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.

In the entire 51-year history of the Denver Broncos every jersey number has been worn at least one time. This is an unusual fact because it includes number “0″. As we have discussed in previous “By the Numbers,” the Broncos had a number “0,” fullback Johnny Olszewski, back in 1962. But he is the only player ever to wear “0″. Interestingly, number “18″ also has been worn just once ever, and it was by a teammate of Johnny O’s, albeit someone far more famous and accomplished in the Mile High City.