| 1977 Denver Broncos season | |
|---|---|
| General manager | Fred Gehrke |
| Head coach | Red Miller |
| Home field | Mile High Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–2 |
| Division place | 1st AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Steelers) 34–21 Won AFC Championship (vs. Raiders) 20–17 Lost Super Bowl XII (vs. Cowboys) 10–27 |
The 1977 Denver Broncos season (also known as the Broncomania season) was the team's 18th year in professional football and its eighth with the National Football League (NFL).
The team had what was then by far its best season at 12–2, finishing first in the AFC West, and making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Broncos earned home field advantage, and won its first two playoff games (over perennial AFC powerhouses Pittsburgh[1] and Oakland). With the AFC Championship win over the defending Super Bowl champion Raiders on New Year's Day,[2] Denver earned a berth in Super Bowl XII, but fell 27–10 to the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys.[3]
Despite the defeat in the Super Bowl, 1977 was a major leap for the Broncos, who had never won more than nine games in a season. Coach Red Miller, in his first season as the Broncos' head coach, was named NFL Coach of the Year. Quarterback Craig Morton, age 34, was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The Denver defense was known as the Orange Crush, which delighted the makers of the soft drink, based in Illinois.[4] Denver's 1977 season is chronicled in Terry Frei's 2008 book, '77: Denver, the Broncos and a Coming of Age.
The last remaining active member of the 1977 Denver Broncos was offensive lineman Billy Bryan, who retired after the 1989 season.
- ^ Marshall, Joe (January 2, 1978). "That Crushmas spirit". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (January 9, 1978). "Wholly Moses for Denver". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (January 23, 1978). "Doomsday in the Dome". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
- ^ "Broncos 'pay off' Crush". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). January 15, 1978. p. D1.