Top 10 QBs in Denver Broncos history: 10-6
If you look back at some of the greatest quarterbacks in football, it might be a good idea to take a look at some Denver Broncos history.
The Broncos have been fortunate enough to have a couple of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game suit up in orange and blue.
As we begin looking back at some of the greatest players in the history of the franchise, we start with the quarterbacks. And while the Broncos have had some of the greatest signal-callers of all time, the list might be a little top-heavy, because the Broncos haven’t had an abundance of great quarterbacks.
Today we start at 10, and we will count down to number six.
And be forewarned, they aren’t all very pretty.
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10. Tim Tebow 2010-2011
You can disagree with this one if you want and I understand it, but he did win a few games, including one in the postseason. It was never pretty, but it was somehow effective and the Tim Tebow era is definitely a memorable one in Broncos history.
Drafted with the 25th pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, Tebow came to town after a spectacular collegiate career, but he had a number of questions about his ability to be an NFL passer. He was a backup to Kyle Orton in 2010, and finally got the starting job in Week 7 of the 2011 season.
Of course, we all know the story Tebow would play ugly for most of the game, and the defense would carry the day. But he would somehow come to life at the end and the Broncos won seven of eight games and squeaked into the playoffs, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round.
Tebow went 8-6 as a starter, with 17 touchdowns, to just nine interceptions. It isn’t great but who else would you put above him?
Kyle Orton, who went just 12-21 as a starter? Steve Ramsey threw 35 touchdowns while in Denver, but he also threw 76 interceptions. And Marlin Briscoe may have had a legendary season, but he started just five games.
I’ll take Tebow.
9. Gary Kubiak 1983-1991
He doesn’t have great statistics, and he only started five games in his career, but Gary Kubiak was a steady backup to John Elway for nine seasons.
He was a part of that 1983 draft class that produced linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, and would also end up bringing Elway to town via a trade with Baltimore.
Of course Elway was an immediate star in Denver, taking the Broncos to five Super Bowls, but from 1983-1991 it was Kubiak holding the clipboard and being a coach on the sideline.
When he did get playing time, Kubiak was always solid in relief. He led three fourth quarter comebacks and went 3-2 as a starter.
His most memorable game may have been the 14-10 Monday night victory in Washington, when Elway came down with food poisoning.
Kubiak was 13/27 with two touchdowns, and the Broncos gutted out a tough road win.
Kubiak’s presence as a dependable backup gave the team confidence that they could still win if Elway did go down.
And his education on the sideline for many of those games, made him the head coach we see today.
8. Jay Cutler 2006-2008
He wasn’t loveable, or let’s be honest…even all that likeable, but Jay Cutler did put up some decent numbers in his three seasons in Denver.
Head coach Mike Shanahan liked Cutler’s big arm and drafted him with the 11th pick of the 2006 draft.
He backed up incumbent Jake Plummer through the first 11 games of the 2006 season, before being named the starter in Week 13.
He would be the starter for the next two seasons, but when the Broncos failed once again to make the postseason in 2008, Shanahan was fired.
New head coach Josh McDaniels was not all that enamored with Cutler, who put up good stats and looked like an NFL quarterback, but rarely won. The Broncos would trade Cutler to the Chicago Bears prior to the start of the 2009 season.
During his time in Denver, Cutler threw for 54 touchdowns and 37 interceptions, but he went just 17-20 as a starter.
7. Brian Griese 1998-2002
Griese had the misfortune of being the guy after the guy.
John Elway retired following the 1998 NFL season, and when backup Bubby Brister failed to produce much of anything in the preseason, Mike Shanahan named Griese the Day 1 starter.
He struggled early on, and many fans never forgave him for throwing the interception that led to the knee injury of running back Terrell Davis.
But mostly, fans never forgave him for not being John Elway.
Griese started four seasons in Denver, being named to the Pro Bowl in 200 when he threw 19 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
He was 27-24 as a starter, and would eventually be replaced by free agent quarterback Jake Plummer in 2002.
6. Frank Tripucka 1960-1963
Don’t let the statistics fool you.
Tripucka was an extremely important quarterback for the Denver Broncos, despite his numbers failing to stack up with even the average quarterbacks of today.
The Denver Broncos franchise began in 1960 and Frank Filchock was named the club’s first head coach.
Tripucka had played for Filchock in Canada, so when Filchock asked his former quarterback to be an assistant coach, the 33-year-old former quarterback accepted.
But the Broncos didn’t have many options to play under center in their inaugural AFL season, and Filchock would send Tripucka into a preseason game.
The veteran still had some game left.
He would throw for over 3,000 yards in the Broncos first season and would be named to the AFL All-Star game in 1962.
The Broncos would retire the #18 jersey of their very first quarterback and he would be inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986.
Always a model of class, Tripucka stated that he would allow #18 to be worn again when Peyton Manning signed with Denver in 2012.
Tripucka may not have had the most stellar record, or the gaudiest of stats, but his contributions to the success of the Denver Broncos franchise are immeasurable.
Be sure to see our Thursday article counting down the Top 5!
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