Man, I love my Denver Broncos. They have given me so much pleasure over the past 56 years. The highs have been so great. And the lows have been, well, pretty doggone low. But I always supported my beloved donkeys.
And after a 10-year drought, they are back at the top of the heap. This is just so great for me and the 30 million other fans across the Rocky Mountain Region and across the country.
So, there I was last Sunday, wearing my Bronco jersey, number-30 (for Hall of Famer Terrell Davis), cheering on the team as they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 19-3.
Denver only lost three games this season and had the best record in the NFL’s American Conference.
I would like to claim to be the most ardent Broncos fan on the Cowboy State Daily staff, but news editor Justin George might have me beat. He even attended that victory over the Chargers while I just watched it on TV.
Justin says he cannot afford to attend the upcoming first playoff game where tickets are topping out at $17,143. Is that not amazing? And, according to Justin, that is for a nosebleed seat in Section 530. Wow.
Wyoming is jam-packed with Bronco fans.
Retired CPA David Pope of Cheyenne is a season ticket holder and, no, his tickets are not for sale.
Justin reported on Pope, in a recent Cowboy State Daily article, “Pope acquired his season tickets just before the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998, and he was in the stands when the team went on another historic run in 2015, winning it all again a decade ago. Now a grandfather, Pope has plenty of family to fill his six seats.”
Two Wyoming Connections
Here are two fun and related things.
A good Wyoming connection is Frank Crum, a kid who grew up in Laramie and is now a rookie at Denver has seen increased playing time.
He blocked a field goal attempt in Week 11 (November 16) that would have put Kansas City up by 4 with only a few minutes remaining.
Denver was able to score late field goals to win the game. This was great revenge after Kansas City blocked what would have been a game-winning field goal for Denver last season.
Another mention, perhaps to stir up the pot, is that there is a chance Buffalo Bills will come to Denver if they win on Sunday (Chargers have to lose against New England.)
Wyoming fans have been rooting for the Bills for several seasons, and with Josh’s #17 Wyoming jersey being retired this season, fan support has increased.
Most of us Wyomingites consider Denver the “hometown team,” so I would imagine support would tip toward Denver for a win. But, if Denver was not in the playoffs, most Wyomingites would be cheering on Josh and his Bills.
Go Denver, but we still love Josh and Bills.
What Happened?
How did the Broncos rebuild so quickly?
The 2025 season will be remembered as the year the Denver Broncos truly felt like the Denver Broncos again.
For nearly a decade, the franchise had lived in the long shadow of Super Bowl 50. Coaching changes, quarterback uncertainty, and uneven drafts left fans restless and nostalgic.
Mile High remained loud, loyal, and proud, but hope often felt conditional. In 2025, that changed. This was the season when belief returned, not as a promise, but as a weekly expectation.
We watched with glee as the long dominant Kansas City Chiefs faltered while the Broncos climbed.
From the opening weeks, the Broncos played with confidence, discipline, and a sense of purpose that had been missing. Wins were earned, not stumbled into. Some had incredible last-minute heroics.
The Broncos’ coaching staff finally brought stability to the building. Players knew their roles and trusted the plan. Adjustments were timely. Game management was sound.
At the center of it all was quarterback Bo Nix who embodied calm command. Rather than chasing highlight-reel moments, he distributed the ball, protected possessions, and made smart decisions when games tightened.
His growth throughout the season mirrored the team’s rise.
How About That Defense
The fabled Orange Crush was back! The soul of the 2025 Broncos was unmistakably their defense.
For decades, defense has been Denver’s calling card, and in 2025 that tradition roared back to life. The unit played fast, physical, and relentlessly. Pass rushers collapsed pockets. Linebackers flew sideline to sideline. The secondary communicated, tackled, and capitalized on mistakes. Third downs became battlegrounds, and more often than not, Denver won.
There was a swagger to this defense.
As the season progressed and the stakes grew higher, Denver did not shrink. They leaned into pressure. Look at those last-minute victories, especially that one against the Giants.
Late-season games carried playoff implications, and the Broncos responded with poise. Wins felt intentional. Losses felt temporary. The trajectory was undeniable.
When the 2025 season is discussed years from now, it will be remembered as a turning point — the moment the Broncos reclaimed their standard. Not just winning, but how they won. Not just competitiveness, but credibility.
The legacy of the 2025 Denver Broncos is not measured solely in standings or statistics.
It lives in renewed trust between a team and its city. It lives in young fans discovering what Broncos pride looks like and older fans recognizing it once more.
It lives in a locker room that rediscovered belief and a franchise that rediscovered itself.
After years of searching, Denver didn’t just find success in 2025.
And lucky for us fans, they found themselves again.
Bill can be reached at bill@cowboystatedaily.com
