Category: Broncos Buzz

Here are the Broncos’ punter and kicker ratings in ‘Madden NFL 24’

Based on their ratings, Broncos punter Riley Dixon is a better option for field goals in ‘Madden 24’ than kicker Elliott Fry.

EA Sports released player ratings for “Madden NFL 24” last week and the ratings are not kind to the Denver Broncos’ specialists.

Broncos kicker Elliott Fry has a low overall rating of 64. He actually has a high kick power rating of 90, but his kick accuracy is only 66.

Meanwhile, Denver punter Riley Dixon is rated 75 overall. He has a decent kick power rating of 93 and a kick accuracy rating of 79. By those metrics, Dixon would actually be a better option for field goals than Fry if playing with the Broncos in the video game.

Dixon’s overall rating is tied for 18th among punters in “Madden” this year. Fry has the second-worst ratings among kickers in the game, only ranking above Trey Wolff (63 overall) of the Tennessee Titans.

Elsewhere on special teams, the club’s long snapper, Mitchell Fraboni, is listed as a tight end in the video game with a terrible rating of 32 overall. “Madden” doesn’t include long snapper as a position so all of the NFL’s long snappers are listed as tight ends with terrible ratings.

To view all of the Broncos’ “Madden” ratings from 2022, click here.

Note: The Broncos are expected to sign kicker Brett Maher, but his one-year deal is not yet official.

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Report: Broncos signing kicker Brett Maher

The Broncos are signing veteran kicker Brett Maher, according to @AaronWilson_NFL.

The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms on a contract with kicker Brett Maher, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Maher will sign a one-year deal, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Maher previously worked out for the team earlier this year.

Maher, 33, played under Broncos head coach Sean Payton for eight games with the New Orleans Saints in 2021. In those eight games, Maher went 16-of-18 on field goal attempts and 10-of-12 on extra point attempts.

Last season, Maher played for the Dallas Cowboys. He went 29-of-32 on field goal attempts and 50-of-53 on extra point attempts. Maher went viral in the playoffs after going 1-of-6 on extra point attempts in two postseason games.

Those playoff yips aside, Maher had a strong season in 2022. The veteran kicker has spent time with eight NFL teams and three CFL teams. It remains to be seen who the Broncos will cut to make room for Maher on the 90-man offseason roster.

If Denver does not cut Elliott Fry in a corresponding move, Maher will be set to compete with Fry at training camp this summer. The Broncos will have a new kicker this fall after releasing Brandon McManus in May.

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Here are the ‘Madden 24’ ratings for every Broncos cornerback

Broncos star Pat Surtain is the third-best cornerback in ‘Madden NFL 24’ with a 94 overall rating, a big jump from last year (83 overall).

(EA Sports, Madden NFL 24)

EA Sports has been rolling out player ratings for “Madden NFL 24” and we now know the ratings for every Denver Broncos cornerback in this year’s version of the popular video game.

Pat Surtain (94 OVR) is the third-best cornerback in the video game, only trailing Jaire Alexander (95 OVR) and Jalen Ramsey (97 OVR). This marks a huge increase from when Surtain was rated 83 OVR in last year’s game.

Behind Surtain, Denver’s next-best cornerback is K’Waun Williams (76 OVR), followed by Damarri Mathis (72 OVR) and rookie Riley Moss (70 OVR). Veterans Tremon Smith (69 OVR) and Essang Bassey (66 OVR) round out the top six.

EA Sports made a very curious decision to not include Ja’Quan McMillian or Art Green, two young cornerbacks who arguably have better odds to make the 53-man roster than Faion Hicks (64 OVR) or Delonte Hood (61 OVR) this summer.

To view all of the team’s ratings in last year’s version of “Madden,” click here.

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Tim Tebow is now a co-owner of a minor-league hockey team

Former Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow now co-owns a minority stake in a Lake Tahoe-based ECHL hockey team.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was a two-sport athlete in baseball and football. Now, he will be a co-owner of a minor-league hockey team.

The team will be located in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and part of the ECHL. The expansion franchise will be the 29th team in the league and will start playing in 2024-25.

Tebow actually already owns minority stakes in two other ECHL teams: the Savannah Ghost Pirates and the Jacksonville Icemen.

“It is an honor and a privilege to steward this new franchise for the community,” Tebow’s co-owner, Dave Hodges, said in a statement. “Tim and I are excited to be able to share this new team with the community. We look forward to engaging the fans as we name the team, design the logos and eventually drop the puck in October of 2024.

“We believe in the power of sports to bring communities together and there’s no better place than the South Lake Tahoe region. With this new ECHL team, we’re committed to delivering unforgettable games, making lasting memories and impacting this community positively.”

Tebow played for the Broncos from 2010-2011, posting an 8-6 win-loss record as a starter.

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The best player to ever wear No. 12 for the Broncos was …

Broncos Ring of Fame QB Charley Johnson ranks ninth on the team’s all-time passing list in yards (7,238) and seventh in touchdowns (52).

The best player to ever wear jersey No. 12 for the Denver Broncos was quarterback Charley Johnson, who played for the club from 1972-1975.

Johnson started his pro career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1961 and he earned a Pro Bowl nod following the 1963 season. After nine seasons with St. Louis, Johnson played with the Houston Oilers from 1970-1971.

Johnson then joined the Broncos in 1972 and he played the final four years of his career in Denver. Johnson threw for 7,238 yards and 52 touchdowns against 52 interceptions in 54 games (41 starts) with the Broncos.

Johnson went 20-18-3 as a starter in Denver and he was added to the team’s Ring of Fame in 1986. He ranks ninth on the team’s all-time passing list in yards and seventh in touchdowns.

In his career, Johnson totaled 24,410 passing yards and 170 touchdowns.

No. 12 is currently worn by Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington. Before that, it was worn by defensive back Mike Ford, quarterback Paxton Lynch and wide receiver Andre Caldwell.

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Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson win Emmy award for 2022 schedule release video

The Broncos won four Emmy awards from the National Academy of Televisions Arts & Sciences Heartland Chapter earlier this week.

The Denver Broncos were the recipients of four Emmy awards from the National Academy of Televisions Arts & Sciences Heartland Chapter in the digital and broadcast content category earlier this week.

Here is a list of the awards and productions that won these prestigious awards.

Entertainment – Short Form Content-2022 NFL schedule release video

The 2022 schedule release video was the second of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning’s three appearances (to date). In the video, Manning trains the new “intern,” now-quarterback Russell Wilson. Fellow Hall of Famer John Elway and former head coach Nathaniel Hackett also cameoed in the production.

Sports: One-Time Special-Demaryius Thomas: The Heart of a Legend

Late Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas was honored by the franchise with a documentary featuring former teammates and his place in the record books of Denver history.

Sports Promotion: Single Spot-Brand Anthem

In preparation for the beginning of the season, the Broncos made a 90-second hype video for fans to get excited. Unfortunately, the team performed worse than the video did, finishing with a dismal 5-12 record.

Program Promotion: Single Spot-Steve Atwater: The Road to Canton

As part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020, the Broncos honored former safety Steve Atwater with a first-person perspective of his career. From the draft to receiving a gold jacket, the Denver media team scored a touchdown with this production.

The off-field accolades are well-deserved. Now Broncos fans will hope to see the team compete for on-field awards this season.

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The best player to ever wear No. 11 for the Broncos was …

Luke Prestridge ranks fifth in franchise history with 15,754 punt yards. He made the Pro Bowl with the Broncos following the 1982 season.

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The best player to ever wear jersey No. 11 for the Denver Broncos was punter Luke Prestridge, who played for the club from 1979-1983.

After playing college football at Baylor, Prestridge was drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL draft. He went on to play five seasons in Denver, earning a Pro Bowl nod following the 1982 season.

Despite only playing five years with the Broncos, Prestridge ranks fifth in franchise history with 15,754 punt yards and he never had a punt blocked. He is also tied for the franchise record with 12 punts in a single game (obviously not a good stat for the offense, but a record for the punter nonetheless).

After playing in Denver, Prestridge finished his career with the New England Patriots in 1984. He tied a then-NFL record that season with an 89-yard punt.

Prestridge finished his career with 17,638 punt yards with a long of 89 yards and 20.9% of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line. He punted 421 times during his six-year career in the NFL.

Former Broncos wide receiver Jordan Norwood also deserves an honorable mention. While he had a limited role as a receiver during his three years in Denver, Norwood set a then-Super Bowl record with a 61-yard punt return in the team’s 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

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The best player to ever wear No. 10 for the Broncos was …

Emmanuel Sanders ranks 10th on the Broncos’ all-time receiving list with 5,361 yards. The Super Bowl 50 champion scored 30 TDs with Denver.

The best player to ever wear No. 10 for the Denver Broncos was wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who played for the club from 2014-2019.

Sanders started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After his four-year rookie contract expired, Sanders signed with the Broncos and joined star quarterback Peyton Manning. Over the next two seasons, Sanders totaled 155 receptions for 2,539 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

Sanders helped Denver win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season, leading the team with six receptions for 83 yards in a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Manning retired after that Super Bowl win and Sanders went on to play three and a half more seasons in Denver. He caught 404 passes for 5,361 yards and 28 touchdowns in 78 games with the Broncos. Sanders also rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass while playing in Denver.

Sanders ranks 10th on the team’s all-time receiving list.

The Broncos traded Sanders to the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2019 season. He later spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills before retiring in 2022 following a 12-year career. The 36-year-old Super Bowl champion now works as an analyst on NFL Network.

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Here are the Broncos’ wide receiver ratings in ‘Madden NFL 24’

Jerry Jeudy is now the Broncos’ best wide receiver in “Madden.” He was the team’s second-best WR in last year’s version of the video game.

(Madden NFL 24, EA Sports)

EA Sports is rolling out ratings for “Madden NFL 24” this week and we now know the ratings for every Denver Broncos wide receiver in this year’s version of the popular video game.

Jerry Jeudy, who was the team’s second-best WR last year (82 overall), is now the club’s top-ranked WR this year (83 OVR). Fellow receiver Courtland Sutton saw his rating drop from 84 OVR in “Madden 23” to 82 OVR in “Madden 24).

Tim Patrick remains the team’s third-best receiver and his 80 OVR rating is unchanged from last year. KJ Hamler also has an unchanged rating (75 OVR) from last year and he is the team’s fourth-best safety in the video game.

Broncos rookie Marvin Mims was given an overall rating of 74, which is a respectable number given how low rookies are rated in the game.

Interestingly, EA Sports chose to include Lil’Jordan Humphrey on Denver’s roster but not Brandon Johnson. By our estimation, Johnson has a better shot of making the 53-man roster than Humphrey (but both players will face uphill battles).

To view all of the team’s “Madden” ratings from last year, click here.

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