Denver Broncos
Greatest Player: John Elway
The raw talent just dripped off John Elway, even if he did have trouble winning a Super Bowl for most of his career. However, it should be noted that those Denver Broncos teams of the 1980’s had no business even attending those three Super Bowls (XXI, XXII, and XXIV) as part of the crowd, let alone playing in them.
Elway personally carried those Broncos teams on his back. Like perhaps no other quarterback before or since, Elway combined a cannon arm with a running back’s legs and a fiery competitive spirit coupled with great football instincts that he picked up from his football-coach father, Jack Elway.
Denver Broncos
Runner Up: Terrell Davis
We’ve heard this idea numerous times when it comes to NFL stars, but it’s worth repeating when taking a look back at the career of Terrell Davis: where you’re taken in the NFL Draft doesn’t mean as much as what you do with the opportunity you’re given by just being drafted in the first place.
After solidifying his spot on the Denver Broncos because of his efforts on special teams as a rookie, Davis ended up rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first four years in the NFL, and was named the NFL’s Offensive Player in the Year in his second year, and Most Valuable Player in his fourth year. In 1998 (the aforementioned fourth year), he ran for 2,0008 yards and 21 touchdowns; both totals were the third-highest in NFL history at the time. A year later, Davis ended up tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee, and was never quite the same player after returning. Finally, after 11 years of being eligible to be inducted, Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August of 2017.
Denver Broncos
Challenger: Von Miller
Finding himself on the “wrong” side of 30 years old, people expected Von Miller’s production to start declining. But that’s not what we saw in 2018, when he racked up 14.5 sacks — the highest of his career since his second pro season in 2012.
Once again, Miller will be the focal point of a Denver defense that has a chance to be one of the best in the league. Barring injury, which has rarely been a problem for him, Miller is a safe bet to be among the league leaders in sacks, especially if the Broncos can play with a lead a little more often than the past couple of years.