Tag: Broncos Buzz’

Saquon Barkley breaks Terrell Davis’ record for best rushing season in NFL history

Saquon Barkley has passed Hall of Famer Terrell Davis for the most rushing yards in a single season, playoffs included.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was just 30 yards away from breaking Terrell Davis’ record for the most rushing yards in a single season (playoffs included).

Barkley finished the day with 57 rushing yards, breaking the record.

Davis, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, originally set the record when he totaled 2,331 yards with the Denver Broncos in 1997. One year later, TD broke his own record by rushing for 2,476 yards in 1998.

Both marks have now been passed by Barkley, who had 2,447 rushing yards going into Super Bowl LIX. Sunday marked Barkley’s 20th game this season, and he finished the year with 436 carries. Davis got 470 carries in 19 games in 1998.

Most rushing yards in a season (playoffs included)

  1. Saquon Barkley: 2,504 yards (2024)
  2. Terrell Davis: 2,476 yards (1998)
  3. Terrell Davis: 2,331 yards (1997)
  4. Eric Dickerson: 2,212 yards (1984)
  5. Adrian Peterson: 2,196 yards (2012)

Barkley averaged 5.48 yards per carry and 124.75 yards per game in the playoffs this year. Davis averaged 6.0/156.0 during the 1998 playoffs.

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4 ex-Broncos set to participate in Super Bowl LIX

Two former Broncos players and two ex-Denver coaches are part of the Super Bowl this weekend.

The Denver Broncos were knocked out of the NFL playoffs in the Wild Card round, but two of their former players and two ex-coaches have advanced to Super Bowl LIX.

The NFC will be represented by the Philadelphia Eagles, who have ex-Broncos head coach Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator. Fangio’s staff includes ex-Denver defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who now works as a passing game coordinator/DBs coach with the Eagles.

In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs have a pair of ex-Broncos players in running back Samaje Perine and receiver/returner Montrell Washington, who is currently on the practice squad. Perine was cut by Denver last summer and he quickly signed with the Chiefs.

The veteran running back caught a 17-yard pass in the AFC Championship game on Sunday to clinch KC’s win over the Buffalo Bills. He is now set to play in his second title game after previously reaching Super Bowl LVI with the Cincinnati Bengals following the 2021 season.

The Super Bowl will air on Fox on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 4:30 p.m. MT.

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Broncos will face Super Bowl champion and runner-up in 2025

The Broncos will face the Chiefs (home and away) and Eagles (away) during the 2025 NFL season.

No matter who wins the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Denver Broncos are guaranteed to face the defending champion (and runner-up) during the 2025 NFL season.

The Kansas City Chiefs (home and away) and Philadelphia Eagles (away) are both on Denver’s list of 2025 opponents for next season. The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, will face Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9.

Kansas City is also set to host Philadelphia next season, so that game could be a prime candidate for the NFL’s season opener in 2025.

The Broncos’ full list of 2025 opponents features the AFC West, AFC South and NFC East, plus same-place finishers from the AFC North (Cincinnati Bengals), AFC East (New York Jets) and NFC North (Green Bay Packers).

In addition to facing Mahomes and Hurts, Denver’s defense will also face a tough list of quarterbacks including Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and C.J. Stroud.

With an unbalanced 17-game schedule, the AFC and NFC rotate having eight or nine home games each season. After playing eight games at Empower Field at Mile High in 2024, the Broncos will have nine home games in 2025.

Broncos list of 2025 opponents

Home Away
Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants Washington Commanders
Cincinnati Bengals New York Jets
Green Bay Packers

The team’s complete 2025 NFL schedule with dates and times will be announced in the spring, likely in early May.

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On this date in 1999: Broncos won Super Bowl XXXIII

On this date (Jan. 31) in 1999, the Broncos defeated the Falcons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII.

One year after defeating the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII, the Denver Broncos returned to the NFL’s championship game to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII on Sunday, Jan. 31 1999.

Playing in the final game of his career, quarterback John Elway took home Super Bowl MVP honors after completing 18-of-29 passes for 336 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Elway also rushed three times for two yards and another score.

Elway later retired during the 1999 offseason and he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2004. Three other members of Denver’s starting lineup that day later joined Elway in the Hall of Fame: tight end Shannon Sharpe, running back Terrell Davis and safety Steve Atwater.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HgxrcoG_bI

Elway returned to the team as an executive in 2011 and he helped the Broncos reach two more Super Bowls, winning one in 2016. Denver has won three Super Bowls in franchise history, with Elway playing a role in all three.

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Full list of Pro Bowl skills challenges tonight (plus TV info)

The Pro Bowl Skills Show will air live on ESPN tonight. Here’s the full list of challenges.

The Pro Bowl Skills Challenge has been renamed the Pro Bowl Skills Show and the 2025 edition will be held tonight (Thursday, Jan. 30) from 7-8:30 p.m. ET (5-6:30 p.m. MT).

The made-for-TV event will be nationally televised on ESPN and available to stream on FuboTV (try it free). Following the skills show, the players will return to action in a flag football game on Sunday, Feb. 2.

The Denver Broncos have three players participating in the Pro Bowl Games this year: cornerback Pat Surtain, pass rusher Nik Bonitto and returner Marvin Mims. Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz and quarterback Bo Nix were also invited as alternates but they declined.

Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) are returning to coach the 2025 Pro Bowl Games this season and the NFL recently announced the skills challenges that will take place in Orlando. Here’s the full list.

2025 Pro Bowl Skills Challenges

Thursday, Jan. 30:

  • Passing The Test: Quarterbacks try to hit targets at various distances around the field worth different point values in 40 seconds. Before the challenge, each quarterback will select a Pro Bowl Games teammate to answer five trivia questions about current Pro Bowl players. For every correct answer, the quarterback gets an additional 10 seconds. The winner of the competition is the team with the quarterback who scores the most points.
  • Satisfying Catches presented by SNICKERS®: One wide receiver, tight end and defensive back from each conference will compete in a challenge obstacle course, including catches from a jugs machine at three different distances, to test every aspect of catching a football. Each teammate will complete the course back-to-back with the lowest combined time winning the challenge.
  • Relay Race: A simultaneous relay-style event where four players from each conference complete a 40-yard dash before handing a football to the next athlete on their team, continuing until the fourth and final leg crosses the finish line. The conferences will compete in three rounds, with the fastest team winning.
  • Helmet Harmony: A game show to test player knowledge of their teammates, with every correct answer worth one point. The team with the most correct answers wins.
  • Dodgeball presented by Bud Light: A three-round tournament of classic dodgeball featuring six teams of five players. Teams will be a mix of AFC offensive, defensive and special teams players competing against a mix of NFC offensive, defensive and special teams players.

Sunday, Feb. 2:

  • Punt Perfect: Two players (one punter, one non-punter) from each conference punt from the 35-yard line, attempting to place as many punts as possible into a set of six buckets in the end zone. Each bucket is worth one point, with every fifth punt worth three points. The two players with the highest combined score will be the winners.
  • The Great Football Race: Six players from each conference will face off in a relay race consisting of five different challenges, culminating with a sled push. The team to cross the finish line first wins.
  • Tug-of-War: A five-on-five demonstration of teamwork, strength and strategy, and positioned above a foam pit, players are challenged to pull backwards on the rope, attempting to move the opposing team in their direction. The competition will be the best of three, and the winner who pulls the opposing team into the foam pit twice wins.

The Pro Bowl Games are held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

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On this date in 1998: Broncos won Super Bowl XXXII

On this date (Jan. 25) in 1998, the 11.5-point underdog Broncos defeated the Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII.

The Denver Broncos upset the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII on Sunday, Jan. 25, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, marking the first championship victory in franchise history.

After previously losing four Super Bowls in the 1970s-1980s, the Broncos were considered big 11.5-point underdogs against the Packers.

Led by a productive rushing attack and opportunistic defense, Denver overcame those odds to pull off an upset win.

The Broncos’ offense was carried by running back Terrell Davis, who rushed 30 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns in the win, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. Davis would later go on to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017 after retiring from the NFL in 2002.

On defense, Denver forced three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) to help slow down a high-powered Green Bay offense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmZdHyQSR90&t=7s

Five members of the Broncos’ starting lineup that day — Davis, quarterback John Elway, tight end Shannon Sharpe, left tackle Gary Zimmerman and safety Steve Atwater — are now in the Hall of Fame.

After securing their first Super Bowl victory in 1998, Denver went on to win again in 1999, and they later won a third title in 2016.

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Falcons sign WR recently let go by Broncos; Bucs add ex-Denver DL

The Falcons signed ex-Broncos WR David Sills to a reserve/future contract and the Bucs added defensive lineman Adam Gotsis.

It didn’t take long for David Sills to land on his feet.

After having his practice squad contract with the Denver Broncos expire on Monday, the wide receiver signed a reserve/future contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.

Sills (6-3, 211 pounds) spent the last two years on Denver’s practice squad. Before that, he spent time with the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. Sills has 13 career receptions for 123 yards in 16 games, including three appearances with the Broncos during the 2023 season.

Elsewhere on the ex-Denver player front, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed defensive lineman Adam Gotsis to a reserve/future contract. Gotsis (6-4, 290 pounds) was picked by the Broncos in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He spent the first four years of his career in Denver before stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts.

Sills was one of three practice squad players who did not receive reserve/future deals from the Broncos at the end of the 2024 season, joined by tight end Donald Parham and offensive tackle Cam Fleming.

The Broncos did sign 14 other players to reserve/future contracts.

Players that are not on an active roster at the end of the season are eligible to sign reserve/future deals. After signing reserve contracts, players officially join the 90-man offseason roster when the new league year begins in March.

Ex-Broncos practice squad free agents

  1. TE Donald Parham
  2. OT Cam Fleming

Broncos reserve/future signings

  1. WR A.T. Perry
  2. WR Michael Bandy
  3. TE Thomas Yassmin
  4. OL Nick Garguilo
  5. OL Will Sherman
  6. OL Calvin Throckmorton
  7. DL Matt Henningsen
  8. DT Jordan Miller
  9. LB K.J. Cloyd
  10. OLB Andrew Farmer
  11. DB Quinton Newsome
  12. DB Keidron Smith
  13. DB Tanner McCalister
  14. CB Reese Taylor

Denver signed 14 players to reserve/future deals last year, including running back Tyler Badie.

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Broncos let 3 players become free agents after contracts expire

The Broncos let the practice squad contracts of WR David Sills, TE Donald Parham and OT Cam Fleming expire, making them free agents.

Story update: After parting ways with the Broncos on Monday, WR David Sills signed a reserve/future contract with the Falcons on Tuesday. See our original post below.

The Denver Broncos have let the contracts expire for three practice squad players, making them 2025 free agents.

After spending last season on the Broncos’ practice squad, wide receiver David Sills, tight end Donald Parham and offensive tackle Cam Fleming were not among the 14 players signed to reserve/future contracts.

Sills, Parham and Fleming had their 2024 deals expire on Monday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. They are now free to sign with any team.

Players that are not on an active roster at the end of the season are eligible to sign reserve/future deals. After signing reserve contracts, players officially join the 90-man offseason roster when the new league year begins in March.

Broncos expired practice squad contracts

  1. WR David Sills
  2. TE Donald Parham
  3. OT Cam Fleming

Broncos reserve/future signings

  1. WR A.T. Perry
  2. WR Michael Bandy
  3. TE Thomas Yassmin
  4. OL Nick Garguilo
  5. OL Will Sherman
  6. OL Calvin Throckmorton
  7. DL Matt Henningsen
  8. DT Jordan Miller
  9. LB K.J. Cloyd
  10. OLB Andrew Farmer
  11. DB Quinton Newsome
  12. DB Keidron Smith
  13. DB Tanner McCalister
  14. CB Reese Taylor

Denver signed 14 players to reserve/future deals last year, including running back Tyler Badie.

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Broncos order of picks in 2025 NFL draft

The Broncos hold seven picks in the 2025 NFL draft, including their own selections in the first four rounds.

The Denver Broncos currently hold seven picks in the 2025 NFL draft, including their own selections in the first four rounds.

After finishing the 2024 regular season with a 10-7 record and then getting knocked out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round, the Broncos will pick 20th overall in the first round of the draft.

Denver does not hold a fifth-round pick after trading that pick and pass rusher Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in 2022 in exchange for running back Chase Edmonds and first- and fourth-round draft picks. (The Broncos later used that first-round pick to acquire coach Sean Payton in 2023.)

Denver also does not hold a seventh-round pick after trading that selection and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

The Broncos have their own picks in the first four rounds for the first time since the Russell Wilson trade, and they hold three picks in the sixth round following the Baron Browning trade from earlier this season.

Here’s a look at the team’s order of picks in next year’s NFL draft, with help from prosportstransactions.com.

Broncos order of picks in 2025 NFL draft

  • Round 1: own pick (20th overall)
  • Round 2: own pick (51st overall)
  • Round 3: own pick (85th overall)
  • Round 4: own pick (TBD)
  • Round 6: acquired from Cardinals (TBD)
  • Round 6: own pick (TBD)
  • Round 6: acquired from Eagles (TBD)

The league will award compensatory picks beyond the third round this spring, but Denver is not projected to get any comp picks in 2025. The exact placement of the Broncos’ picks in the second half of the draft will be known after other teams receive their comp picks.

The 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay from April 24-26.

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6 players fined after Broncos-Bills playoff game, including Mack Hollins

Bills WR Mack Hollins was fined for taunting Broncos CB Pat Surtain on Sunday. Denver RB Javonte Williams also received a large fine.

The NFL handed down fines to six players following the playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos last weekend.

Notably, Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins received a $11,255 fine for taunting. Hollins was penalized after he made a catch and pushed Pat Surtain’s head and then stepped over the cornerback:

Hollins received a second $6,736 fine (also for taunting), bringing his total to $17,991. Elsewhere for the Bills, Reid Ferguson ($11,255) was fined for taunting, Damar Hamlin ($6,083) was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct and Taron Johnson ($14,305) was fined for unnecessary roughness.

As for the Broncos, running back Javonte Williams ($45,020) received a big fine for unnecessary roughness (using his helmet) and linebacker Justin Strnad ($7,250) was also fined for unnecessary roughness.

Williams ($45,020) now finishes as the team’s most-fined player from the 2024 season, followed by safety P.J. Locke ($41,916), defensive lineman Malcolm Roach ($36,579), safety Brandon Jones ($28,138), pass rusher Nik Bonitto ($17,582), Cooper ($12,668), cornerback Pat Surtain ($11,255), fullback Mike Burton ($7,653), Strnad ($7,250), center Luke Wattenberg ($5,872), tight end Lucas Krull ($5,083), running back Blake Watson ($4,463) and safety Devon Key ($4,417).

The money the league receives from fines is “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels,” per the NFL.

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