The2013 season was theDenver Broncos' 44th in theNational Football League (NFL) and their 54th overall. It also marked their 30th season under the ownership ofPat Bowlen, the second withPeyton Manning as the team's startingquarterback and the third underhead coachJohn Fox. The 2013 Broncos were well known for their extremely powerful offense, which set the record for both the most points scored in a season and most passing yards in a season, at 606 and 5,572, respectively, both the all-time NFL records.[1][2]
The Broncos' 606 points (37.9 points per game) scored in the regular season is the highest total for any team playing a 16-game season. Throughout the regular season, numerous individual, league and franchise records were set, including Peyton Manning setting new NFL records for passing touchdowns and passing yardage, as well as the team setting new NFL records for touchdowns and points scored in a single season. He was namedMVP for the season. During the team's mid-seasonbye week, head coach John Fox received a health scare that resulted in Fox missing four games due to recuperation from heart surgery. Defensive coordinatorJack Del Rio served as the team's acting head coach during Fox's absence.
The Broncos won their third consecutiveAFC West division title, as well as earning a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout theplayoffs for a second consecutive season. The Broncos defeated theSan Diego Chargers 24–17 in the Divisional round and then theNew England Patriots 26–16 in theAFC championship game. The team faced theSeattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII – the Broncos' firstSuper Bowl berth since winning back-to-back Super Bowls in1997 and1998. However, the Broncos were unable to recover from a 22–0 halftime deficit, and the Seahawks' No. 1 ranked defense held the Broncos' No. 1 ranked offense to their lowest scoring output of the season, routing the Broncos by a score of 43–8. They also scored fewer than 27 points in all three of their playoff games despite only doing so once during the regular season. Despite leading the league in points scored, the Broncos were 22nd in points allowed, with 399 and 19th in total defense.
January 15:Offensive coordinatorMike McCoy was hired as the newhead coach of theSan Diego Chargers.[3] That same day, the Broncos hiredCory Undlin as the team's new secondary coach. Undlin served as the defensive quality control coach last season, and he replaces Ron Milus, whose contract was not renewed. The team cited that Milus' coaching style clashed with several players during the past two seasons.[4]
January 17:Adam Gase, who spent the past two seasons as the Broncos' quarterbacks coach, was promoted to offensive coordinator, replacing Mike McCoy.[5]
January 18:Greg Knapp was hired as the team's new quarterbacks coach, replacing Adam Gase. Knapp served as theOakland Raiders' offensive coordinator in2012.[6]
February 11: Assistant special teams coachKeith Burns was hired to the same position with theWashington Redskins. His position was filled two days later (February 13), with the hiring of Derius Swinton, who spent the 2012 season as theKansas City Chiefs' special teams quality control coach.[7]
May 1: The Broncos parted ways withKeith Kidd, who served as the team's director of player personnel for the past four seasons.[8] The team hiredTom Heckert, Jr. as Kidd's replacement six days later (May 7). Heckert previously served as a general manager with thePhiladelphia Eagles from 2006 to 2009 and most recently with theCleveland Browns from 2010 to 2012.[9]
May 13:Alex Gibbs, who served as the Broncos' offensive line coach from 1995 to 2003, was hired as an offensive consultant.[10]
May 31: John Spytek was hired as the team's director of college scouting. Spytek previously worked in the same capacity during the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, alongside former Browns' general manager Tom Heckert, Jr.[11]
On November 2, 2013, during the Broncos'bye week,head coachJohn Fox was hospitalized after experiencing light-headedness while playing golf inCharlotte, North Carolina. Fox was held in a Charlotte-area hospital for further testing, and doctors indicated that he neededaortic valve replacement surgery and would be out for up to two months.[12] Fox knew about his heart condition, and had initially hoped to postpone his surgery until after the season, however, two days later (November 4), Fox underwent the successful surgery.[13] Defensive coordinatorJack Del Rio was named the interim head coach during Fox's absence. Del Rio had previously served ashead coach of theJacksonville Jaguars from 2003 to 2011, as well as a defensive coordinator on Fox's staff with theCarolina Panthers in2002.[14] On December 2, Fox returned to the Broncos' training camp facility atDove Valley, in preparation for the team's Week 14 game against theTennessee Titans.[15]
On July 22, 2013,All-ProlinebackerVon Miller was initially suspended for a duration of four games due to his violation of NFL's drug policy, though initial reports indicated that his suspension did not involve theNFL's Steroids and Related Substances Policy.The Denver Post reported that Miller tested positive formarijuana and amphetamine during his rookie season in2011 on multiple occasions. Miller appealed the suspension.[72] However, on August 20 Miller's suspension period was increased from four to six games due to findings of other drug testing issues within the previous two years.[73] On September 9, reports circulated that the Broncos were attempting to re-claim a$1.25 million signing bonus from Miller as a result of the suspension.[74] On September 22,ESPN reported that the reason for Miller's suspension being increased from four to six games was due to Miller attempting to cheat a drug test with the aid of a urine collector, which nearly led to Miller being suspended for the entire2013 season.[75]
July 24:GuardChris Kuper, along withcenterJ. D. Walton, was placed on thePhysically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Kuper recovered from ankle surgery, resulting from an injury that forced him to miss the majority of the 2012 season.[76] Kuper was later activated on August 13, and returned to practice that same day.[77]
July 28: CenterDan Koppen suffered a rupturedACL in his knee during the fourth day of training camp, and was placed on the season-endinginjured reserve on July 30.[29]
August 3:The Denver Post reported thattight endJoel Dreessen underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the offseason. Dreessen missed the first three games of the regular season.[78][79]
August 17:CornerbackChamp Bailey injured his left foot during the team's second preseason game against theSeattle Seahawks,[80] and missed the majority of the regular season after re-aggravating the injury during the team's Week 7 loss to theIndianapolis Colts.[81]
August 27: Center J. D. Walton was moved from the active PUP list to the reserve PUP list, and missed the first eight weeks of the regular season.[58][82] Walton originally underwent surgery on his left ankle back in June – the same ankle that he fractured and dislocated during the team's September 30,2012 game vs. theOakland Raiders last season.[28] However, he later suffered an infection that hindered his recovery. Walton was later waived on December 17.[44] Also on August 27,safetyQuinton Carter was placed on injured reserve due to aftereffects from a knee injury that he suffered last season.[82]
August 31: Rookiedefensive endQuanterus Smith, the team's fifth-round selection in the2013 NFL draft, was placed on injured reserve. Smith suffered a torn ACL in his knee during his 2012 senior season atWestern Kentucky, and though he participated in all four of the Broncos' preseason games, the team determined that Smith had not fully recovered from the injury.[62]
November 17: SafetyRahim Moore suffered a lower leg injury, while tight endJulius Thomas sprained his knee during the Broncos' Week 11 win over theKansas City Chiefs.[85] Thomas missed the team's next two games,[86] while Moore and was diagnosed with lateralcompartment syndrome in his lower left leg the following day (November 18). Moore was placed on the injured reserve, with a designation to return. He missed the remainder of the regular season, and was eligible to return for the playoffs,[37] but had a slow recovery and missed theSuper Bowl.[87][88]
November 29:Defensive tackleDerek Wolfe fell ill as the Broncos were boarding a team bus toKansas City, two days before their Week 13 game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Wolfe was rushed to aDenver-area hospital, and was diagnosed withseizure-like symptoms the following day (November 30),[89] and missed the remainder of the regular season. He also missed the Broncos' first playoff game on January 12, 2014, against theSan Diego Chargers, and was officially placed on the season-ending injured reserve two days later (January 14).[35]
December 8:Wide receiverWes Welker suffered a concussion during the Broncos' Week 14 win over theTennessee Titans – his second concussion in a three-week span.[90] Welker missed the remainder of the regular season, but was cleared by team doctors for game action on December 30, and returned for the Broncos' first playoff game on January 12, 2014.[87]
December 22: LinebackerVon Miller injured his knee during the Broncos' Week 16 win over theHouston Texans. The following day (December 23), the team confirmed that Miller tore the ACL in his right knee, and Miller was placed on injured reserve on December 24.[43]
January 12, 2014: CornerbackChris Harris, Jr. tore the ACL in his left knee during the Broncos' 24–17 Divisional playoff win over the San Diego Chargers, and was placed on injured reserve two days later (January 14).[35]
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 5 receptions, 161 yards, 2 TD
The Broncos kicked off their 2013 season at home against theBaltimore Ravens in theNFL kickoff game, in a highly publicized rematch of their2012 Divisional playoff game. The Ravens grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with quarterbackJoe Flacco tossing a 2-yard touchdown pass to fullbackVonta Leach. Following a Flacco interception, the Broncos responded early in the second quarter, with quarterbackPeyton Manning throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight endJulius Thomas. After Broncos' wide receiverWes Welker muffed a punt return near the goal line, the Ravens grabbed the lead, with running backRay Rice rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, but the Broncos responded, with Manning connecting with Julius Thomas on another touchdown pass – from 23 yards out. The Ravens grabbed a 17–14 lead just before halftime, with placekickerJustin Tucker nailing a 25-yard field goal. However, the Broncos reeled off 28 unanswered points, with Manning throwing four more touchdown passes – a 28-yarder to wide receiverAndre Caldwell, two to Welker from 5 and 2 yards out, followed in the fourth quarter by a 26-yarder to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. The second score came after Broncos' safetyDavid Bruton blocked aSam Koch punt. The Ravens later scored 10 unanswered points, with Flacco throwing a 13-yard touchdown to wide receiverMarlon Brown, followed by a 30-yard field goal from Tucker to pull to within 42–27 with 5:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Broncos subsequently put the game out of reach, after Manning threw hisseventh touchdown pass of the game – a 78-yarder to Demaryius Thomas.[91]
Notes
The start of the game was delayed 33 minutes due to lightning in theDenver area.[92]
Coming off their season-opening win over the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens, the Broncos traveled toEast Rutherford, New Jersey, for an interconference duel against theNew York Giants atMetLife Stadium. This was the third match-up between brothersPeyton Manning (Broncos) andEli Manning (Giants), with Peyton Manning winning the previous two match-ups as a member of theIndianapolis Colts –2006 and2010. The Giants grabbed the lead midway through the first quarter, with a 36-yard field goal by placekickerJosh Brown. In the second quarter, a 20-yard touchdown run by running backKnowshon Moreno gave the Broncos the lead. Two field goals by Brown – from 24 and 41 yards – gave the Giants a 9–7 lead. The Broncos re-claimed the lead just before halftime, with placekickerMatt Prater nailing a 42-yard field goal. The Broncos increased their lead in the third quarter, with quarterback Peyton Manning connecting on a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverWes Welker. The Giants responded, with running backBrandon Jacobs rushing for a 1-yard touchdown to pull the Giants to within 17–16 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, the Broncos seized control of the game with 21 unanswered points, beginning with a 25-yard touchdown run by Moreno, followed in the fourth quarter by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to tight endJulius Thomas, and return specialistTrindon Holliday returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown. The Giants tried to rally, with quarterback Eli Manning throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to running backDa'Rel Scott with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but a 47-yard field goal by Prater put the game out of reach.[93]
Notes
Peyton Manning improved his head-to-head record against Eli Manning to 3–0.[93] This would be the last time the Manning brothers played against each other in the NFL, with Peyton retiring following the2015 season.
DEN –Ronnie Hillman 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 11:27.Broncos 37–14.Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:50.
OAK – Darren McFadden 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 1:15.Broncos 37–21.Drive: 4 plays, 20 yards, 1:04.
Top passers
OAK – Terrelle Pryor – 19/28, 281 yards, TD
DEN – Peyton Manning – 32/37, 374 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
OAK – Terrelle Pryor – 4 rushes, 36 yards
DEN – Ronnie Hillman – 9 rushes, 66 yards, TD
Top receivers
OAK – Denarius Moore – 6 receptions, 124 yards, TD
DEN – Eric Decker – 8 receptions, 133 yards, TD
Coming off their win over the Giants, the Broncos returned home for anAFC West duel with theOakland Raiders onMonday Night Football. The Broncos jumped out to a 17–0 lead, with a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to wide receiverEric Decker, a 53-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater and 12-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiverWes Welker, the latter of which occurred in the second quarter. The Raiders got on the scoreboard when quarterbackTerrelle Pryor completed a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDenarius Moore. The Broncos subsequently added to their lead, with Manning throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight endJulius Thomas, followed by two field goals by Prater – a 41-yarder just before halftime and a 40-yarder midway through the third quarter. Following a Manning fumble, the Raiders narrowed the Broncos' lead, with Pryor tossing the football on a running play to running backDarren McFadden, and McFadden throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to fullbackMarcel Reece, however, the Broncos responded early in the fourth quarter, with running backRonnie Hillman rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Raiders scored a late touchdown, with McFadden rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, however, the Broncos recovered the ensuing onside kick, sealing the win.[94]
Notes
This was the 17th meeting on Monday Night Football between the Broncos and Raiders – tied for the most frequent pairing in Monday Night Football history[95] with theDallas Cowboys & Washington Redskins, who met for a 17th time in2015.
Coming off their Monday Night win over the Raiders, the Broncos remained on home ground for an interconference duel with thePhiladelphia Eagles. A 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to wide receiverWes Welker gave the Broncos the early lead. The Eagles countered, with a 35-yard field goal by placekickerAlex Henery, however, the Broncos subsequently increased their lead, with return specialistTrindon Holliday returning the ensuing kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles cut into the Broncos' lead in the second quarter, with a 25-yard field goal by Henery, followed by running backChris Polk rushing for a 4-yard touchdown to pull to within 14–13. However, the Broncos proceeded to score 38 unanswered points and take control of the game. First, running backKnowshon Moreno rushed for a 4-yard touchdown. Then in the third quarter, Manning added three more touchdown passes – a 1-yarder and a 15-yarder to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas, followed by a 4-yarder to Welker. In the fourth quarter, Broncos' linebackerSteven Johnson blockedDonnie Jones' punt and immediately returned the football 17 yards for a touchdown, which was followed by a 53-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater. The Eagles scored a late touchdown, with quarterbackNick Foles, playing in place ofMichael Vick, completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJeff Maehl, but the outcome of the game had already been decided in the Broncos' favor.[96]
NotesThis was Denver's last win over Philly until2025.Former offensive linemanTom Nalen, who played with the Broncos from 1994 to 2007, was inducted to theBroncos Ring of Fame during halftime.[97] Nalen made it to fivePro Bowls, earning theNFL's Offensive Lineman of the Year award in2003, and was an integral part of 11 seasons in which the Broncos had at least one running back rush for 1,000 yards within a season.[98] Steven Johnson's return of a blocked punt for a touchdown marked the first such play for the Broncos' special teams since2000.[99]
Coming off their blowout win over the Eagles, the Broncos traveled toArlington, Texas, for an interconference duel with theDallas Cowboys atAT&T Stadium. The Cowboys grabbed a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, with a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackTony Romo to wide receiverDez Bryant, followed by running backDeMarco Murray rushing for a 4-yard touchdown. The latter score occurred after a fumble by Broncos' wide receiverEric Decker. The Broncos later got on the scoreboard, with quarterbackPeyton Manning connecting on a 4-yard shovel pass to tight endJulius Thomas for a touchdown. Early in the second quarter, a 43-yard field goal by placekickerDan Bailey gave the Cowboys a 17–7 lead. The Broncos then reeled off 21 unanswered points, with Manning adding two more touchdown passes – a 2-yarder to Decker and a 9-yarder to Thomas, followed by Manning rushing for a 1-yard touchdown on a bootleg play. A 48-yard field goal by Bailey at the end of the first half narrowed the Broncos' lead to 28–20.[100]
The Broncos added to their lead midway through the third quarter, with Manning connecting on a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverWes Welker. However, the Cowboys subsequently began chipping away at the Broncos' lead, with Romo connecting on an 82-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverTerrance Williams. A 48-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater gave the Broncos a 38–27 lead, but the Cowboys further narrowed the Broncos' lead, with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Romo to Bryant (with an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt). On the Broncos' next possession, Manning threw his first interception of the season, and the Cowboys subsequently re-claimed the lead early in the fourth quarter, with Romo throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight endJason Witten, coupled with a two-point pass from Romo to Williams. The Broncos tied the game at 41–41 on their next possession, with a 50-yard field goal by Prater, however, on the Cowboys' next possession, Romo connected on a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverCole Beasley to give the Cowboys a 48–41 lead with 7:19 remaining in the fourth quarter. Manning subsequently led the Broncos on a 9-play, 73-yard drive, which culminated with running backKnowshon Moreno rushing for a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game at 48–48 with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. Two plays into the Cowboys' next possession, as the Cowboys were attempting a game-winning drive, Romo was intercepted by Broncos' linebackerDanny Trevathan at the Cowboys' 24-yard line just before the two-minute warning. On the fourth play of the Broncos' final possession, the Broncos were facing a 3rd-and-1 at the Cowboys' 2-yard line, after the Cowboys had exhausted two of their three team timeouts. Moreno earned a crucial first down after Manning implored him to go down before reaching the goal line instead of scoring a touchdown, which forced the Cowboys to burn their final timeout with 1:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. After three kneel-downs by Manning, Prater nailed the game-winning 28-yard field goal as time expired.[100]
Notes
This was the only game during the2013 season in which the Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys.[101]
Coming off their comeback win over the Cowboys, the Broncos returned home for anAFC match against theJacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos entered the game as the largest favorites (27 points) in NFL history.[102][103] The Broncos started their dominance by jumping out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, with quarterbackPeyton Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 3-yarder to tight endJulius Thomas and a 20-yarder to wide receiverWes Welker. The Jaguars outscored the Broncos 12–0 in the second quarter, with a pair of field goals from placekickerJosh Scobee – from 50 and 30 yards out, followed by linebackerPaul Posluszny returning a Manning interception 59 yards for a touchdown (with an unsuccessful two-point attempt). On the opening drive of the third quarter, Broncos' running backKnowshon Moreno rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, however, the Jaguars had a response, with running backMaurice Jones-Drew rushing for a 5-yard touchdown to pull to within 21–19 midway through the third quarter. The Broncos subsequently added to their lead, with Moreno rushing for a pair of touchdowns – an 8-yarder followed by a 3-yarder at the 9:09 mark of the fourth quarter, the latter of which was the final scoring play of the game. The Jaguars attempted a rally, but the Broncos' defense stood their ground on the Jaguars' final two offensive possessions.[81]
Coming off their win over the Jaguars, the Broncos traveled toLucas Oil Stadium for anAFC duel with theIndianapolis Colts. The Broncos grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with quarterbackPeyton Manning connecting with wide receiverEric Decker on a 17-yard touchdown pass. The Colts responded, with a 27-yard field goal by placekickerAdam Vinatieri. Following a fumble by Broncos' return specialistTrindon Holliday on a punt return, the Colts grabbed the lead, with quarterbackAndrew Luck completing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDarrius Heyward-Bey. The Broncos re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with Manning throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight endJulius Thomas. On the Broncos next possession, Colts' linebackerRobert Mathis forced a fumble off Manning out of the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Colts subsequently re-claimed the lead, with Luck connecting on a 20-yard touchdown pass to fullbackStanley Havili, then added to their lead, with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Luck to tight endCoby Fleener just before halftime.[104]
The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on their first three possessions of the third quarter, and the Colts took a 33–14 lead, with Luck rushing for a 10-yard touchdown. Late in the third quarter, the Broncos tried to cut into the Colts lead, with a 31-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater, but the Colts responded early in the fourth quarter, with a 52-yard field goal by Vinatieri. Trailing 36–17, the Broncos attempted a rally, with Manning connecting on a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas (with a failed two-point conversion attempt), followed by a 1-yard touchdown run by running backKnowshon Moreno. The latter score occurred after Broncos' safetyDuke Ihenacho forced a fumble off Colts' running backTrent Richardson deep in Colts' territory. The Broncos' defense forced a punt on the Colts next possession. However, with 7:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, Manning's arm was hit by Colts' linebackerErik Walden, and his pass was subsequently intercepted by linebackerPat Angerer deep in Broncos' territory. Four plays later, a Vinatieri 42-yard field goal gave the Colts a 39–30 lead with 6:06 remaining. Eight plays into the Broncos' next possession, running backRonnie Hillman lost a fumble at the Colts' 3-yard line at the 3:15 mark of the fourth quarter, just as the Broncos were attempting to narrow the Colts' lead. The Colts' offense subsequently ran time off the clock, forcing the Broncos to burn all three of their team timeouts. The Broncos tried a desperation rally with 1:28 remaining, with Prater nailing a 47-yard field goal with only 17 seconds remaining. However, the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Colts.[104]
Notes
With the loss, the Broncos' 17-game regular season winning streak was snapped. This marked Peyton Manning's first visit to Indianapolis since he was released by the Colts in March 2012. Manning was the Colts' starting quarterback from 1998 to 2010, before missing the entire2011 season due to multiple neck surgeries.[104][105]
Hoping to recover from their first loss of the season at Indianapolis, the Broncos returned home for an interconference match against theWashington Redskins. A 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to wide receiverWes Welker gave the Broncos the early lead. The Redskins tied the game just before halftime, with quarterbackRobert Griffin III connecting on a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverLeonard Hankerson. Early in the third quarter, the Redskins grabbed a 21–7 lead, with two touchdowns in only 19 seconds – both off Manning turnovers. Following a Manning fumble, Redskins' running backAlfred Morris rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. On the first play of the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by cornerbackDeAngelo Hall, who returned the football 26 yards for a touchdown. However, the Broncos scored the final 38 points of the game. Midway through the third quarter, running backMontee Ball rushed for a 4-yard touchdown. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Manning connected on a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight endJoel Dreessen to tie the game at 21–21. The Redskins' offense went three-and-out on their next possession, and after punterSav Rocca shanked a punt to the Redskins' 35-yard line, the Broncos immediately grabbed the lead on the first play of their next possession, with Manning throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to running backKnowshon Moreno on a screen play. On the Redskins' next possession, Broncos' linebackerVon Miller forced a fumble off RGIII deep in Redskins' territory, though the Broncos had to settle on a 19-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater. Midway through the fourth quarter, Manning threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game – a 35-yarder to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. The final scoring play of the game came courtesy of cornerbackDominique Rodgers-Cromartie returning an interception off Redskins' quarterbackKirk Cousins 75 yards for a touchdown.[106]
Notes
This was Redskins' head coachMike Shanahan's first visit to Denver since being fired by the Broncos after the2008 season. Shanahan, who coached the Broncos from 1995 to 2008, is the winningesthead coach in Broncos' franchise history, with 146 wins.[107] This was the Broncos' final home game against Washington under the "Redskins" moniker, as Washington adopted a temporary moniker in2020.[108]
Coming off their win over the Redskins and subsequent bye week, the Broncos traveled toQualcomm Stadium for anAFC West duel with theSan Diego Chargers. A 74-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to tight endJulius Thomas in the first quarter gave the Broncos the early lead. Two second-quarter field goals by Chargers' placekickerNick Novak – from 26 and 40 yards out – narrowed the Broncos lead. However, the Broncos struck back, with Manning connecting on three touchdown passes to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas – an 11-yarder, a 7-yarder just before halftime and a 34-yarder on the opening possession of the second half, which increased the Broncos' lead to 28–6. On the Broncos' next possession, Chargers' linebackerTourek Williams forced a fumble off Manning deep in Broncos' territory, and the Chargers immediately capitalized two plays later, with quarterbackPhilip Rivers throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to running backDanny Woodhead. The Chargers further narrowed the Broncos' lead early in the fourth quarter, with running backRyan Mathews rushing for a 1-yard touchdown to pull to within 28–20 with 10:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Chargers' defense forced a punt on the Broncos' next possession, and with 6:43 left in the game, the Chargers tried to rally, however, the Broncos' defense forced a Chargers' punt with 3:37 remaining, and the Broncos' offense subsequently ran out the clock.[109]
Coming off their win over the Chargers, the Broncos returned home for anAFC West duel with the 9–0Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos jumped out to a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, with a 54-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater, followed by a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to tight endJulius Thomas. The Chiefs got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackAlex Smith to wide receiverDwayne Bowe. The Broncos immediately responded, with running backMontee Ball rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Chiefs pulled to within 17–10, with a 20-yard field goal by placekickerRyan Succop. The Broncos added to their lead late in the third quarter, with an 8-yard touchdown run by Ball, followed by a 36-yard field goal by Prater midway through the fourth quarter. The Chiefs tried to rally, with Smith connecting on a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight endAnthony Fasano, and forced a Broncos' punt with one minute remaining in the game, but the Broncos' defense stood their ground to hand the Chiefs their first loss of the season.[110]
Coming off their win over the Chiefs, the Broncos traveled toFoxborough, Massachusetts to face theNew England Patriots atGillette Stadium. This was the 14th meeting between quarterbacksPeyton Manning andTom Brady since2001. The Broncos jumped out to a 17–0 lead in the first quarter off three Patriots' turnovers. First, linebackerVon Miller returned a fumble 60 yards for a touchdown. Then, after another Patriots' fumble, running backKnowshon Moreno rushed for a 2-yard touchdown. PlacekickerMatt Prater added a 27-yard field goal after yet another Patriots' fumble. The Broncos increased their lead to 24–0 midway through the second quarter, with Manning connecting on a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight endJacob Tamme.[111]
The Patriots then reeled off 31 unanswered points, 14 of which came off two Broncos' turnovers. The Patriots took the opening possession of the second half and got on the scoreboard, with Brady connecting on a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJulian Edelman. Following a fumble by Broncos' running backMontee Ball, the Patriots scored again, with running backBrandon Bolden rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. After forcing a Broncos' punt, the Patriots pulled to within 24–21 near the end of the third quarter, with Brady throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight endRob Gronkowski. On the second play of the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by Patriots' cornerbackLogan Ryan early in the fourth quarter, and three plays later, Brady connected on another touchdown pass to Edelman – from 14 yards out – to give the Patriots a 28–24 lead. The Broncos went three-and-out on their next offensive possession, and the Patriots subsequently added to their lead, with a 31-yard field goal by placekickerStephen Gostkowski midway through the fourth quarter. The Broncos snapped the Patriots' streak of 31 unanswered points and tied the game on their next possession, with a 10-play, 80-yard drive, culminating with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas, sending the game to overtime.[111]
Each team traded punts on their first two overtime possessions, and after the Patriots' second punt, Broncos' cornerbackTony Carter inadvertently made contact with the football as he was trying to get out of the way of a bouncing punt, with Patriots' safetyNate Ebner recovering the fumble at the Broncos' 13-yard line. Three plays later, Gostkowski nailed the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in overtime.[111]
Notes
This marked wide receiverWes Welker's first visit to New England, where he was a standoutPro Bowler with the team from 2007 to 2012. Tom Brady improved his head-to-head record against Peyton Manning to 10–4,[111] while Manning suffered his 14th career loss in 21 starts against the Patriots.
Hoping to rebound from their overtime loss to the Patriots, the Broncos traveled toArrowhead Stadium for anAFC West rematch with theKansas City Chiefs. The Broncos and Chiefs entered the game tied for the AFC West division lead, both with 9–2 records. The Chiefs grabbed the lead late in the first quarter, with quarterbackAlex Smith throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJunior Hemingway. The Broncos responded at the beginning of the second quarter, with quarterbackPeyton Manning throwing a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverEric Decker. However, Chiefs' running backKnile Davis returned the ensuing kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown and following a Manning interception on the Broncos' next possession, Smith connected with tight endAnthony Fasano on a 12-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a 21–7 lead. The Broncos then reeled off 28 unanswered points, beginning with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Manning to running backKnowshon Moreno. Manning then connected with Decker on three more touchdown passes – a 37-yarder and a 15-yarder in the third quarter, followed by a 1-yarder early in the fourth quarter. A 1-yard touchdown run by Chiefs' running backJamaal Charles narrowed the Broncos' lead to 35–28 with 6:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs' defense forced a punt on the Broncos' next possession. The Chiefs' offense had one last possession with 3:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, and Smith drove the Chiefs to as far as the Broncos' 13-yard line with 1:51 remaining. However, Broncos' safetyMike Adams deflected a fourth-down pass from Smith that was intended for wide receiverDwayne Bowe near the goal line, and the Broncos subsequently ran out the clock.[112]
Notes
With the win, the Broncos swept the Chiefs for a second consecutive season.
DEN – Matt Prater 19-yard field goal, 13:15.Broncos 37–28.Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 6:35.
DEN –Eric Decker 20-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 9:12.Broncos 44–28.Drive: 3 plays, 32 yards, 0:35.
DEN –Montee Ball 5-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:07.Broncos 51–28.Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 5:06.
Top passers
TEN – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 13/24, 172 yards, TD, INT
DEN – Peyton Manning – 39/59, 397 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
TEN – Shonn Greene – 9 rushes, 46 yards, 2 TD
DEN – Knowshon Moreno – 14 rushes, 78 yards, TD
Top receivers
TEN – Justin Hunter – 4 receptions, 114 yards, TD
DEN – Eric Decker – 8 receptions, 117 yards, TD
Coming off their win over the Chiefs, the Broncos returned home for anAFC duel with theTennessee Titans. The Titans struck first on their opening possession, with running backShonn Greene rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Broncos responded, with quarterbackPeyton Manning throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverWes Welker. Titans' running backLeon Washington then returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to the Broncos' 3-yard line, and the Titans subsequently re-claimed the lead, with a 3-yard touchdown run by running backChris Johnson. The Broncos narrowed the Titans' lead toward the end of the first quarter, with a 25-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater. Midway through the second quarter, Greene rushed for a 28-yard touchdown, which gave the Titans a 21–10 lead. Just after the two-minute warning, Manning connected with tight endJulius Thomas on an 8-yard touchdown pass, and just before halftime, Prater nailed anNFL-record 64-yard field goal. The Broncos claimed the lead on the opening possession of the second half, with Manning throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas, then increased their lead, with running backKnowshon Moreno rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Titans tried to cut into the Broncos' lead, with quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick connecting on a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJustin Hunter. However, the Broncos pulled away in the fourth quarter, with a 19-yard field goal by Prater, a 20-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiverEric Decker and a 5-yard touchdown run by running backMontee Ball.[113]
Notes
With the win, the Broncos clinched a playoff berth.
Coming off their win over the Titans, the Broncos remained on home ground for anAFC West rematch with theSan Diego Chargers onThursday Night Football. A 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to wide receiverAndre Caldwell gave the Broncos the early lead. The Chargers subsequently got on the board, with a 38-yard field goal by placekickerNick Novak. The Broncos answered, with a 32-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater. However, the Chargers scored 21 unanswered points and dominated the time of possession, as the Broncos' offense went three-and-out on all three of their second quarter possessions. A 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPhilip Rivers to wide receiverKeenan Allen tied the game, and the Chargers grabbed the lead late in the first half, with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Allen. The Chargers took the opening possession of the second half and increased their lead, culminating with running backRyan Mathews rushing for a 23-yard touchdown. The Broncos were forced to punt after only four plays on their initial possession of the second half, and the Chargers' ball control offense subsequently ate up over eight minutes of the third quarter, though the Broncos' defense forced a Chargers' punt. The Broncos cut into the Chargers' lead in the fourth quarter, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Caldwell with 10:30 remaining in the game. After forcing a Chargers' punt, the Broncos offense got the football with 5:50 remaining, however, three plays later, Manning was intercepted by Chargers' linebackerThomas Keiser at the Broncos' 39-yard line. Six plays later, a 35-yard field goal by Novak increased the Chargers' lead to 27–17 with 2:41 remaining. With no timeouts remaining (save the two-minute warning), the Broncos tried to rally, with Prater kicking a 42-yard field goal with only 34 seconds remaining. However, the Broncos' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Chargers.[114]
Notes
With the loss, the Broncos had their 13-game regular-season home winning streak snapped, as well as their 10-game winning streak against division opponents.
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Chargers, the Broncos traveled toReliant Stadium for anAFC match with theHouston Texans. The two teams traded field goals in the first quarter, with a 32-yarder by Broncos' placekickerMatt Prater and a 45-yarder by Texans' placekickerRandy Bullock. The Broncos grabbed the lead early in the second quarter, with a 36-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackPeyton Manning to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. A 35-yard field goal by Bullock narrowed the Broncos' lead, but the Broncos increased it with two field goals from Prater in the final minute of the first half – a 25-yarder and a 44-yarder. A 15-yard touchdown pass from Texans' quarterbackMatt Schaub to wide receiverKeshawn Martin was the only scoring play of the third quarter, which narrowed the Broncos' lead to 16–13. After Broncos' safetyMike Adams intercepted Schaub early in the fourth quarter, the Broncos subsequently pulled away, with Manning throwing two touchdown passes to wide receiverEric Decker – a 10-yarder and a 20-yarder. Later in the fourth quarter, Manning threw his 51st touchdown pass of the season – a 25-yarder to tight endJulius Thomas, in which Manning set a newNFL record for touchdown passes in a single season.[115]
Notes
With the win, coupled with theKansas City Chiefs' loss to theIndianapolis Colts, the Broncos clinched theAFC West division title. This was the 13th division title in the Broncos' franchise history, surpassing theOakland Raiders for the all-time lead in AFC West championships since the1970 AFL–NFL merger.[116] It also marked the first time in franchise history that the Broncos clinched three consecutive AFC West division titles.[117]
Hoping to gain momentum into theplayoffs, the Broncos traveled to theO.co Coliseum for anAFC West divisional rematch with theOakland Raiders, in the2013 regular season finale. The Broncos dominated this game from the start. In the first quarter, quarterbackPeyton Manning threw a pair of touchdown passes – a 3-yarder to wide receiverEric Decker and a 7-yarder to running backKnowshon Moreno. In the second quarter, placekickerMatt Prater added a 34-yard field goal, and later in the second quarter, Manning connected with wide receiverDemaryius Thomas on a 63-yard touchdown pass. This gave the Broncos a 24–0 lead, in which the Broncos set a newNFL record for points scored in a single season. Just before halftime, Manning once again connected with Thomas on another touchdown pass – from 5 yards out, in which Manning set a new NFL record for single-season passing yardage. Manning sat out the entire second half, and backup quarterbackBrock Osweiler took over. After a scoreless third quarter, Prater added a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Raiders finally got on the scoreboard, with quarterbackTerrelle Pryor throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 14-yarder to wide receiverRod Streater and a 9-yarder to tight endNick Kasa, but the outcome of the game had already been decided in the Broncos' favor.[118]
Notes
With the win, the Broncos clinched a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout theAFC playoffs, as well as sweeping their division rivals on the road for the fourth time in five seasons.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
Following a first-round bye, the Broncos began their run in the2013–14 NFL playoffs at home by welcoming theirAFC West division rivals, theSan Diego Chargers, in the teams' first-ever playoff meeting. The Broncos grabbed the lead late in the first quarter, with quarterbackPeyton Manning connecting on a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. After Chargers' placekickerNick Novak missed a 53-yard field goal early in the second quarter, the Broncos added to their lead, with Manning throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverWes Welker. Just before halftime, the Broncos tried to add to their lead, after wide receiverEric Decker stumbled on a long punt return, when it appeared that he was headed to the end zone for a touchdown. However, eight plays later, Manning was intercepted in the end zone by Chargers' linebackerDonald Butler. A 45-yard field goal by Broncos' placekickerMatt Prater on the opening possession of the second half was the only scoring play of the third quarter, as Prater later missed a 47-yard field goal toward the end of the third quarter. The Chargers finally got on the scoreboard at the 13:03 mark of the fourth quarter, with quarterbackPhilip Rivers connecting on a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverKeenan Allen. The Broncos subsequently responded, with running backKnowshon Moreno rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. Trailing 24–7 with 8:12 remaining in the game, the Chargers attempted a rally on their next possession. The Chargers were facing a 4th-and-5 on their own 36-yard line, and Rivers connected on a 49-yard pass to Allen to keep the Chargers alive. Three plays later, Rivers connected with Allen on another 16-yard touchdown pass. After the Chargers recovered the ensuing onside kick, a 30-yard field goal by Novak pulled the Chargers to within 24–17 with 3:56 remaining in the game. The Broncos' offense then ran out the clock, which included Manning completing two critical third-down passing plays to tight endJulius Thomas and Moreno converting a 3rd-and-1 into a game-clinching first down.[124]
With the win, the Broncos advanced to theAFC Championship game for the first time since2005.[125]
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 7 receptions, 134 yards, TD
Coming off their win over the Chargers in the Divisional round, the Broncos welcomed the No. 2 seedNew England Patriots toSports Authority Field at Mile High, for theAFC Championship. The Broncos' defense forced the Patriots' offense to go three-and-out on their first two offensive possessions. The Broncos were forced to punt on their first offensive possession, but did not punt for the remainder of the game. A 27-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater gave the Broncos the lead late in the first quarter. After the Broncos' defense forced another Patriots' punt, the Broncos put together a 15-play, 93-yard drive that chewed up seven minutes of the second quarter, and added to their lead, with quarterbackPeyton Manning connecting on a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight endJacob Tamme. The two teams then subsequently traded field goals, with a 47-yarder by Patriots' placekickerStephen Gostkowski and a 35-yarder by Prater just before halftime, to give the Broncos a 13–3 lead.[126]
The Broncos took the opening possession of the second half and added to their lead, with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that chewed up the first seven minutes of the third quarter, culminating with Manning throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. On the Patriots' first offensive possession of the second half, the Patriots drove to the Broncos' 29-yard line and faced a 4th-and-2, however, Broncos' defensive tackleTerrance Knighton sacked Patriots' quarterbackTom Brady, forcing a turnover on downs. The Broncos subsequently added to lead early in the fourth quarter, with a 19-yard field goal by Prater. The Patriots finally got into the end zone on their next possession, with Brady connecting on a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJulian Edelman, but the Broncos subsequently added to their lead, with Prater nailing a 54-yard field goal with seven minutes remaining. Trailing 26–10, the Patriots tried to rally, with Brady scrambling up the middle for a 5-yard touchdown run. However, the Broncos' defense subsequently thwarted a two-point conversion attempt by Patriots' running backShane Vereen to get the Patriots to within a one-score deficit, keeping the score at 26–16 with 3:13 remaining in the game. The Patriots tried an onside kick, but Broncos' wide receiverEric Decker recovered the football near midfield. The Broncos' offense then forced the Patriots to use all of their timeouts and ran out the clock, aided by a critical 5-yard run on 4th-and-2 by running backMontee Ball just after the two-minute warning.[126]
SEA –Doug Baldwin 10-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Steven Hauschka kick), 11:45.Seahawks 43–8.Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 3:15.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 18/25, 206 yards, 2 TD
DEN – Peyton Manning – 34/49, 280 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
SEA – Percy Harvin – 2 rushes, 45 yards
DEN – Knowshon Moreno – 5 rushes, 17 yards
Top receivers
SEA – Doug Baldwin – 5 receptions, 66 yards, TD
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 13 receptions, 118 yards, TD
On the first offensive play of the game, an errant snap by Broncos' centerManny Ramirez over the head of quarterbackPeyton Manning resulted in a safety that gave the Seahawks the early lead only 12 seconds into the game. PlacekickerSteven Hauschka added field goals of 31 and 33 yards to give the Seahawks an 8–0 lead after the first quarter. The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on their second offensive possession, and three plays into the Broncos' third offensive possession, Manning was intercepted by Seahawks' safetyKam Chancellor at the Broncos' 39-yard line toward the end of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, the Seahawks added to their lead, with running backMarshawn Lynch rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Broncos earned their first 1st-down on their next offensive possession at the 10:13 mark of the second quarter, however, the Seahawks' defense forced another turnover off Manning – defensive endCliff Avril altered a pass by Manning, and linebackerMalcolm Smith intercepted the football and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos' offense drove to the Seahawks' 19-yard line one minute before halftime, and decided to go for a first down instead of kick a field goal. However, a short pass from Manning intended for wide receiverDemaryius Thomas was deflected by Avril and fell incomplete, giving the Seahawks a 22–0 halftime lead.[129]
Things got much worse for the Broncos, as Seahawks' wide receiver/return specialistPercy Harvin returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards for a touchdown. The two teams then traded punts on their next possessions, and later in the third quarter, Seahawks' cornerbackByron Maxwell forced a fumble off Demaryius Thomas, and the Seahawks capitalized six plays later, with quarterbackRussell Wilson connecting with wide receiverJermaine Kearse on a 23-yard touchdown pass to give the Seahawks a commanding 36–0 lead. The Broncos finally got on the scoreboard at the end of the third quarter, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Demaryius Thomas (coupled with a two-point pass from Manning to wide receiverWes Welker). This was the Broncos' only scoring play of the game, and the Seahawks added one more scoring play early in the fourth quarter, with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to wide receiverDoug Baldwin.[129]
With the loss, the Broncos' record inSuper Bowls dropped to 2–5.[130]
Notes
This marked cornerbackChamp Bailey's final game in a Broncos' uniform, as he was released on March 6, 2014.[131]
Week 4: The Broncos set two franchise records – points scored in a single game (52) and consecutive regular-season wins (15).[97]
September: The month of September marked the first time in Broncos' franchise history that two players earned player of the month awards in the same month, withquarterbackPeyton Manning earning theAFC Offensive player of the Month award andreturn specialistTrindon Holliday earning the Special Teams Player of the Month award.[132]
Week 5: Set a newNFL record for points scored within the first five games of a season, with 230.[133]
Week 8: The Broncos set a franchise record for points in a quarter, with 31, and also set a new NFL record for points scored within the first eight games of a season, with 343.[134]
Week 10: The Broncos' 28–20 win over theSan Diego Chargers on November 10 marked the 300th win forPat Bowlen in his 30th season as the Broncos' team owner – the fastest NFL owner to reach that feat.[135]
Week 14: Set a new franchise record for points scored in a single season;[136] became the first team in NFL history to have four players score at least 10 touchdowns within a single season;[137] became the first team since theAFL–NFL merger to score at least 50 points three times during a single season.[113]
Week 16: Became the first team in NFL history to have five players score at least 10 touchdowns within a single season;John Fox became only the fifth head coach in NFL history to win a division title in each of his first three seasons with a team.[116]
Week 17: Set a new NFL record for points scored in a single season, with 606; became only the third team in NFL history to surpass 7,000 net yards in a single season, with 7,317.[121]
Regular season: Set a new NFL single-season record with 76 touchdowns, eclipsing the previous record of 75 touchdowns that was held by the2007 New England Patriots; set a new franchise record for first downs in a season, with 435, as well as for total yards from scrimmage, with 7,317.[138]
Week 1: Became the seventh quarterback inNFL history to throw seven touchdown passes in a game, and the first to do so sinceJoe Kapp in1969.[91]
Week 2: Became the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 60,000 passing yards, joiningBrett Favre andDan Marino.[93]
Week 3: Became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 12 touchdown passes within the first three games of a season,[94] a record that was surpassed bySeattle Seahawks' quarterbackRussell Wilson in2020.[140]
Week 4: Became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 16 touchdown passes within the first four games of a season; set a new NFL record for four-touchdown games for the 24th time in his career, surpassing Brett Favre; set a personal record for consecutive passes without an interception (201).[96]
Week 5: Set a new NFL record for touchdown passes to start a season without an interception, with 20; surpassed Dan Marino for second-place on theNFL's all-time career passing yards list.[133]
Week 6: Set a new NFL record for touchdown passes within the first six games of a season, with 22.[81]
Week 8: Achieved 2,919 passing yards, setting a new NFL record for the most passing yards within the first eight games of a season.[134]
Week 10: Set a new NFL record for regular-season road wins with 74, surpassing Brett Favre; tiedTom Brady's NFL record for touchdown passes within the first nine games of a season, with 33.[135]
Week 13: Set a new franchise record for touchdown passes in a single season, which Manning previously set in2012.[141]
Week 14: Set a new franchise record with touchdown passes to four different receivers in a single game;[142] set a new NFL record for games with at least four touchdown passes in a single season; set a new franchise record for pass completions in a single game (39) and tied a franchise record for pass attempts in a single game (59); with the Broncos clinching a playoff berth, Manning surpassed Brett Favre for the most seasons in the playoffs for a quarterback.[143]
Week 15: Set a new career high for passing yards during a single season,[144] which also sets a new franchise record for passing yards during a single season – Manning previously set the record for passing yards in 2012.[145]
Week 16: With his 51st touchdown pass of the season, Manning set a new NFL record for touchdown passes during a single season, surpassing the previous record that Tom Brady set in2007;[146] with his 400 passing yards against theHouston Texans, Manning tied Dan Marino's1984 mark for 400-yard passing games in a single season, with 4.[138]
Week 17: With four touchdown passes in the regular-season finale against theOakland Raiders, Manning extended his newly-set NFL record for touchdown passes during a single season to 55; Manning also reached 5,477 passing yards, surpassing the previous single-season passing record thatDrew Brees set in2011;[121] at the time, Manning set a new single-game franchise record for pass completion percentage (25/28, .893), untilBo Nix surpassed that record in2024.[138][147]
Regular season: Set new single-season franchise records for pass completions (450), pass attempts (659) andpasser rating (115.3). Manning threw at least one touchdown pass in 49 consecutive games as a Bronco (including the playoffs) – a streak that ended in Week 14 of the2014 season, shattering the old franchise record of 26 that was held by former Broncos'quarterbackBrian Griese.[138]
Super Bowl XLVIII: Became only the third quarterback in NFL history to start aSuper Bowl with two different teams – Manning started two Super Bowls with theIndianapolis Colts in2006 and2009;[148] set a new Super Bowl record for pass completions, with 34.[129]
Eric Decker: During the Broncos' Week 13 win over theKansas City Chiefs, Decker became the first player in franchise history to catch four touchdown passes in a single game.[149]
Trindon Holliday: 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown during the team's Week 4 win over thePhiladelphia Eagles tied a record for the longest play in franchise history,[96] which Holliday previously set in2012.[150]
Knowshon Moreno: During the Broncos' Week 16 win over theHouston Texans, Moreno became the first player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards and receive over 500 yards during the same season.[116]
Week 14: Prater kicked a 64-yard field goal, which, at the time, was the longest inNFL history,[137] untilBaltimore Ravens' placekickerJustin Tucker surpassed that record with a 66-yard field goal in2021.[151]
Regular season: Set a new NFL record forextra points in a single season, with 75; set a new single-season franchise record for points scored in a season, with 150, surpassing the previous record of 138 that was held byTerrell Davis in1998.[138]
Julius Thomas: During the Broncos' Week 14 win over theTennessee Titans, Julius Thomas set a new franchise record for the most touchdown receptions by atight end in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 10 touchdowns that was held byShannon Sharpe in1996.[153]
On December 31, 2013, two days after the end of the regular season, media reports indicated thatPeyton Manning's passing yardage record was being reviewed by theNFL. Manning sat out the second half of the Broncos' Week 17 win over theOakland Raiders, after he had eclipsedDrew Brees' record for single-season passing yardage by one yard just before halftime. However, Manning's record was called into question, due to a play that could have been ruled as a running play instead of a forward pass. Near the end of the first quarter of the Broncos' Week 17 win over the Raiders, Manning completed what was, at the time, ruled as a 7-yard pass towide receiverEric Decker. However, the pass appeared to be a lateral fromCBS camera angles, as Manning appeared to throw the football from the Broncos' 49-yard line, and Decker appeared to catch the pass from the Broncos' 48-yard line, indicating that the play should have been recorded as a running play, not a passing play. Manning later set the single-season passing yardage record with a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas just before halftime. After further review by the NFL and theElias Sports Bureau, the league upheld the initial ruling, resulting in Manning's new NFL record for single-season passing yardage remaining intact.[154]
Sports Authority Field at Mile High underwent$30 million in stadium upgrades prior to the start of the2013 season, including a new high-definitionLED video board on the stadium's south end zone that triples the size of the old video board.[181]
On July 15, 2013, the Broncos suspended two front office executives for separatedrunk driving arrests.Tom Heckert, Jr., who was hired as the team's director of pro personnel in May, was suspended for one month without pay stemming from a June 11 arrest inParker, Colorado, as well as measuring ablood-alcohol level of .162 – twice the legal limit.Matt Russell, the team's director of player personnel, was suspended indefinitely without pay stemming from a July 6 arrest inSummit County, Colorado, in which he collided with two vehicles – one of them a police car, as well as measuring a blood-alcohol level of .246 – three times the legal limit. After the Broncos notified theNFL of its disciplinary plans, the NFL announced that no further punishment will be imposed.[182] On September 16, Russell was reinstated by the Broncos after being suspended for two months.[183]
On December 8, 2013, prior to the Broncos' Week 14 home game vs.Tennessee Titans, the press box at Sports Authority Field at Mile High was officially named the "Jim Saccomano Press Box," in honor of Jim Saccomano, the team's vice president of corporate communications for the past 36 seasons, who announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2013 season.[184]
The paid attendance of 77,110 for the Broncos'AFC Championship game vs. theNew England Patriots on January 19, 2014, was the second-largest crowd in team history.[185]
