss and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss or a Houston Texans win.
Also, Denver could have made the playoffs even with a loss to Kansas City in these scenarios-
1) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston, and the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
OR
2) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston, and New York
OR
3) Losses by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and New York
OR
4) Losses by Pittsburgh, Houston, Jacksonville, and New York
OR
5) Losses by New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, and the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
In the days prior to the game, Coach Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
got into an injury-related dispute with receiver Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
and deactivated Marshall.
In the game, Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles
Jamaal Charles
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
had a franchise record 259 yards rushing yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns (Including runs of 52 and 56 yards). Kyle Orton, who had thrown only 9 interceptions all year, threw 3: 2 to Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson
Derrick Johnson
-Kansas City Chiefs:Johnson started every game for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005, becoming the first Chiefs linebacker in 20 years to start all 16 games of his rookie campaign. He was subsequently awarded the Mack Lee Hill Award by the Chiefs...
, both returned for scores, and another in the end zone to Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers (American football)
Brandon Lavar Flowers is an American football cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft after playing college football at Virginia Tech...
. Orton did finish with a career high 431 yards through the air on 32/56 passing. Jabar Gaffney
Jabar Gaffney
Derrick Jabar Gaffney is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, replacing the inactive Brandon Marshall, had a career-high 14 receptions for 213 yards.
Both career days were empty, as the Chiefs beat the Broncos, ending their season. The Broncos became the seventh team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to miss the playoffs after a 6–0 start.
Final standings
| AFC West AFC West The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:... |
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| z (2) San Diego Chargers 2009 San Diego Chargers season The 2009 San Diego Chargers season was the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons... |
13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 454 | 320 | W11 |
| Denver Broncos 2009 Denver Broncos season The 2009 Denver Broncos season was their 40th season in the NFL and 50th season overall. The Broncos matched their 8–8 regular season record from 2008 but did not make the playoffs. The Broncos welcomed many new defensive players signed during free agency, including veteran Eagles safety Brian... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 326 | 324 | L4 |
| Oakland Raiders 2009 Oakland Raiders season The 2009 Oakland Raiders season is the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. On September 6, 2009, The Raiders traded a 2011 draft pick to the New England Patriots for 5x Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour. With their loss to Dallas on November... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 197 | 379 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 50th season, and first with head coach Todd Haley at the helm. It was also the first season with Scott Pioli as the team's general manager. The Chiefs attempted to improve on their 2–14 record from 2008 with the third overall selection in the... |
4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | 294 | 424 | W1 |
Staff
| Denver Broncos 2009 staff | ||||||
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Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
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Final roster
| Denver Broncos 2009 final roster | ||||||||
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
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Offensive Linemen
Ryan Clady -Denver Broncos:Following Week 12 of the 2008 NFL season, Peter King of Sports Illustrated said Clady was the third-best rookie overall. On December 12, 2008, Clady won the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award, after his game against the Kansas City Chiefs... T Brandon Gorin Brandon Michael Gorin is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.... T Ben Hamilton Benjamin "Ben" Thomas Hamilton is a retired American football guard and center, who played for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft... G Chris Kuper Chris Kuper is an American football offensive guard for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He is currently the Broncos starting right guard.... G Seth Olsen Seth Olsen is an American football guard for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa... G Tyler Polumbus Tyler Polumbus is an American football offensive tackle who is currently on the Washington Redskins. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2008... T Casey Wiegmann Casey Peter Wiegmann is an American football center for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 1996... C Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Robert Ayers -Denver Broncos:Ayers was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the second one of their two first round picks at 18th overall of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 4, 2009, Ayers signed a five-year contract with $9.7 million guaranteed. In his rookie season he recorded 19 tackles and no sacks... OLB/DE Andra Davis Andra Raynard Davis [pronounced André] is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Florida... ILB Elvis Dumervil -Denver Broncos:Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end.... OLB/DE Mario Haggan Mario Marcell Haggan is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.-Early years:Haggan grew up in a poverty-stricken area of... OLB Jarvis Moss Jarvis Jaray Moss is an American football defensive end for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . Moss was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Florida Gators.-High school career:Moss was born in Denton, Texas... OLB/DE Darrell Reid Darrell Reid is an American football linebacker who is currenrly a free agent of the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2005... OLB/DE Wesley Woodyard Wesley Woodyard is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky, where he helped lead the team to a victory in Music City Bowl over Clemson in 2006.-High school career:Woodyard was born in LaGrange,... ILB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Reserve Lists
Nick Greisen Nick A. Greisen is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.... ILB (IR)  Ryan Harris (American football) Ryan Emerson Wilcox Harris is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.... OT (IR) Russ Hochstein Russ Hochstein is an American football guard for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft... G (IR) Darcel McBath Steven Darcel McBath is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft... FS (IR) Kenny McKinley Kendrick L. McKinley was an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.-Early years:Born in Mableton, Georgia, he graduated from South... WR (IR) J'Vonne Parker J'Vonne Dieunti Parker is an American football defensive tackle for the who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2005... NT (IR) Practice Squad
Rookies in italics 53 Active, 6 Inactive, 8 PS |
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