2016 Denver Broncos season

2016 Denver Broncos season
Head coach	Gary Kubiak Joe DeCamillis (interim during Week 6 while Gary Kubiak recovered from a migraine condition)
General manager	John Elway
Owner	The Pat Bowlen Trust
Home field	Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Results
Record	7–4
Division place	3rd AFC West
Uniform

The 2016 Denver Broncos season is the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League, the 57th overall and the second under head coach Gary Kubiak. The Broncos enter the season as defending Super Bowl champions, and will attempt to become the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowl championships. The team underwent numerous roster changes as well as an off-season and preseason that was dominated by a quarterback controversy, following the retirement of Peyton Manning.

Coaching changes

• February 12: Brian Callahan, who had served as the Broncos' offensive quality control coach since 2010, was hired as a quarterbacks coach with the Detroit Lions.^[1]
• February 16: Klint Kubiak, son of Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak, was hired as the offensive quality control coach, replacing Brian Callahan. Klint Kubiak previously served as a coaching assistant with the Minnesota Vikings from 2013–14, and was a wide receiver's coach at the University of Kansas in 2015.^[2]

Gary Kubiak misses one game

On October 9, shortly after the Broncos' Week 5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, head coach Gary Kubiak was rushed to a Denver-area hospital, after experiencing flu-like symptoms and extreme body fatigue. According to executive vice president/general manager John Elway, Kubiak had been feeling ill prior to the loss to the Falcons, and following a precautionary MRI and CT scan, Kubiak was diagnosed with a "complex migraine." During a press conference at the team's Dove Valley headquarters on the following day (October 10), Elway announced that special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis will serve as the team's interim head coach for the team's Week 6 Thursday Night game at the San Diego Chargers, while Kubiak underwent a doctor-mandated week of rest. The Broncos would wind up losing that game. This was the second time in three years in which Kubiak suffered a health scare. In November 2013, while serving as the Houston Texans' head coach, Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke after collapsing on the field during a game against the Indianapolis Colts.^[3]

Roster changes

Free agents

Position	Player	Tag	2016 Team	Notes
RB	C. J. Anderson	RFA	Denver Broncos	signed to offer sheet by the Miami Dolphins on March 10,[4] Broncos matched offer and re-signed Anderson on March 15,[5] placed on injured reserve on October 28[6]
CB/RS	Omar Bolden	UFA	Chicago Bears	signed with the Bears on March 31[7]
C	Sam Brenner	ERFA	TBD	signed tender on April 15,[8] designated as waived/injured on August 5[9]
S	David Bruton	UFA	Washington Redskins	signed with the Redskins on March 16[10]
S	Josh Bush	UFA	TBD	originally an RFA
WR	Andre Caldwell	UFA	Detroit Lions	signed with the Lions on May 4[11]
LB	Todd Davis	ERFA	Denver Broncos	originally an ERFA
TE	Vernon Davis	UFA	Washington Redskins	signed with the Redskins on March 31[12]
WR	Bennie Fowler	ERFA	Denver Broncos	signed tender on April 15[8]
OT	Ryan Harris	UFA	Pittsburgh Steelers	signed with the Steelers on March 15[13]
RB	Ronnie Hillman	UFA	Minnesota Vikings	re-signed April 18,[14] released September 3,[15] signed with the Vikings on September 21[16]
DE	Malik Jackson	UFA	Jacksonville Jaguars	signed with the Jaguars on March 8[17]
S	Shiloh Keo	UFA	New Orleans Saints	re-signed April 18,[18] suspended for the first two games,[19] released October 25,[20] signed with the Saints on November 9[21]
LB	Brandon Marshall	RFA	Denver Broncos	assigned tender on March 21,[22] re-signed June 14[23]
G	Evan Mathis	UFA	Arizona Cardinals	signed with the Cardinals on March 16[24]
LB	Lerentee McCray	UFA	Green Bay Packers	originally an RFA, signed with the Packers on April 18[25]
PK	Brandon McManus	ERFA	Denver Broncos	signed tender on April 19[26]
LB	Von Miller	FT	Denver Broncos	assigned franchise tag on March 1,[27] re-signed July 15[28]
WR	Jordan Norwood	UFA	Denver Broncos	re-signed March 23[29]
QB	Brock Osweiler	UFA	Houston Texans	signed with the Texans on March 9[30]
C	Matt Paradis	ERFA	Denver Broncos	signed tender on April 15[31]
OT	Tyler Polumbus	UFA	None	retired April 5[32]
DE	Antonio Smith	UFA	Houston Texans	signed with the Texans on September 28[33]
LB	Danny Trevathan	UFA	Chicago Bears	signed with the Bears on March 9[34]
WR	Kyle Williams	UFA	New York Jets	signed with the Jets on June 17[35]
DE	Derek Wolfe	UFA	Denver Broncos	re-signed January 15[36]

Signings

Position	Player	2015 Team	Notes
WR	Marlon Brown	Baltimore Ravens	signed July 27,[37] designated as waived/injured on August 4,[38] re-signed November 21[39]
DE	Jared Crick	Houston Texans	signed April 6[40]
QB	Austin Davis	Cleveland Browns	signed September 2[15]
LS	Thomas Gafford	Chicago Bears Oakland Raiders	signed November 25[41]
TE	Manasseh Garner	None	signed to a future contract on January 12,[42] waived July 28,[43] re-signed August 19,[44] waived August 29[45]
TE	Richard Gordon	Denver Broncos	signed February 22,[46] waived May 4[47]
TE	Garrett Graham	Houston Texans	signed April 25,[48] placed on injured reserve August 30[49]
LS	Casey Kreiter	Dallas Cowboys	signed April 7[50]
NT	Henry Melton	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	signed August 22,[51] released September 2[15]
S	Ryan Murphy	Practice squad	signed August 8,[52] waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[53]
OT	Russell Okung	Seattle Seahawks	signed March 17[24]
FB	Toben Opurum	New Orleans Saints	claimed off waivers on May 10,[54] waived May 12[55]
TE	John Phillips	San Diego Chargers	signed July 28,[43] released November 5[56]
S	Brandian Ross	San Diego Chargers	signed April 18,[18] released August 29[45]
OT	Donald Stephenson	Kansas City Chiefs	signed March 9[57]
NT	Phil Taylor	None	signed February 22,[46] placed on injured reserve July 31[58]
G	Billy Turner	Miami Dolphins	signed October 17[59]
DE	Billy Winn	Indianapolis Colts	signed July 31[58]
LB	Dekoda Watson	New England Patriots	signed May 16[60]

Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's 2015 season.

Departures

Position	Player	Notes
DE	Kenny Anunike	waived August 8[52]
LS	Aaron Brewer	released March 8[61]
P	Britton Colquitt	released August 30[49]
TE	Owen Daniels	released March 8[61]
NT	Darius Kilgo	waived November 25[41]
CB	Taurean Nixon	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4,[53] re-signed November 5,[56] waived November 21[39]
RB	Juwan Thompson	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4,[53] re-signed October 29[6]
G	Louis Vasquez	released March 8[61]
G	Darrion Weems	waived October 17[59]

Retirement of Peyton Manning

On March 7, two days before the start of the 2016 league year, quarterback Peyton Manning retired after 18 NFL seasons.^[62] In his four seasons with the Broncos (2012–2015), Manning threw for 17,112 passing yards and 140 touchdowns, both second in franchise history behind John Elway. Manning also set numerous league records, including regular season passing yardage (71,940), regular season passing touchdowns (539), regular season wins (186 — tied with Brett Favre), single-season passing yardage (5,477) and single-season touchdown passes (55); Manning achieved the latter two feats in 2013.^[63] At the time of his retirement, Manning was the NFL's all-time leader in combined regular season and postseason wins (200), however, New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady tied that record in 2016.^[64]

Trades

• March 11: The Broncos acquired quarterback Mark Sanchez in a trade that would have sent a 2017 seventh-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles; however, Sanchez was released on September 2, voiding the trade.^[65][66][15]
• April 9: The Broncos were involved in a trade that sent offensive tackle Ryan Clady to the New York Jets — see draft section below.^[67]
• October 25: The Broncos acquired tight end A. J. Derby in a trade that sent a 2017 fifth-round selection to the New England Patriots.^[20]

Draft

2016 Denver Broncos Draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	Notes	Trades
1	26	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis	signed June 9[68]	[upper-alpha 1]
2	63	Adam Gotsis	DT	Georgia Tech	signed May 25[70]
3	98 *	Justin Simmons	S	Boston College	signed May 13[71]	[upper-alpha 1]
4	136 *	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah	signed May 13[71]	[upper-alpha 2]
5	144	Connor McGovern	G	Missouri	signed May 16[73]	[upper-alpha 2] [upper-alpha 3] [upper-alpha 4]
6	176	Andy Janovich	FB	Nebraska	signed May 12,[77] placed on injured reserve on December 1[78]	[upper-alpha 3] [upper-alpha 5]
	219 *	Will Parks	S	Arizona	signed May 12[77]
7	228	Riley Dixon	P	Syracuse	signed May 11[80]	[upper-alpha 5] [upper-alpha 3]

*	Compensatory selection[81]

Draft trades

Undrafted free agents

All undrafted free agents were signed after the 2016 NFL draft concluded on April 30,^[82] unless noted otherwise.

Position	Player	College	Notes
WR	Bralon Addison	Oregon	waived August 30[49]
OT	Sam Carlson	Colorado State	signed August 4,[38] waived August 22[51]
DE	Vontarrius Dora	Louisiana Tech	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[53]
G	Mathu Gibson	Wingate	signed August 5,[9] waived August 29[45]
WR	Mose Frazier	Memphis	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[53]
S	Antonio Glover	Georgia Southern	waived August 29[45]
OT	Lars Hanson	Sacramento State	waived September 2[15]
DT	Calvin Heurtelou	Miami (Florida)	waived August 29[45]
DE	Shaneil Jenkins	Shepherd	waived August 2[83]
DE	Lars Koht	Florida International	signed August 2,[83] waived September 2[15]
LB	Kyle Kragen	California	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[84]
TE	Henry Krieger-Coble	Iowa	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[53]
NT	David Moala	Utah State	waived August 29[45]
G	Justin Murray	Cincinnati	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 4[53]
WR	Durron Neal	Oklahoma	waived August 29[45]
G	Aaron Neary	Eastern Washington	waived September 2[15]
LB	Dwayne Norman	Duke	waived September 2[15]
TE	Anthony Norris	Southern Utah	waived May 10[54]
NT	Kyle Peko	Oregon State	the only undrafted rookie to make the Week 1 roster;[15] waived September 20,[85] assigned to the practice squad on September 22[86]
WR	Kalif Raymond	Holy Cross	waived September 2,[15] assigned to the practice squad on September 5,[87] promoted to the active roster on December 2[88]
LB	Darnell Sankey	Sacramento State	signed July 26,[89] waived August 29[45]
LB	Frank Shannon	Oklahoma	waived August 29[45]
LB	Sadat Sulleyman	Portland State	waived September 2[15]
LS	Nathan Theus	Georgia	waived July 26[89]
CB	John Tidwell	Sioux Falls	waived September 2[15]
DE	Eddie Yarbrough	Wyoming	waived September 2[15]

Suspensions

On August 12, safety Shiloh Keo was suspended for the first two games of the 2016 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The suspension was a result of a DUI arrest in Idaho in February.^[19]

Injuries

• August 12: One day after the Broncos' first preseason game against the Chicago Bears, wide receiver Bennie Fowler revealed that he suffered a fractured elbow after blocking a punt.^[90] Fowler missed the first two games of the season.

• August 15: Defensive end Vance Walker suffered a ruptured ACL in his right knee during practice,^[91] and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve four days later (August 19).^[44]

• September 18: Linebacker DeMarcus Ware suffered an ulna fracture in his right forearm, during the Broncos' Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Ware collided with teammate Von Miller, with both converging on a sack attempt of Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck. Ware missed six weeks of action, before returning in Week 8.^{[92] [93]}

• October 2: Quarterback Trevor Siemian suffered a sprain to his non-throwing shoulder, during the Broncos' Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,^[94] resulting in backup quarterback Paxton Lynch, the team's first-round draft selection, making his NFL debut during the Broncos' Week 5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.^[95]

• October 24: Running back C. J. Anderson suffered an injury to his right knee during the first quarter of the Broncos' Week 7 win over the Houston Texans, though he returned in the second quarter and played the remainder of the game. Two days later (October 26), media reports indicated that Anderson missed practice and sought multiple medical opinions on his knee.^[96] After an MRI revealed that he suffered meniscus damage,^[97] Anderson was placed on injured reserve, and will miss a minimum of eight weeks.^[98] Also on October 24, linebacker Brandon Marshall suffered a hamstring injury, and missed the team's Week 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders.^[92]

• November 6: Defensive tackle Derek Wolfe suffered a hairline fracture in his elbow during the team's Week 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders,^[99] and missed the team's Week 10 win over the New Orleans Saints.

• Weeks 8–10: Cornerback Aqib Talib missed three games due to a lower back injury.^[100]

• December 1: Fullback Andy Janovich, the team's sixth-round draft selection, was placed on injured reserve, after undergoing ankle surgery two days earlier.^[78]

Quarterback selection

Following the retirement of Peyton Manning, the Broncos underwent a process to select a new quarterback throughout the entire off-season and preseason. Brock Osweiler, Manning's backup quarterback from 2012–15, signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent.^[30] Mark Sanchez was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles,^[66] and the Broncos selected Paxton Lynch during the first round of the draft. Sanchez, Lynch and second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian competed for the starting quarterback position,^[101] with Siemian being named the starting quarterback for the start of the regular season^[102] and Sanchez being released on September 3.^[65] Following Sanchez's release, the Broncos signed Austin Davis.^[15]

Staff

Denver Broncos staff
	Front Office Owner – The Pat Bowlen Trust President/Chairman/CEO – Joe Ellis Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager – John Elway Director of Football Administration – Mike Sullivan Director of Player Personnel – Matt Russell Director of Pro Personnel – Tom Heckert Jr. Director of College Scouting – Adam Peters Assistant Director of Pro Personnel – A.J. Durso Director of Football Analytics – Mitch Tanney Head Coaches Head Coach – Gary Kubiak Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator – Rick Dennison Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator – Greg Knapp Running Backs – Eric Studesville Wide Receivers – Tyke Tolbert Assistant Wide Receivers – Marc Lubick Tight Ends – Brian Pariani Offensive Line – Clancy Barone Assistant Offensive Line – James Cregg Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks – Klint Kubiak			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – Wade Phillips Defensive Line – Bill Kollar Linebackers – Reggie Herring Outside Linebackers – Fred Pagac Secondary – Joe Woods Assistant Secondary – Samson Brown Defensive Assistant – Chris Beake Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator – Joe DeCamillis † Assistant Special Teams – Tony Coaxum Special Teams Quality Control – Chris Gould Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Luke Richesson Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Mike Eubanks Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Anthony Lomando Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Dennis Love † Served as interim head coach during Week 6 while Gary Kubiak recovered from a migraine condition. → Coaching Staff → Management → More NFL staffs
AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LA SF SEA

Current roster

Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks  4 Austin Davis 12 Paxton Lynch 13 Trevor Siemian Running backs 35 Kapri Bibbs 23 Devontae Booker 40 Juwan Thompson Wide receivers 15 Marlon Brown 16 Bennie Fowler 14 Cody Latimer 11 Jordan Norwood 19 Kalif Raymond 10 Emmanuel Sanders 87 Jordan Taylor 88 Demaryius Thomas Tight ends 83 A. J. Derby 85 Virgil Green 82 Jeff Heuerman		Offensive linemen 53 James Ferentz C 76 Max Garcia G 60 Connor McGovern G 73 Russell Okung T 61 Matt Paradis C 74 Ty Sambrailo T 79 Michael Schofield G 71 Donald Stephenson T 70 Billy Turner G Defensive linemen 93 Jared Crick DE 99 Adam Gotsis DE 92 Sylvester Williams NT 97 Billy Winn DE 95 Derek Wolfe DE		Linebackers 50 Zaire Anderson ILB 48 Shaquil Barrett OLB 51 Todd Davis ILB 54 Brandon Marshall ILB 58 Von Miller OLB 52 Corey Nelson ILB 56 Shane Ray OLB 94 DeMarcus Ware OLB 57 Dekoda Watson OLB Defensive backs 37 Lorenzo Doss CB 25 Chris Harris Jr. CB 34 Will Parks SS 29 Bradley Roby CB 31 Justin Simmons FS 26 Darian Stewart FS 21 Aqib Talib CB 43 T. J. Ward SS 36 Kayvon Webster CB Special teams  9 Riley Dixon P 42 Casey Kreiter LS  8 Brandon McManus K 45 Thomas Gafford LS				Reserve lists 22 C. J. Anderson RB (IR) 67 Sam Brenner C (IR) 32 Andy Janovich FB (IR) 96 Vance Walker DE (IR) Practice squad 55 Dillon Day C 59 Vontarrius Dora OLB 49 Quentin Gause ILB 84 Henry Krieger-Coble TE 64 Justin Murray OT 39 Taurean Nixon CB 90 Kyle Peko NT 81 Steven Scheu TE 38 Terrell Watson RB Rookies in italics Roster updated December 2, 2016 Depth Chart • Transactions 53 Active, 4 Inactive, 0 FAs, 9 Practice Squad, 0 Unsigned → AFC rosters → NFC rosters
AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LA SF SEA

Schedule

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	NFL.com recap
1	August 11	at Chicago Bears	W 22–0	1–0	Soldier Field	Recap
2	August 20	San Francisco 49ers	L 24–31	1–1	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
3	August 27	Los Angeles Rams	W 17–9	2–1	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
4	September 1	at Arizona Cardinals	L 17–38	2–2	University of Phoenix Stadium	Recap

Regular season

As the result of winning Super Bowl 50, the Broncos earned the right to host the Week 1 kickoff game on Thursday, September 8, in a Super Bowl rematch vs. the Carolina Panthers. The Broncos' 2016 schedule was announced on April 14.^[103]

Week	Date	Kickoff	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	TV	NFL.com recap
1	September 8	6:30 p.m. MDT	Carolina Panthers	W 21–20	1–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	NBC	Recap
2	September 18	2:25 p.m. MDT	Indianapolis Colts	W 34–20	2–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS	Recap
3	September 25	11:00 a.m. MDT	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 29–17	3–0	Paul Brown Stadium	CBS	Recap
4	October 2	2:05 p.m. MDT	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 27–7	4–0	Raymond James Stadium	CBS	Recap
5	October 9	2:05 p.m. MDT	Atlanta Falcons	L 16–23	4–1	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Fox	Recap
6	October 13	6:25 p.m. MDT	at San Diego Chargers	L 13–21	4–2	Qualcomm Stadium	CBS/NFLN/Twitter	Recap
7	October 24	6:30 p.m. MDT	Houston Texans	W 27–9	5–2	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	ESPN	Recap
8	October 30	2:05 p.m. MDT	San Diego Chargers	W 27–19	6–2	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS	Recap
9	November 6	6:30 p.m. MST	at Oakland Raiders	L 20–30	6–3	Oakland Alameda Coliseum	NBC	Recap
10	November 13	11:00 a.m. MST	at New Orleans Saints	W 25–23	7–3	Mercedes-Benz Superdome	CBS	Recap
11	Bye
12	November 27	6:30 p.m. MST	Kansas City Chiefs	L 27–30 (OT)	7–4	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	NBC	Recap
13	December 4	11:00 a.m. MST	at Jacksonville Jaguars			EverBank Field	CBS
14	December 11	11:00 a.m. MST	at Tennessee Titans			Nissan Stadium	CBS
15	December 18	2:25 p.m. MST	New England Patriots			Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS
16	December 25	6:30 p.m. MST	at Kansas City Chiefs			Arrowhead Stadium	NBC
17	January 1	2:25 p.m. MST	Oakland Raiders			Sports Authority Field at Mile High	CBS

Notes

• Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
• Networks and times for Weeks 15 and 17 are subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Carolina Panthers

NFL Kickoff game

In a rematch of Super Bowl 50, the defending champion Broncos played host to the Carolina Panthers, in the opening kickoff game. This was the Panthers' their first visit to Denver since 2004. Following a fumble on the Broncos' initial possession, the Panthers grabbed the early lead, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cam Newton to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. The Broncos responded early in the second quarter, with a 28-yard touchdown by fullback Andy Janovich on his first rushing attempt. The Panthers then re-claimed the lead, with Newton rushing for a 2-yard touchdown, in an 18-play, 89-yard drive that took nine minutes off the clock. After the Broncos' offense went three-and-out, the Panthers added to their lead just before halftime, with a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Graham Gano.^[104]

Following a scoreless third quarter, the Broncos pulled to within a 17–14 deficit on the first play of the fourth quarter, with quarterback Trevor Siemian connecting on a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back C. J. Anderson. On the second play of the Panthers' next drive, Newton was intercepted by cornerback Chris Harris Jr. at the Panthers' 38-yard line, giving the Broncos excellent field position. Ten plays later, the Broncos grabbed their first lead of the game, with Anderson rushing up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown at the 9:30 mark of the fourth quarter. The Panthers methodically marched down the field, hoping to re-claim the lead, but had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Gano to pull to within a 21–20 deficit with 4:25 remaining.^[104]

After the Broncos' went three-and-out, the Panthers had one last offensive possession. On the first play after the two-minute warning, the Panthers were facing a 4th-and-21 at their own 29-yard line, and a pass from Newton intended for Benjamin was incomplete, however, Harris was flagged for an illegal hands to the face penalty, giving a Panthers an automatic first down. With 47 seconds remaining, Newton was penalized for intentional grounding with the Panthers' at their own 47-yard line, however, Broncos' cornerback Darian Stewart was penalized for roughing the passer, with a helmet hit on Newton, resulting in both penalties offsetting. With only 14 seconds remaining, Newton completed a crucial pass to wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. at the Broncos' 32-yard line, setting up Gano for a potential game-winning field goal. After the Broncos called a timeout in order to ice the kicker, Gano's 50-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left, sealing the win for the Broncos.^[104]

Notes

Andy Janovich became only the third player in Broncos' franchise history to score on his first rushing attempt — the other two are fullback Kyle Johnson and quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt, both of which occurred in 2005.^[105]

Week 2: vs. Indianapolis Colts

The two teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter, with a 48-yarder by Colts' placekicker Adam Vinatieri and a 23-yarder by Broncos' placekicker Brandon McManus. A 4-yard touchdown run by running back C. J. Anderson gave the Broncos the lead early in the second quarter. Vinatieri and McManus once again exchanged field goals late in the first half, with a 52-yarder by Vinatieri and a 43-yarder by McManus just before halftime. The Colts took the initial possession of the second half and tied the game at 13–13 midway through the third quarter, with running back Robert Turbin rushing for a 5-yard touchdown. However, the Broncos took the lead for good later in the third quarter, with a 33-yard field goal by McManus. On the Colts' next possession, quarterback Andrew Luck was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib, who scampered 46 yards down the sideline for a touchdown to give the Broncos a 23–13 lead early in the fourth quarter. Following an exchange of punts, the Colts narrowed the Broncos' lead, with Luck connecting with running back Frank Gore on a 7-yard touchdown pass with four minutes remaining in the game. The Broncos then increased their lead to 26–20 on the first play after the two-minute warning, with McManus' fourth field goal of the game — a 35-yarder, and in the process, forcing the Colts to burn all three of their team timeouts. The Colts had one last offensive possession, hoping for a game-winning drive, however, on the very first play from scrimmage, Luck was strip-sacked by Broncos' linebacker Von Miller, and linebacker Shane Ray returned the fumble 15 yards for a game-clinching touchdown (with a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas).^[106]

Notes

Demaryius Thomas passed Ed McCaffrey for fourth-place on the Broncos' all-time career receptions list — Thomas only trails Lionel Taylor, Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith.^[106][107]

Week 3: at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals grabbed the lead on their opening possession, with running back Jeremy Hill rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. The Broncos drove down to near the goal line on their second possession, which was aided by two Bengals' defensive penalties, however, the Broncos were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Following a Bengals' fumble on a punt return near midfield, the Broncos took the lead, with quarterback Trevor Siemian connecting on a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Following an exchange of punts, the Bengals went back ahead, with Hill rushing for his second touchdown — from 4 yards out. The Broncos responded, with Siemian throwing another touchdown pass to Sanders — from 7 yards out. However, the extra point attempt was blocked. Following a scoreless third quarter, a 34-yard field goal by placekicker Mike Nugent gave the Bengals a 17–16 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos then assembled a 13-play, 82-yard drive, culminating with Siemian firing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Phillips (with an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt). After the Bengals went three-and-out on their next possession, in which wide receiver A. J. Green dropped a critical third-down pass play, the Broncos added to their lead, with Siemian throwing his fourth touchdown of the game — a 55-yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with 4:32 remaining in the game. The Broncos' defense stood their ground on the Bengals' last two possessions.^[108]

Notes

Trevor Siemian became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a first career road start. With linebacker Shane Ray recording three sacks, this was the first time in franchise history in which the Broncos had two different players record 3+ sacks in a single game — linebacker Von Miller achieved three sacks vs. the Indianapolis Colts during the previous week.^[109]

Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Broncos made their first visit to Tampa Bay since 2004. Cornerback Aqib Talib, who made his return to Tampa Bay where he played for the Buccaneers from 2018–2012, intercepted Buccaneers' quarterback Jameis Winston on the third play of the opening drive. The Broncos immediately capitalized, with quarterback Trevor Siemian throwing an 11-yard touchdown to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. On the Buccaneers' next drive, a 7-yard touchdown run by Winston tied the game, which would be the Buccaneers' only scoring play of the game. Following another interception of Winston by Talib, the Broncos re-claimed the lead, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back C. J. Anderson. With 3:25 remaining in the first half, Siemian injured his non-throwing shoulder when he was sacked by defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, and backup quarterback Paxton Lynch, the team's first-round draft selection, took over in his NFL debut. Placekicker Brandon McManus added two field goals — a 38-yarder just before halftime and a 24-yarder midway through the third quarter. Lynch later threw his first touchdown pass — a 5-yarder to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, which put the game out of reach. At the 6:52 mark of the fourth quarter, the game was delayed for an hour and a half due to a severe weather threat in the Tampa area.^[94]

Week 5: vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons, making their first visit to Denver since 2004, took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, with running back Devonta Freeman rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, followed by a 46-yard field goal by placekicker Matt Bryant. The Broncos, with quarterback Paxton Lynch, playing in place of the injured Trevor Siemian, punted on their first two possessions, and got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, with a 35-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Following an exchange of punts, a 33-yard field goal by Bryant just after the two-minute warning extended the Falcons' lead, in a drive that took seven minutes off the clock. In the third quarter, Lynch was intercepted by Falcons' safety Ricardo Allen at the Broncos' 42-yard line, and the Falcons capitalized, with quarterback Matt Ryan connecting on a 31-yard touchdown pass to running back Tevin Coleman to extend to a 20–3 lead. On the Falcons' next drive, Broncos' safety T. J. Ward forced a fumble off wide receiver Mohamed Sanu at midfield, though the Broncos had to settle for a 46-yard field goal by McManus early in the fourth quarter. The Falcons responded, with a 25-yard field goal by McManus to extend to a 23–6 lead with 8:24 remaining in the game. Hoping for a rally, the Broncos went on a 16-play, 78-yard drive, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Lynch to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with 2:43 remaining. After an unsuccessful onside kick attempt, the Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out, but were forced to use all of their team timeouts prior to the two-minute warning. The Broncos advanced 44 yards in 7 plays, and pulled to within a 23–16 deficit, with a 45-yard field goal by McManus with only 19 seconds remaining. However, another onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Falcons.^[95]

Notes

Demaryius Thomas became the third player in Broncos' franchise history to achieve 50 career touchdowns — the other two are Shannon Sharpe (55) and Rod Smith (68).^[110]

Week 6: at San Diego Chargers

The Chargers scored took a 10–0 lead, with quarterback Philip Rivers connecting on a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry, followed in the second quarter by a 37-yard field goal by placekicker Josh Lambo. Chargers' return specialist Travis Benjamin fumbled a punt return at the Chargers' 11-yard line, however, the Broncos did not gain any yardage, and were forced to settle for a 29-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Three third-quarter field goals by Lambo — from 21, 31 and 32 yards out, added to the Chargers' lead. The middle score occurred after a fumble by Broncos' wide receiver Jordan Taylor. McManus missed wide-right on a 56-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, the Broncos' defense forced a Chargers' punt that backed up the Broncos to their own 3-yard line. On the next play from scrimmage, Broncos' offensive tackle Russell Okung was penalized for holding in the end zone that resulted in a safety, extending the Chargers' lead to 21–3. On the ensuing free kick, the Chargers committed another special teams turnover, with guard Kenny Wiggins fumbling the kick near midfield. The Broncos capitalized on this turnover, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian to wide receiver Bennie Fowler. The Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out on the Chargers' next possession with six minutes remaining in the game. On the sixth play of the Broncos' next drive, Siemian connected with running back C. J. Anderson on a 20-yard touchdown, however, another costly holding penalty on Okung negated the scoring play. Two plays later, Siemian connected on a pass completion to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to the Chargers' 13-yard line, however, Chargers' linebacker Jatavis Brown forced a fumble off Thomas, which was recovered by cornerback Craig Mager, ending the drive with 3:35 remaining. The Broncos' defense forced another three-and-out, but used all three of their team timeouts in the process. A 46-yard field goal by McManus with 32 seconds remaining pulled the Broncos to within a 21–13 deficit. The Broncos recovered the onside kick at their own 46-yard line, however, four plays later, a desperation hail mary pass by Siemian fell short of the end zone.^[111]

Notes

Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis served as interim head coach, while Gary Kubiak recovered from a migraine condition that he suffered during the previous week. As part of the NFL Color Rush program, the Broncos wore all-orange throwback uniforms. With the loss, the Broncos NFL-record 15-game road winning streak against division opponents came to an end.^[111]

Week 7: vs. Houston Texans

The Broncos' defense surrendered only three field goals by Texans' placekicker Nick Novak, and spoiled quarterback Brock Osweiler's return to Denver, allowing only 131 passing yards. Osweiler spent the previous four seasons (2012–2015) as Peyton Manning's backup quarterback, and started seven games in 2015 while Manning was injured. The Broncos scored three offensive touchdowns — a 4-yard pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian to Demaryius Thomas, plus two rushing touchdowns, one from C. J. Anderson, and the other from rookie Devontae Booker. Placekicker Brandon McManus also added two field goals.^[112]

Notes

The Broncos wore wear their alternate navy blue uniforms for this game.^[113] This was Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak's first victory against the Texans, for whom he coached from 2006–2013, as well as Kubiak's return to the sideline following a health scare that forced him to miss the team's Week 6 loss to the San Diego Chargers.^[114]

During halftime, three former Broncos were inducted into the Ring of Fame: Placekicker Jason Elam, who played with the Broncos from 1993–2007 and is the franchise's all-time leader in field goals (395) and points scored (1,786); defensive lineman Simon Fletcher, who played with the Broncos from 1985–1995 and is the franchise's all-time leader in sacks (97.5) and consecutive games played (172); safety John Lynch, who played four seasons with the Broncos from 2004–2007.^[115]

Week 8: vs. San Diego Chargers

For the second time in a three-week span, the Broncos faced their AFC West rivals, the San Diego Chargers. Following a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus on the Broncos' opening possession, a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates gave the Chargers their only lead of the game. The Broncos' defense then proceeded to frustrate the Chargers' offense, including three interceptions of Rivers. In the second quarter, Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby returned a interception 49 yards for a touchdown, and Chargers' placekicker Josh Lambo later missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt. On the Chargers' opening possession of the second half, the Broncos took advantage of a Rivers' interception deep in Chargers' territory, and added to their lead, with running back Devontae Booker rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. Rivers subsequently threw another interception deep in Chargers' territory — his third of the game, however, a fumble by Booker gave the football back to the Chargers. Thirteen plays and 98 yards later, the Chargers narrowed the Broncos' lead, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiver Travis Benjamin. Broncos' linebacker Shaquil Barrett blocked the extra point attempt, keeping the score at 17–13.^[116]

The Broncos responded early in the fourth quarter, with running back Juwan Thompson rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. On the Broncos' next possession, quarterback Trevor Siemian was intercepted by Chargers' cornerback Casey Hayward, who returned the football 16 yards for a touchdown. The initial two-point conversion pass from Rivers to Gates was successful, however, it was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty on Gates. Rivers' second attempt intended for tight end Hunter Henry was incomplete, keeping the score at 24–19 with 8:10 remaining in the game. Two long pass plays from Siemian — one to tight end Virgil Green for 31 yards and another to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas for 40 yards — gave the Broncos a first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. However, the Chargers' defense forced the Broncos to settle for a 22-yard field goal by McManus. The Chargers attempted a rally, and with 2:54 remaining, the Chargers had a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line, but Rivers threw four consecutive incompletions, the last of which was knocked away by Broncos' cornerback Lorenzo Doss at the goal line. While backed up deep in their own territory, the Broncos' offense went three-and-out, and were forced to punt, giving the Chargers one last possession. The Broncos' defense stood their ground, not allowing the Chargers to advance past midfield.^[116]

Notes

Broncos' defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was rushed to a Denver-area hospital, following a second-quarter sideline collision after Chargers' running back Melvin Gordon was blocked into him. Linebackers coach Reggie Herring filled in for Phillips for the remainder of the game.^[117]

Week 9: at Oakland Raiders

The Raiders dominated the time of possession by a 2–1 margin, and though the Broncos' defense limited Raiders' quarterback Derek Carr to 184 yards rushing, running back Latavius Murray amassed 114 rushing yards as well as three touchdowns. The Broncos rushed for only 33 yards, the lowest output of the season. The Broncos trailed 23–13 with eight minutes remaining in the game, and attempted a rally, however, quarterback Trevor Siemian was strip-sacked by Raiders' linebacker Khalil Mack, giving the Raiders a short field. A 1-yard touchdown by Murray extended the lead — a drive that was kept alive by one defensive holding and two pass interference penalties on Broncos' cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. On the Broncos' next drive, Siemian connected with running back Kapri Bibbs on a 69-yard touchdown pass to pull to within a 30–20 deficit, but the Broncos got no closer.^[118]

Week 10: at New Orleans Saints

The Broncos, making their first visit to New Orleans since 2004, jumped out to a 10–0 lead. First, quarterback Trevor Siemian connected with wide receiver Jordan Taylor on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown was initially ruled as an incomplete pass, but overturned by a replay challenge. Following an interception of Saints' quarterback Drew Brees by cornerback Darian Stewart, placekicker Brandon McManus added a 50-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Broncos were attempting to add to their lead just before halftime, however Siemian was intercepted by cornerback Sterling Moore, and the Saints quickly advanced 50 yards in only 29 seconds, culminating in a 30-yard field goal by placekicker Will Lutz. Early in the third quarter, the Saints tied the game, with Brees connecting with wide receiver Willie Snead on a 3-yard touchdown pass. On the Broncos' second possession of the second half, Siemian was intercepted by safety Kenny Vaccaro, and four plays later, another touchdown pass from Brees to Snead — from 5 yards out — gave the Saints a 17–10 lead.^[119]

On the Broncos next drive, McManus missed wide left on a 42-yard field attempt early in the fourth quarter. Two plays into the Saints' next possession, Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby forced a fumble off wide receiver Michael Thomas, which was recovered by Stewart at the Saints' 27-yard line. Seven plays later, the Broncos tied the game, with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Siemian to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. After forcing the Saints to go three-and-out, the Broncos drove down the field, but had to settle on a 28-yard field goal by McManus. The Broncos' defense forced another fumble deep in Saints' territory, but had to settle on a 37-yard field goal by McManus with 2:50 remaining in the game, while forcing the Saints to burn the last two of their three team timeouts. The Saints then drove 75 yards in only six plays, culminating in Brees throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks to tie the game at 23–23 with 1:30 remaining in the game. However, Lutz's extra point attempt was blocked by Justin Simmons, and Will Parks scooped up the football and ran to the end zone for a defensive two-point conversion. The Saints claimed that Parks may have stepped out of bounds, but the initial ruling on the field was upheld after an instant replay review. The Saints' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Broncos.^[119]

Notes

Darian Stewart became the Broncos' first defensive player since Deltha O'Neal in 2001 to record three takeaways in one game.^[120]

Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

After a scoreless first quarter, the Chiefs took a 9–0 lead midway through the second quarter. Running back Tyreek Hill returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. This was preceded by a safety, after Broncos' quarterback Trevor Siemian was strip-sacked near the goal line and offensive tackle Russell Okung was tackled in the end zone trying to recover the fumble. A 33-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus just after the two-minute warning put the Broncos on the scoreboard. The Broncos grabbed the lead midway through the third quarter, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Siemian to wide receiver Jordan Taylor. The Chiefs responded on their next possession, with Hill rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. The drive was extended after the Chiefs accepted an illegal formation penalty on the Broncos that nullified a 35-yard field goal by placekicker Cairo Santos. The Broncos re-claimed the lead midway through the fourth quarter, with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Siemian to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. After forcing a Chiefs' punt, the Broncos were attempting to run out the clock after earning a first down with 3:31 remaining in the game. Two plays later, and after the Chiefs had used all of their team timeouts, the Broncos extended their lead to 24–16, with a 76-yard touchdown pass from Siemian to wide receiver Bennie Fowler.^[121]

However, the Broncos' defense was unable to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone. Quarterback Alex Smith methodically engineered a game-tying 13-play, 75-yard drive, with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Hill, coupled with a two-point conversion pass to tight end Demetrius Harris. The play was initially ruled down at the 1-yard line with 15 seconds remaining, but overturned by instant replay, sending the game to overtime. The Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and each team exchanged field goals on their initial possessions — a 44-yarder by Brandon McManus followed by a 37-yarder by Santos. The Broncos' next overtime possession commenced with 4:19 remaining, and drove to as far as the Chiefs' 44-yard line. Instead of a short punt, Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak elected to send McManus onto the field for a potential game-winning 62-yard field goal, however, McManus attempt was both short and wide left, giving the Chiefs possession at the Broncos' 48-yard line with 1:08 remaining. Four plays later, and with five seconds remaining, Santos kicked the game-winning 34-yard field goal for the Chiefs, which initially caromed off the left upright.^[121]

Week 13: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Trying to rebound from their loss, the Broncos will head to Jacksonville to take on the struggling Jaguars.

Standings

Division

AFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Oakland Raiders	9	2	0	.818	2–1	6–1	307	275	W5
Kansas City Chiefs	8	3	0	.727	3–0	6–2	252	214	W1
Denver Broncos	7	4	0	.636	1–3	4–3	268	213	L1
San Diego Chargers	5	6	0	.455	1–3	4–5	314	290	W1

Conference

AFC
#	Team	Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV	STK
Division leaders
1[lower-alpha 1]	New England Patriots	East	9	2	0	.818	3–1	7–1	.414	.370	W2
2[lower-alpha 1]	Oakland Raiders	West	9	2	0	.818	2–1	6–1	.508	.470	W5
3[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3]	Baltimore Ravens	North	6	5	0	.545	4–0	6–2	.439	.257	W1
4[lower-alpha 2]	Houston Texans	South	6	5	0	.545	3–0	4–3	.541	.448	L1
Wild Cards
5	Kansas City Chiefs	West	8	3	0	.727	3–0	6–2	.479	.455	W1
6[lower-alpha 4]	Miami Dolphins	East	7	4	0	.636	2–1	5–3	.415	.321	W6
In the Hunt
7[lower-alpha 4]	Denver Broncos	West	7	4	0	.636	1–3	4–3	.525	.448	L1
8[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 5]	Pittsburgh Steelers	North	6	5	0	.545	2–1	5–3	.521	.388	W2
9[lower-alpha 5]	Buffalo Bills	East	6	5	0	.545	1–3	3–4	.467	.364	W2
10	Tennessee Titans	South	6	6	0	.500	1–3	3–5	.439	.333	W1
11[lower-alpha 6]	Indianapolis Colts	South	5	6	0	.455	2–2	3–5	.484	.411	L1
12[lower-alpha 6]	San Diego Chargers	West	5	6	0	.455	1–3	4–5	.566	.500	W1
13	Cincinnati Bengals	North	3	7	1	.350	1–2	3–5	.561	.294	L2
14	New York Jets	East	3	8	0	.273	1–2	3–5	.504	.353	L3
15	Jacksonville Jaguars	South	2	9	0	.182	1–2	1–7	.529	.318	L6
Eliminated from postseason contention
16	Cleveland Browns	North	0	12	0	.000	0–4	0–8	.576	.000	L12
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 7]
1 2 New England wins tie break over Oakland based on best win percentage in conference games. 1 2 Baltimore wins tie break over Houston based on best win percentage in conference games. 1 2 Baltimore wins tie break over Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage. 1 2 Miami wins tie break over Denver based on best win percentage in conference games. 1 2 Pittsburgh wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in conference games. 1 2 Indianapolis wins tie break over San Diego based on head-to-head win percentage. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
Legend
w — Clinched wild card
x — Clinched playoff berth
y — Clinched division
z — Clinched first-round bye
* — Clinched home-field advantage

Statistics

Team leaders

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing yards	Trevor Siemian	2,396
Passing touchdowns	Trevor Siemian	15
Rushing yards	Devontae Booker	475
Rushing touchdowns	C. J. Anderson	4
Receptions	Emmanuel Sanders	61
Receiving yards	Emmanuel Sanders	830
Receiving touchdowns	Demaryius Thomas	5
Points	Brandon McManus	94
Kickoff return yards	Cody Latimer	148
Punt return yards	Jordan Norwood	199
Tackles	T. J. Ward	69
Sacks	Von Miller	12.5
Forced fumbles	T. J. Ward	3
Interceptions	Aqib Talib Darian Stewart	3

Team statistics updated through Week 12.
Source for this section: Denver Broncos' official website.^[122]

League rankings

Offense Category Value NFL rank (out of 32) Total yards 337.4 YPG 19th Yards per play 5.2 25th Rushing yards 99.8 YPG 19th Yards per rush 3.6 28th Passing yards 237.5 YPG 22nd Yards per pass 7.3 14th Total touchdowns 28 T–17th Rushing touchdowns 8 T–17th Receiving touchdowns 17 T–16th Scoring 24.2 PPG T–13th Pass completions 232/384 (.604) 25th Third downs 60/153 (.392) 16th First downs per game 19.5 20th Possession average 29:49 22nd Fewest sacks allowed 31 T–27th Turnover differential +4 T–6th Fewest penalties 87 T–26th Fewest penalty yardage 704 22nd

Defense Category Value NFL rank (out of 32) Total yards 313.9 YPG 4th Yards per play 4.7 2nd Rushing yards 120 YPG 27th Yards per rush 4.3 21st Passing yards 193.9 YPG 1st Yards per pass 6 1st Total touchdowns 22 T–4th Rushing touchdowns 10 T–21st Receiving touchdowns 10 T–2nd Scoring 19.9 PPG 9th Pass completions 219/388 (.564) 1st Third downs 58/157 (.369) 5th First downs per game 19.7 9th Sacks 35 1st Forced fumbles 8 T–25th Fumble recoveries 10 T–3rd Interceptions 10 T–8th Fewest penalties 74 T–10th Fewest penalty yardage 650 15th

Special Teams Category Value NFL rank (out of 32) Kickoff returns 22.5 YPR 12th Punt returns 8.3 YPR 20th Gross punting 45.9 YPP 15th Net punting 42.6 YPP 9th Kickoff coverage 21.4 YPR 12th Punt coverage 6.8 YPR 8th

League statistics updated through Week 12.
Source for this section: NFL.com.^[123]

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award(s)
Von Miller	Week 2: AFC Defensive Player of the Week[124] September: AFC Defensive Player of the Month[125]
Bradley Roby	Week 8: AFC Defensive Player of the Week[126]
Trevor Siemian	Week 3: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[127]
Justin Simmons	Week 10: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week[128]

Other news and notes

• On March 12, linebacker DeMarcus Ware agreed to a re-structured contract with the Broncos. Ware, who signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Broncos in 2014, had his 2016 salary reduced from $7 million to $6.5 million, but can earn back money with incentives.^[129]
• On August 25, executive vice president/general manager John Elway was added to the NFL's competition committee.^[130]
• On September 7, the Broncos and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders agreed on a three-year contract extension that will keep Sanders in Denver through the 2019 season. The initial three-year contract that Sanders signed with the Broncos in 2014 was set to expire after the 2016 season.^[131]
• On September 13, the Broncos' Color Rush uniforms were unveiled, which the team wore during their Week 6 Thursday Night loss at the San Diego Chargers. The uniform kit contained the following features: orange pants, which the team wore for the first time since 1979, orange socks and shoes, as well as block-style numerals trimmed in navy blue that mirrored the team's 1968–96 uniform style. Due to the NFL's one-helmet rule implemented in 2013, the helmets remained the same, with the team temporarily replacing the modern primary logo with the throwback "D" horse logo.^[132]
• On November 26, the Broncos and safety Darian Stewart agreed on a four-year contract extension that will keep Stewart in Denver through the 2020 season. The initial two-year contract that Stewart signed with the Broncos in 2015 was set to expire after the 2016 season.^[120]
• As the result of a negative differential of free agent signings and departures that the Broncos experienced during the 2016 free agency period, the team is expected to receive three compensatory selections for the 2017 draft.^[133] Free agent transactions that occur after May 12, 2016 will not impact the team's formula for determining compensatory selections for the 2017 draft.^[134]

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2016 Denver Broncos season.

• Official website
• The Denver Post – Complete Broncos Coverage
• 2016 Season page on Pro Football Reference
• NFL Nation Blog – ESPN