I thought it might be fun to have a series of blogs (and, since it’s my blog, whatever I think might be fun seems pretty likely to find its way into print) on Broncos by the numbers.
The team has just completed 50 years of play, a milestone in any franchise history, and over that time a lot of players have made contributions, large and small, to what the Broncos are. It’s like family members, some more accomplished than others but when you are in a family, you are in for keeps. So too for the Broncos. Once a Broncos, always a Bronco.
Those players have worn a lot of numbers over the years, and we are going to take a look, over time, at various uniform numbers.
The recent signing of Champ Bailey to a new four-year contract prompted the thought that in Denver Broncos history, the number “24” is all about cornerbacks, and all about the Hall of Fame.
Thirteen players have worn number 24 in the 51 years of Broncos history, nine defensive backs and four running backs.
Otis Armstrong led the NFL in rushing twice and went to the Pro Bowl as the Broncos’ leading rusher, but really, “24” is all about Champ Bailey, and before him, Willie Brown.
Willie Brown was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Grambling in 1963 and played four years in the Mile High City.
In 1964 he had nine interceptions and made the American Football League all-star game that year. On a personal note of no great interest to anyone but me, I remember vividly Willie Brown intercepting four passes in the very first Bronco game I ever saw in person—November 15, 1964 against the New York Jets—I remember going to old Bears Stadium and buying one ticket at one of those old wooden ticket booths that minor league ballparks used to have—I walked up on game day and bought a ticket on the 35-yard line! That was just a different time in pro sports history and in the history of a developing Western city.
Brown was traded after four years and went on to continue and certainly enhance his Hall of Fame career with the Oakland Raiders. Today, he is remembered mostly, and almost entirely, as a Raider.
But regarding wearing number 24 in the Denver defensive backfield, it turned out he was just setting the table for Champ Bailey.
Champ without question already is one of the great cornerbacks in pro football history and was named first team on the NFL,s All-Decade team for the 2000’s—the All-Decade teams are chosen by the pro football Hall of Fame selection committee members and certainly selection to it at Champ’s relatively young age suggests his extraordinarily strong candidacy for eventual membership in the Hall of Fame.
Champ needs two more interceptions to reach 50 for his career, and he is recognized just as much for his overall approach to the game and to team leadership—Champ always makes the tackle, never avoids the big collision, always says and does the right thing.
He handles his leadership duties like the true captain that he is.
Like most players, he is not crazy about doing press, but he faithfully executes his interviews in a regular and respectful manner, enough so that he has been recognized by the Denver press repeatedly for his regular and mature dealings with them. Champ is very active in our community and was the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in both 2008 and 2009 for his work in the community.
Just a class guy.
If anything, Champ Bailey perhaps has not been given enough credit for staying here. Free agency exists in the NFL and as a soon-to-be free agent Champ had every right to test the waters, see what all the other teams might have to offer. Certainly, one would expect that there would have been a lot of scenarios presented to Champ Bailey for his services.
But when Champ said he wanted to stay here, that he felt comfortable here, part of the community, with respect for the organization and what John Elway, John Fox, and Brian Xanders are building, Champ was not just giving lip service.
He meant it.
Every athlete has a right to leave, but Champ exercised his right to stay. We are so proud of Champ Bailey.
And it real easy to be proud of him and respect him as a player, since he is one of the best players in the game. But if anything, Champ Bailey has proved himself to be an even better person, and the Broncos and Denver are fortunate to have him as one of our own.
Tags: By the Numbers, Champ Bailey, Willie Brown
MCCoy.
But keep in mind, just like in a game, someone can be having a bad day at the combine…
Thanks strand.
The Safety I liked was Keo out of Idaho. He`s going to have shed off about 15 pounds though.
Sorry to disagree with you Bay but owners are mostly there for money reasons and final say on everything that goes on, outside of that their advisors handle everything else. I am seeing alot more football players move up the chain of command into the front office such as John Elway and also alot of ex football players being successful in starting their own businesses, like Troy Aikman here in Dallas. I am not sure that you take in to consideration that most NFL football players do go to college and alot get degrees. I think they are highly capable of running a business.
No problem.
Lets hope we get or Suh this year.
Honestly, the only guys I saw in the draft that was worth the 2nd overall pick is Peterson, Green, and Miller! Obviously we aren’t going to take Green and obviously we could move down to #5 and probably grab Miller but would probably have to stay at #2 if we wanted Peterson!!!
Bay, I’ll admit that wanting Peterson before definitely made me cautious and made me wonder if that would be smart or not but I think he even helped his status with his combine, if that was even possible, and proved that he could be worth the #2 overall pick!!
We all know how good Berry was going to be last year when we all wanted him and he was considered probably the safest pick with Suh in the whole draft! All the critics said today after the combine that they believe that Peterson is even safer than Berry was last year! I know they are critics but I watched his combine and agree with their statement! Wow, I actually agree with something the analysts say??? That’s a surprise!
Also with Fox being there, I think that we will take Peterson at #2 and I know some people on here said that you shouldn’t put him in KR and PR, I think we either put him or Vaughn in that position as well if we draft him! He said that he’d love to stay at the return position as well so I guess we will see!!
I am with EVERYONE on here when they say that we need to draft our most worst position first and foremost at DL but with just all the things that Peterson brings to the field, I honestly think there is no way we pass on him!
Also understand please, I am in no way on any bandwagon or Peterson club, whenever you recognize talent and think someone is a future HOFer, then you just do! Same thing with you Bay, you obviously see something with Dareus that I do not. I agree that he is a great player and is very athletic and fast to be his size but just do not see him being the better player in the long run.
I could be wrong but that is just my opinion. Either way, something I do know for sure, we are going to get a HELL of a player with that 1st round pick!
McCoy had a fine year his rookie year, but the difference between Suh and McCoy are big. Suh was just flat out dominant.
Bay,
I found the glass ornament statement funny as well lol. when sndvl said trade a proven WR and draft a glass ornament I believe he was talking about Bay-Bay … That man gets injured more times than a rodeo clown. Straight made of glass or paper mache lol. TRB out…
Agreed to disagree. Of course there are exceptions in eveything, but football players at large are not equipped to run businesses, heck half the time they can’t even run their own finances.
I bet with many of the players, if you handed them a check book, they wouldn`t know what to do with it. Case in point.
Ok TRB, that makes more sense, because to me a half pint glass is a tool to drink beer, not an ornament, LOL.
Bay-Bay, rodeo clown, at least he’s got the name for it, haha.
Yea strand…
I think it was very visible, or at least to me, that if the Rams took Bradford that Suh would be the very next pick! The only question last year was if the Rams would take Bradford or Suh! If one of these DL had Suh’s abilities, then I would be jumping ALL over them and praying we take them! But I just do not see any of them there!!
Bowers- Could be a 1 year wonder and just had surgery
Fairley- weighed in at 282 I believe at the combine and has character concerns
Dareus- didn’t have too many sacks and wasn’t all that flashy, even though pressure is the key to DL and not sacks
Quinn- Suspended last year and didn’t live up to combine expectations
Peterson, to me, is like the Suh of his position! I think if we had great starters at that position, then we would go DL no question asked! But having the best CB at one spot in Bailey then having an injury prone Goody, undersized Thompson, trouble maker Cox, undersized Nate Jones…if would make sense for us to take Peterson!
Also please do not get me wrong with Thompson! I think he doesn’t fit a starting CB spot but I think he is going to be one of the best nickel corners in the NFL, in my opinion!! Peterson is too physical and too talented to pass up I believe! I think with Fox being there too that he found that out today as well, but we will see!
I do think that this gets rid of the Miller possibility though just because him being an OLB and playing in the 4-3 system. I think we pick Peterson or a DL!
As much as he doe`s get hurt I do feel bad for him this time. He won`t be playing this year.
Yea strand…
If you handed Marshall a checkbook he would probably have a heart attack from his adrenaline rush that he would get!!
Eddie Royal asked a question via twitter/ facebook so I thought I would pose the same question just for fun.
How fast do you think you would run the 40?
I think I would run it between 4.5 and 4.6 like a 4.55 lol
hahahahaha you are right. Bay-bay does sound like a rodeo clowns name lol
I will say also that I do trust whomever Fox picks due to his and Elway’s talent for finding great defensive players!!
Peterson would be a safe pick but I feel comfortable at CB now that we signed Champ. I still like Dareus. He weighed in at 319 lbs and Fairley weighs in at 291.
This was just posted on ESPN!
Top defensive prospects shine at combine
By Bill Williamson
The NFL combine has been very good to the Denver Broncos.
Many of the prospects who are candidates to be taken by Denver with the No. 2 pick performed very well at the NFL combine, which solidifies their candidacy.
The latest is LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. He entered the combine with the reputation as one of the best cornerback prospects in years. He did nothing to damage that reputation. Peterson ran a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash Tuesday, Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. said on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” Peterson weighs 219 pounds, so having a cornerback who looks like a strong safety run that fast has to make scouts drool.
Peterson has been considered somewhat of a long shot to be taken by Denver because the Broncos just re-signed cornerback Champ Bailey and because they have great needs on the defensive line. However, Peterson’s performance at the combine will surely keep him in the conversation.
Other top defensive prospects who performed well at the combine include Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. These strong performances will give Denver both a lot of good choices and perhaps some solid trade leverage. The better the talent is up top, the more likely trade partners will materialize. Denver is open to both keeping or trading the No. 2 choice.
Fairley can easily gain 20 in a month or two.
16.07, that’s my 40 time. But I can’t even jog so it might be slower.
Yea, sorry Strand…
I got his weight confused with his 40 time at 482!
freak,
There are more money grubbing players than him cuz lets not forget unlike most people who outplay their contracts and holdout … he actually finished up his contract and earned his money. He is more of a poster boy for knucklehead antics lol but I get the picture you were trying to draw … just had to say it as a fan of his….
LOL. 16.07 bay? is that seconds or minutes?
Ya, but how fast can you chug a pint of beer. LOL
How about days, like a slug. LMAO. Just kidding.
Also, Black had a terrible 40 time at 472 and 477.
No biggy Freak. Dude I can`t wait until draft day man. Come April 28 We` will find out the truth.
But one good thing about Black, he has a nose for the ball.
If we can get atogwe formally of the rams … I wouldnt mind passing on any safeties in this years draft. We could use the picks….
TRB…
I am sold with that idea!!! Now that the combine is over, we need to move on to bring in Atogwe fast! There are a lot of teams that are considering him along with Dallas now that they released Sensabaugh!!
We had a Bailey chant and now it moves to him!
SIGN OJ ATOGWE!!!
I`m all for signing Atogwe. I say give McBath a shot as our other starting Safety. I`m not a fan of the rest of the group. And Dawks days are over. Sorry Dawk, you were one of the best ever.
Also TRB…
If we do get OJ then that does mean that we can pass this year in the draft on a S and spend our current 2nd round picks on hopefully Paea and either Jones/Wilson!!!
I honestly believe, even though it saddens me to say this, that Paea pushed himself to the upper 20th overall pick!!!
If he is gone then we could get either Austin or Nevis!! Austin is really good and had a great combine to what I understand!!!
We have two days to sign him, after that no more signings until a new CBA is reached. Bummer.
I think it goes like this in the 2nd round for us with priority!!!
If Paea is there with our 4th pick in the 2nd round, take him, then with our other pick take either Jones/Wilson, even though Wilson will probably be gone by then!
If Paea is gone, then get Wilson with the 4th pick in the 2nd round and grab Austin/Nevis/Taylor with the other pick as all of them should be there!
The DL class this year is deep.
Wow, that is right strand…
Even though I do not think it matters all of that much just because no one else will be able to sign him either!!
But I would love to go ahead and sign him just so that he is already on our team and he knows it! I am sure he would like to be signed too by a team before the CBA expires!
Also I agree on the DL class this year Strand…
That is the only reason why I see us getting Peterson at #2!
Unless we get HUGE compensation to trade our pick to another team then we take Peterson I believe!
I agree freak, thats why I mentioned atogwe while you guys were mentioning the safeties in the draft. If we get him, one less pick we have to spend.
in my mind I am invisioning
Sign Atogwe
Draft Peterson/Dareus
Draft Paea/austin/nevis/phil Taylor
Draft Mike jones/Cassey Matthews
Depending on how many picks we have in the second round, alot is possible….
If I was in his shoe`s I would want to sign with a team before March 4.
I like your scenarios 30. same thing I was thinking. DL is deep. It was also deep last year as well and yet we got nothing cuz of McD.
We needed a DT bad last year and didn`t budge in last years draft.
budge For a DT that is.
Alot in market for atogwe … I hope we are agressive however. WE competing with rams, cowboys, bills and redskins. We gotta come out on top. Atogwe and McBath. A big McBath fan when he is healthy (with Dawkins coming in on blitz downs and providing leadership)
Call me crazy but with the move to 4-3, a defensive HC and Dennis Allen from the Saints. If we sign Atogwe and draft right on Defense … I think we can be a top 10 or maybe 15 defense next year. Yea i said it!!! lol
1. Peterson
2. Paea
3. Moore
if Atogwe is signed..
1. Peterson
2. Paea
3. Mathews
I really like Dareus but.. I think our staff will definitely draft Peterson..
2. & 3. are obviously second round picks xD..