2019 Denver Broncos season
Owner	The Bowlen family (viaPat Bowlen’s estate)
General manager	John Elway
Head coach	Vic Fangio
Home stadium	Empower Field at Mile High
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	2ndAFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
All-Pros	SJustin Simmons(2nd team)
Pro Bowlers	OLBVon Miller WRCourtland Sutton
Uniform
← 2018 Broncos seasons 2020 →

The2019 season was theDenver Broncos' 50th in theNational Football League (NFL) and their 60th overall.

This marked the Broncos' first season under new ownership since1984, as longtime ownerPat Bowlen died during the offseason. The team underwent numerouscoaching changes following the end of the2018 season, asVic Fangio became the Broncos' third differenthead coach since2014. After their first 0–4 start since1999, the Broncos went 7–5 the rest of the way, finishing at 7–9 and improving on their 6–10 record from2018; however, they missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. The team struggled with poor offensive performances, ranking in the bottom five in severalstatistical categories. The team underwent aquarterback carousel, and for a fourth consecutive season, scored 30 or more pointsonly once.

• December 31, 2018: One day after the Broncos'2018 regular-season finale,head coachVance Joseph was fired, after posting an 11–21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach.^[1]
• January 10:Vic Fangio was named the 17th head coach in Broncos' franchise history, replacing Vance Joseph. This will be Fangio's first head coaching gig after 19 years as a defensive assistant. Fangio previously served as a defensive coordinator with theCarolina Panthers from 1995 to 1998, theIndianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2001, theHouston Texans from 2002 to 2005, theSan Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014 and theChicago Bears from 2015 to 2018.^[2]
• January 14:Mike Munchak was hired as the offensive line coach. Munchak served in the same capacity with thePittsburgh Steelers from 2014 to 2018.^[3]
• January 15:Brandon Staley was hired as the outside linebackers coach. Staley served in the same capacity with the Chicago Bears during the previous two seasons (2017–2018), alongside current Broncos' head coach Vic Fangio.^[4]Ed Donatell was hired as the defensive coordinator. This will be Donatell's third stint with the Broncos, having coached the defensive backs from 1995 to 1999 and 2009–2010. Donatell also served as a defensive backs alongside Vic Fangio during the previous eight seasons—with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014 and the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2018.^[5]
• January 16:Rich Scangarello, who spent 2017 and 2018 as the San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks coach, was hired as the offensive coordinator.^[6]
• January 17:Wade Harman was hired as the tight ends coach. Harman worked in the same capacity with theAtlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2018.^[7]Renaldo Hill was hired as the defensive backs coach. This will be Hill's second season as an assistant coach, having worked in the same capacity with theMiami Dolphins in 2018. As a player, Hill was also a Broncos'safety from 2009 to 2010.^[8]
• January 22:Chris Kuper, who was a Broncos' offensive lineman from 2006 to 2013, was hired as an assistant offensive line coach. Kuper spent the previous three season (2016–2018) as a Miami Dolphins' offensive assistant.^[9]
• January 31: T. C. McCartney was hired as the quarterbacks coach. McCartney served as an offensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, 2017 and 2018—the latter two seasons alongside current offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.^[10] McCartney replacedKlint Kubiak, who accepted the same position with theMinnesota Vikings two weeks earlier.^[11]

On January 14,Gary Kubiak, the team's senior personnel advisor during the previous two seasons, departed for an assistant head coach/offensive advisor position with theMinnesota Vikings.^[11]

On June 13, ownerPat Bowlen died at the age of 75, following a long battle withAlzheimer's disease. Bowlen, who had served as the team's majority owner since1984, relinquished control of the team prior to the2014 season after privately battling the disease five years prior. This resulted in Bowlen transferring control to a three-person group known as "The Pat Bowlen Trust," consisting of team president/CEOJoe Ellis, team counsel Rich Slivka and Denver attorney Mary Kelly.^[12] Bowlen was the fastest owner to reach 300 wins, and during Bowlen's 35 seasons as majority owner, the team posted the league's second-best winning percentage (354–240–1, .596), behind only theNew England Patriots. The team also reached sevenSuper Bowls, winning three (XXXII,XXXIII and50) and suffered a league-low seven losing seasons. Bowlen's death occurred two months before he was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame.^[13]

One year before Pat Bowlen's death, two of his children expressed interest in succeeding as the Broncos' controlling owner—Beth Bowlen Wallace and Brittany Bowlen. On December 2, Brittany Bowlen, 29, made her return to the Broncos' organization with a senior management position of vice president of strategic initiatives, following the end of her employment withMcKinsey & Company. Ellis stated that selling the team remained an option, even with Brittany Bowlen's return to the organization.^[14]

• February 13: The Broncos agreed in principle to trade for formerBaltimore Ravens'quarterbackJoe Flacco in exchange for their2019 fourth-round selection.^[70]
• March 7: The Broncos traded quarterbackCase Keenum and a2020 seventh-round selection to theWashington Redskins in exchange for the Redskins' 2020 sixth-round selection.^[71] This trade, along with the aforementioned trade for Joe Flacco, became official on March 13—the first day of the 2019 league year.^[56]
• April 27: The Broncos acquiredlinebackerDekoda Watson as part of a trade that sent their fifth-round selection to theSan Francisco 49ers—seedraft trades below. This would have been Watson's second stint with the Broncos—he previously played one season with the Broncos in2016 before signing with the 49ers in2017;^[72] however, he was later released on August 26.^[22]
• August 30: The Broncos traded their2020 sixth-round selection to theNew England Patriots in exchange forcornerbackDuke Dawson and the Patriots' 2020 seventh-round selection.^[73]
• October 22: The Broncos tradedwide receiverEmmanuel Sanders and their 2020 fifth-round selection to theSan Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers' 2020 third-and fourth-round selections.^[74]

The Broncos did not have selections in the fourth or seventh rounds—seedraft trades below.

Allundrafted free agents were signed after the2019 NFL draft concluded on April 27,^[96] unless noted otherwise.

On December 17,safetyKareem Jackson was suspended for the final two games of the2019 season for violating the league's Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse. Jackson's suspension stems from a September 19 arrest fordriving while ability impaired, which he promptly reported to the team to be investigated by theNFL.^[57]

• May 14:GuardNico Falah was placed oninjured reserve after rupturing hisAchilles tendon during organized team activities (OTAs).^[101]
• August 4:Defensive endBilly Winn was placed on injured reserve after tearing his triceps during the team's win over theAtlanta Falcons in thePro Football Hall of Fame Game.^[65]
• August 8:Undrafted rookietight endAustin Fort tore theACL in his knee during the team's second preseason game at theSeattle Seahawks, and was placed on injured reserve.^[43]
• September 2: Two days after trimming their roster to a league-mandated 53 players, the Broncos placed three players on injured reserve:quarterbackDrew Lock,running backTheo Riddick andtight endJake Butt.^[53] Lock, the team's second-rounddraft selection, sprained the thumb on his throwing hand during the team's fourth preseason game against theSan Francisco 49ers.^[102] The Broncos used one of two designation for return (DFR) tags on Lock (the other onwide receiverTim Patrick), and he was later reinstated to the active roster on November 30.^[84] Riddick injured his shoulder during the team's second preseason game at the Seattle Seahawks.^[103] Butt underwent a follow-up surgery following a setback in the recovery from an ACL tear in his knee that he suffered during the2018 season.^[104]
• September 11: Wide receiver Tim Patrick was placed on injured reserve due to a fractured hand that he suffered during the team's Week 1 loss to theOakland Raiders.^[50] He was later given a designation for return on October 30, and began practicing that same day. Patrick later returned to the active roster for the team's Week 11 game at theMinnesota Vikings.^[105]
• September 25: The Broncos announced thatcornerbackBryce Callahan would initially miss at least four weeks due to a procedure on his injured foot. Callahan initially suffered the injury as a member of theChicago Bears during Week 14 of the2018 season, and experienced complications from the surgery that he underwent and missed the entire preseason.^[106] However, Callahan was later placed on the season-ending injured reserve on November 15.^[105]
• September 29:LinebackerBradley Chubb suffered a partially torn ACL in his knee during the team's Week 4 loss to theJacksonville Jaguars, and was placed on injured reserve two days later (October 1).^[38]
• October 8: CornerbackDe'Vante Bausby was placed on injured reserve, two days after suffering a cervical sprain during the team's Week 5 win over theLos Angeles Chargers. TeammateA. J. Johnson inadvertently collided with Bausby while making a tackle.^[40]
• November 1:QuarterbackJoe Flacco and linebackerCorey Nelson were each placed on injured reserve. Four days earlier (October 28), the team announced that Flacco sustained a herniated disc in his neck, one day after the team's Week 8 loss to theIndianapolis Colts (October 27), and was subsequently ruled out for the Broncos' Week 9 game vs. theCleveland Browns. Nelson suffered torn biceps during the loss to the Colts.^[62]
• November 17:FullbackAndy Janovich was placed on injured reserve, two days after he dislocated his elbow during the team's Week 11 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.^[48]
• December 3: Defensive endDerek Wolfe was placed on injured reserve, two days after dislocating his elbow during the team's Week 13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.^[61]
• December 24: Defensive endAdam Gotsis was placed on injured reserve, following knee surgery that caused him to miss the Broncos' Week 16 win over theDetroit Lions.^[97]

The Broncos played theAtlanta Falcons in thePro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 1, atTom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium inCanton, Ohio. The Broncos were represented by late ownerPat Bowlen, who died on June 13, as well ascornerbackChamp Bailey. It marked the Broncos' fourth appearance in the game and the first since2004, whenJohn Elway was inducted into the Hall of Fame.^[107]

The Broncos' schedule was announced on April 17. This marked the first time since2010 in which the Broncos opened the season on the road.^[108]

Note: Intra-division opponents are inbold text.

In the season opener, the Broncos made their final visit toOakland, prior to theRaiders' relocation to Las Vegas for2020. The Broncos fell behind 14–0 in the first half against theRaiders onMonday Night Football. On the game's opening drive, Raiders' quarterbackDerek Carr threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverTyrell Williams, and running backJosh Jacobs added a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Broncos placekickerBrandon McManus missed short on a 63-yard field goal attempt just before halftime. The Broncos reached the red zone on their first three possessions of the second half, but were forced to settle for field goals by McManus on each drive—two 26-yarders in the third quarter and a 39-yarder midway through the fourth quarter. Wide receiverDaeSean Hamilton dropped a potential touchdown pass on the second drive. Following the second field goal, the Raiders increased their lead to 21–6, with Jacobs' second touchdown run of the game (a 4-yarder), and then to 24–9, with a 29-yard field goal by placekickerDaniel Carlson at the 4:41 mark of the third quarter. After three red zone attempts that all resulted in short field goals, the Broncos finally reached the end zone with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.Joe Flacco, in his debut as the Broncos' starting quarterback, connected on a 1–yard touchdown pass to wide receiverEmmanuel Sanders to narrow the Raiders' lead to 24–16. However, the Broncos were unable to prevent the Raiders from running out the clock.^[109] With the loss, the Broncos opened the season at 0–1 for the first time since2011, which was also a loss to the Raiders on Monday Night Football.^[110]

In the Broncos' home opener, the only points of the first half came by way of field goals—a 43-yarder by Broncos' placekickerBrandon McManus on the game's opening drive, and 43- and 52-yarders byBears' placekickerEddy Piñeiro in the second quarter. The Bears increased their lead to 13–3 late in the third quarter, with running backDavid Montgomery diving for a 1-yard touchdown. For a second consecutive week, the Broncos were held without a touchdown for the first three-quarters, and were once again plagued by red-zone woes. The Broncos reached the red zone early in the fourth quarter, but were forced to settle on a 32-yard field goal by McManus to pull to within a 13–6 deficit. After forcing a Bears' punt, the Broncos were attempting to tie the game and reached the Bears' 2-yard line with 4:51 remaining; however, quarterbackJoe Flacco was intercepted by Bears' cornerbackKyle Fuller. The Broncos forced another Bears' punt, and got the football back at their own 38-yard line with 2:48 remaining in the game. After burning all of their timeouts, the Broncos finally reached the end zone with 37 seconds remaining, with Flacco connecting with wide receiverEmmanuel Sanders on a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Broncos were initially planning to go for the two-point conversion, but a delay-of-game penalty pushed them back five yards. The Broncos then attempted the game-tying extra point, which McManus missed wide right; however, Bears' cornerbackBuster Skrine was whistled for an offsides penalty. The Broncos attempted another two-point conversion, which was successful, with a Flacco completion to Sanders. The Bears had one final drive, which began at their own 25-yard line with 31 seconds remaining. On the first play, Broncos' linebackerBradley Chubb was whistled for a questionable roughing the passer penalty on Bears' quarterMitchell Trubisky, which added 15 yards to a 5-yard completion to tight endTrey Burton. After three consecutive incomplete passes and a 5-yard penalty for having too many men on the field, the Bears faced a 4th-and-15 from their own 40-yard line. Trubisky completed a 25-yard pass to wide receiverAllen Robinson in the middle of the field to the Broncos' 35-yard line, and the Bears' final timeout was called with one second remaining. This set up the game-winning 53-yard field goal by Piñeiro as time expired.^[111]

On the game's opening drive,Packers quarterbackAaron Rodgers launched a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMarquez Valdes-Scantling. Broncos return specialistDiontae Spencer returned the ensuing kickoff to the Packers' 43-yard line, but the Broncos' offense went three-and-out on their initial possession. After forcing a Green Bay punt, the Broncos pulled even early in the second quarter, with running backPhillip Lindsay rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The next two scoring plays came from each placekicker—a 42-yard field goal by the Packers'Mason Crosby, followed by one from 30 yards by the Broncos'Brandon McManus. The Broncos suffered turnovers on two of their next three possessions, and the Packers capitalized as a result. First, Broncos quarterbackJoe Flacco was strip-sacked by Packers linebackerPreston Smith at the Denver 5-yard line. The Packers reclaimed the lead just before halftime, with a 7-yard touchdown run by running backAaron Jones. Then early in the third quarter, linebackerJaire Alexander forced a fumble off Broncos tight endNoah Fant at the Denver 37-yard line, and Jones' second rushing touchdown—from 1 yard out—increased the Packers' lead to 24–10. The Broncos responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, with Lindsay's second 1-yard touchdown run—this one on a 4th-and-goal. However, McManus hit the left upright on his extra point attempt, leaving the score at 24–16. After forcing the Packers to punt, the Broncos advanced to the Green Bay 38-yard line late in the third quarter; however, Flacco was intercepted by safetyDarnell Savage Jr. The Packers increased their lead to 27–16 with less than 6 minutes to play, thanks to a 41-yard field goal by Crosby. The Broncos had two more possessions, but could not reach midfield on either drive—both ending with Flacco getting sacked and turning over the football on downs. Flacco was sacked six times, and for a third consecutive game, the Broncos' defense failed to record a sack or force a turnover. The Broncos suffered their first 0–3 start since1999.^[112] With the loss, the Broncos dropped to 0–6–1 in road games against the Packers, going 0–5 atLambeau Field and 0–1–1 in two meetings inMilwaukee. To date, the Packers remain as the only team that the Broncos have never defeated on the road in their franchise history.^[113]

The Broncos grabbed a 17–3 lead over theJaguars by the second quarter, with quarterbackJoe Flacco throwing a pair of touchdown passes—a 25-yarder to tight endNoah Fant in the first quarter followed by a 7-yarder to wide receiverCourtland Sutton in the second quarter, and placekickerBrandon McManus adding a 33-yard field goal. The Broncos reached the Jaguars' 33-yard line 1:05 remaining until halftime, and were attempting to add to their lead; however, Flacco was intercepted by Jaguars' safetyRonnie Harrison, who advance the football to the Broncos' 43-yard line. This set up a 40-yard field goal by placekickerJosh Lambo just before halftime. On the opening possession of the second half, the Jaguars pulled to within a 17–13 deficit, with a 16-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackGardner Minshew to running backRyquell Armstead. After the Broncos went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, the Jaguars took a 20–17 lead, with Minshew, starting in place of the injuredNick Foles, connecting on an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight endJames O'Shaughnessy. The key play of the drive was an 81-yard run by running backLeonard Fournette. With 9:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars assembled a 13-play, 78-yard drive, with a 34-yard field goal by Lambo to increase the Jaguars lead to 23–17 with three minutes remaining. Six plays later, and with only one timeout remaining, the Broncos took a 24–23 lead, with Flacco throwing his third touchdown pass of the game—an 8-yarder to Sutton with 1:38 remaining. However, for the second time in three weeks, the Broncos were unable to prevent a game-winning drive by their opponent. On the second play of the Jaguars' game-winning drive, linebackerVon Miller was whistled for a roughing the passer penalty after the Broncos forced their first fumble of the season. Lambo kicked the game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired. After failing to record a sack in their first three games, the Broncos sacked Minshew five times, including two byVon Miller, who reached 100 career sacks in his 124th game, the fourth-fastest player to reach that landmark.^[114] With the loss, the Broncos suffered their first 0–4 start since1999.^[115]

The Broncos jumped out to a 14–0 lead over theChargers on their first two offensive possessions, courtesy of a 4-yard touchdown run by running backPhillip Lindsay, followed by a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackJoe Flacco to wide receiverCourtland Sutton. The Broncos reached the Chargers' 29-yard line on their third possession, but Flacco was strip-sacked by linebackerUchenna Nwosu on the first play of the second quarter, with linebackerJatavis Brown recovering the fumble. The Chargers managed to get to the Denver 16-yard line on their ensuing possession, but quarterbackPhilip Rivers was flagged for intentional grounding on a 3rd-and-5, with the penalty pushing them back to the 30-yard line. The ensuing 48-yard field goal attempt fromChase McLaughlin was blocked by Broncos' defensive endDre'Mont Jones. The Broncos increased their lead to 17–0 on their next possession, with a 40-yard field goal byBrandon McManus. The Chargers reached the Broncos' 1-yard line with seven seconds remaining before halftime, with Rivers completing a short pass to running backAustin Ekeler near the left sideline. However, Broncos' safetyKareem Jackson forced a fumble before Ekeler could break the plane of the goal line near the pylon, and the football went out of the corner of the end zone for a touchback, keeping the Chargers scoreless.^[116]

After a series of punts to start the second half, the two teams exchanged turnovers. First, with the Broncos backed up near their own goal line, Flacco was intercepted on a deflected pass by linebackerKyzir White, giving the Chargers a very short field at the 7-yard line. Three plays later, the Broncos returned the favor, with linebackerA. J. Johnson intercepting Rivers in the end zone for a touchback. After the Broncos went three-and-out, the Chargers finally got on the scoreboard with 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter, withDesmond King returning a punt 51 yards for a touchdown—the Chargers' only touchdown of the game. After McManus missed wide left on a 54-yard field goal attempt, the Chargers narrowed the Broncos' lead to 17–10, with a 45-yard field goal by McLaughlin. Following an exchange of punts, a 46-yard field goal by McManus increased the Broncos' lead to 20–10 at the two-minute warning. The Chargers attempted a rally, with a 32-yard field goal by McLaughlin with only 15 seconds remaining. However, the onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, giving the Broncos their first win of the season and snapping an eight-game losing streak dating back tolast season. In addition, the Broncos earned their 500th win in franchise history and avoided their first ever 0–5 start. This was also the third and final meeting between the two teams atDignity Health Sports Park—the Chargers' temporary home field, prior to the Chargers' move toSoFi Stadium inInglewood for the2020 season.^[116]

The Broncos' defense recorded seven sacks, three interceptions, and for the second consecutive week, did not allow an offensive touchdown, in a 16–0 shutout win over theTitans. The only points of the first half came courtesy of two field goals by placekickerBrandon McManus—a 31-yarder in the first quarter and a 53-yarder in the second. A 2-yard touchdown run by running backPhillip Lindsay increased the Broncos' lead to 13–0 late in the third quarter. Titans quarterbackMarcus Mariota was benched midway through the third quarter following a poor performance that included two interceptions, and was replaced by backup quarterbackRyan Tannehill. The Titans' offense did not advance past midfield until the fourth quarter, and reached the Broncos' 13-yard line with 9:22 remaining; however, Tannehill was sacked by defensive endDeMarcus Walker on a 4th-and-4. A 48-yard field goal by McManus increased the Broncos' lead to 16–0 with 4:57 remaining in the game. The Titans had one last offensive possession, and reached the Broncos' 5-yard line at the two-minute warning. Following an offensive holding penalty, a 10-yard sack of Tannehill by defensive tackleDerek Wolfe and an 18-yard pass completion from Tannehill to tight endDelanie Walker to the 12-yard line, Tannehill was intercepted by cornerbackKareem Jackson near the goal line, ending the Titans' rally attempt and preserving the shutout. Both teams' offenses went a combined 4-for-28 (.143) on third down—2-for-14 by each team.^[117] With this win the Broncos became only the second team originating in theAmerican Football League to reach 500 career wins.

The Broncos assembled a 10-play, 75-yard drive on the game's opening possession, which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by running backRoyce Freeman. The drive was aided by a pair of penalties against theChiefs' defense on two third-down plays. The Broncos elected for a two-point conversion attempt at the 1-yard line following an offside penalty against the Chiefs on the extra-point attempt. However, running backPhillip Lindsay was denied by the Chiefs' defense, and it was all downhill for the Broncos after that, as the Chiefs scored the final 30 points of the game. First, quarterbackPatrick Mahomes connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMecole Hardman, which was followed by a pair of field goals by placekickerHarrison Butker—a 33-yarder near the end of the first quarter and a 20-yarder midway through the second. Between the two field goals, Mahomes left the game with a dislocated patella and Broncos' punterColby Wadman was sacked on a fake punt attempt. The Chiefs' defense then strip-sacked Broncos' quarterbackJoe Flacco, with linebackerReggie Ragland returning it 5 yards for a touchdown and a 20–6 halftime lead. Mahomes was replaced by backup quarterbackMatt Moore, who launched a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverTyreek Hill in the third quarter, and Butker later added a 39-yard field goal in the fourth. After Broncos' placekickerBrandon McManus missed wide right on a 45-yard field goal attempt late in the second quarter, the Broncos' offense did not advance past the midfield line for the remainder of the game. In addition, Flacco was sacked nine times by the Chiefs' defense, and for a second consecutive week, the Broncos' offense performed poorly on third down, going 1-for-13 (.077).^[118]

After a scoreless first quarter, the Broncos failed to capitalize on two red zone opportunities, settling for a pair of short field goals by placekickerBrandon McManus in the second quarter—from 21 and 29 yards out.Colts' placekickerAdam Vinatieri, who missed wide-right on a 45-yard field goal attempt on the game's opening drive, kicked a 55-yard field goal at the end of the first half. The Broncos took the opening possession of the second half, and increased their lead to 13–3, with running backRoyce Freeman rushing for a 4-yard touchdown. However, the Broncos were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. After a 45-yard field goal by Vinatieri, Colts' running backMarlon Mack rushed for a 10-yard touchdown. However, Vinatieri missed wide-left on the extra-point attempt, keeping the score at 13–12. After an exchange of punts, which included the Broncos nearly blocking a punt in the Colts' end zone, Broncos' defensive endDerek Wolfe forced a fumble off Colts' quarterbackJacoby Brissett near midfield and midway through the fourth quarter; however, the Broncos were unable to capitalize, going three-and-out. The Broncos failed to convert a 3rd-and-5 at the Colts' 43-yard line at the two-minute warning, giving the Colts the football on their own 11-yard line. On the first play, Brissett evaded a sack by linebackerVon Miller, and completed a 35-yard pass to wide receiverT. Y. Hilton on the right sideline that was reviewed, but upheld by instant replay. A personal foul horse-collar tackle penalty on linebackerA. J. Johnson added 15-yards to a 5-yard pass completion from Brissett to running backNyheim Hines. Four plays later, Vinatieri atoned for the aforementioned missed field goal and extra-point attempts by kicking the go-ahead 51-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining. Without any timeouts, the Broncos had two offensive plays at their own 24-yard line, but failed to gain any yardage on either play. With the loss, the Broncos started with a 2–6 record for only the third time in franchise history—1983 and2010 are the other two seasons.^[119]

Two days after quarterbackJoe Flacco was placed on injured reserve, backup quarterbackBrandon Allen got the start for the Broncos. He threw two touchdown passes—the first one to wide receiverCourtland Sutton for 21 yards in the first quarter, and the second one a 75-yarder to tight endNoah Fant early in the second quarter. The Broncos' defense yielded four red zone opportunities by theBrowns' offense in the second quarter, but forced the Browns to settle for four field goals by placekickerAustin Seibert in the second quarter—the third one occurred after the Browns' defense forced a fumble deep in Broncos' territory. Broncos' placekickerBrandon McManus added a 43-yard field goal just after the two-minute warning for a 17–12 halftime lead. The Broncos' defense subdued the Browns on another red zone opportunity at the 5:23 mark of the third quarter, with linebackersTodd Davis andVon Miller denying Browns' quarterbackBaker Mayfield on a 4th-and-1 at the 5-yard line. The Browns unsuccessfully challenged the ruling on the field, and seven plays later, the Broncos increased their lead to 24–12, with a 30-yard run by running backPhillip Lindsay late in the third quarter. The Browns responded on their next drive, and with 10:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, Mayfield connected with wide receiverJarvis Landry on a 9-yard touchdown to narrow the Broncos' lead to 24–19. The drive was aided by a defensive pass interference penalty on cornerbackChris Harris, Jr. on a 3rd-and-7 at the Broncos' 19-yard line. After forcing a Broncos' punt, the Browns reached the Broncos' 28-yard line with 3:23 remaining in the game and no timeouts, facing a 4th-and-4. However, Mayfield's pass intended for Landry was incomplete, and the Broncos' ran out the clock, thanks to a critical third-down conversion by Lindsay on a wildcat formation. With the win, the Broncos entered their bye week with a 3–6 record, and improved to a 24–6 all-time record vs. the Browns (including the playoffs).^[120][121]

The Broncos took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, with a 47-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus and a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackBrandon Allen to tight endTroy Fumagalli. The lead increased to 17–0 early in the second quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by fullbackAndy Janovich, who later left the game before halftime with a serious elbow injury. LinebackerShelby Harris forced a strip sack and fumble offVikings' quarterbackKirk Cousins at the Vikings' 17-yard line; however, the Broncos were forced to settle on a 29-yard field goal by McManus with one minute before halftime. The Broncos recovered a fumble off return specialistAmeer Abdullah on the ensuing kickoff, and were hoping to increase their lead prior to halftime; however, on the next play, Allen was intercepted by safetyAndrew Sendejo near the goal line.^[122]

The second half was dominated by the Vikings, as they scored a touchdown on all four of their second half possessions. On the opening possession, Cousins connected on a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight endIrv Smith Jr. After a 41-yard field goal by McManus increased the Broncos lead to 23–7, the Vikings pulled to within a 23–20 deficit within the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. First, running backDalvin Cook rushed for a 3-yard touchdown (with an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt), and after a forcing a three-and-out by the Broncos' offense, Cousins launched a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverStefon Diggs. After McManus missed wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt, the Vikings took their first lead of the game, with Cousins' third touchdown pass—a 32-yarder to tight endKyle Rudolph with 6:10 remaining in the game. The Broncos began the last possession at their own 40-yard line, and with three fourth-down conversions, methodically marched to the Vikings' 4-yard line with only 10 seconds remaining in the game. However, three consecutive pass attempts into the end zone by Allen fell incomplete, ending the game.^[122]

The Broncos' offense gained only 134 total yards and the defense surrendered 244 rushing yards, in a 20–3 loss. Following a pair of field goals byBills' placekickerSteven Hauschka—a 39-yarder in the first quarter and a 23-yarder in the second quarter, Broncos' safetyJustin Simmons intercepted a pass off Bills' quarterbackJosh Allen. However, the Broncos' failed to capitalize, as quarterbackBrandon Allen was intercepted by cornerbackTre'Davious White at the Bills' 8-yard line late in the second quarter. After an 18-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to wide receiverCole Beasley gave the Bills a 13–0 lead on the first possession of the second half, the Broncos' only scoring play was a 45-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus midway through the third quarter. The Broncos' offense did not advance past their own 35-yard line for the remainder of the game, and Josh Allen added another touchdown pass—a 34-yarder to wide receiverJohn Brown.^[123]

QuarterbackDrew Lock, the Broncos' second-rounddraft selection, made hisNFL debut, after missing the first eleven games due to a sprained thumb sustained during the preseason. Lock replacedBrandon Allen, who started the previous three games, and Lock connected on a pair of touchdowns to wide receiverCourtland Sutton in the first quarter—a 26- and a 5-yarder. The latter touchdown occurred after an interception ofChargers' quarterbackPhilip Rivers. Following an exchange of field goals—a 30-yarder by the Chargers'Michael Badgley and a 31-yarder by the Broncos'Brandon McManus, Rivers threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to running backAustin Ekeler to narrow the Broncos' lead to 17–10 just before halftime. Following a scoreless third quarter, a 36-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiverKeenan Allen tied the game at 17–17 early in the fourth quarter. On the Broncos' next possession, Lock was intercepted by Chargers' linebackerDenzel Perryman; however, the Chargers gained only one yard and failed to capitalize, as Badgley hit the left upright on a 55-yard field goal attempt. The Broncos re-gained the lead with a 52-yard field goal by McManus at the 4:31 mark of the fourth quarter. However, the Chargers responded, as Badgley redeemed himself with a 46-yard field goal with only 19 seconds remaining in the game. The Broncos had one final possession, and instead of kneeling down for an overtime period, Lock attempted a deep pass to Sutton that was incomplete at the Chargers' 35-yard line with only three seconds remaining. However, Chargers' cornerbackCasey Hayward was flagged for pass interference, and after the Chargers called their final timeout, McManus kicked the game-winning 53-yard field goal as time expired.^[85]

QuarterbackDrew Lock threw for 309 yards and three touchdown passes, and the defense forced three turnovers, including a 70-yard fumble return for a touchdown by cornerbackKareem Jackson, in a surprising and dominating win over theTexans. The Broncos built a 38–3 lead after a 1-yard touchdown run by running backPhillip Lindsay early in the third quarter, despite surrendering three-second-half touchdowns to Texans' quarterbackDeshaun Watson—one passing and two rushing. The Broncos snapped a 21-game streak of failing to reach 30 or more points that dated back tolast season, and this was the only game during the2019 season in which the Broncos scored 30 or more points. In addition, Lock became the first rookie quarterback inNFL history to achieve 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in his first road start.^[124]

The same offensive struggles that had plagued the Broncos all season, prior to theirWeek 14 win over the Texans, resurfaced in snowy conditions vs. theChiefs atArrowhead Stadium. The Broncos' only managed a 32-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus late in the second quarter, after falling behind 12–0. Chiefs' quarterbackPatrick Mahomes connected on a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiverTyreek Hill—a 41-yarder on their opening possession and a 5-yarder in the third quarter that put the game out of reach. With the loss, the Broncos were officially eliminated from postseason contention.^[125]

The Broncos fell behind 10–0 to theLions, after a 26-yard field goal by placekickerMatt Prater in the first quarter, followed in the second quarter by return specialistJamal Agnew returning a punt 64 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos responded, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running backRoyce Freeman and a 34-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus—the latter just before halftime. After a 26-yard field goal by McManus gave the Broncos a 13–10 lead, the Lions re-claimed the lead later in the third quarter, with quarterbackDavid Blough, starting in place of the injuredMatthew Stafford, connecting on a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverKenny Golladay. However, the Broncos took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter, with quarterbackDrew Lock completing a shovel pass to wide receiverDaeSean Hamilton for a 3-yard touchdown. The Broncos later added to their lead, with a 27-yard touchdown run by running backPhillip Lindsay with 6:39 remaining in the game. The Lions' offense did not advance past their own 30-yard line on either of their final two possessions.^[126]

In the Broncos' season finale, they faced theOakland Raiders for the final time—home or away—prior to theRaiders' relocation to Las Vegas for2020. The Raiders got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, with a 23-yard field goal by placekickerDaniel Carlson, who missed wide left on a 39-yard attempt midway through the first quarter. The Broncos responded, with a 43-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus. The Raiders faced a 3rd-and-goal at the Broncos' 5-yard line on their next possession, and a 5-yard pass from quarterbackDerek Carr to wide receiverHunter Renfrow was initially ruled a touchdown. However, after a booth review, Renfrow was ruled down at the 1-yard line. On the very next play, fullbackAlec Ingold was stopped inches short of the goal line on fourth down by the Broncos' defense. The Raiders thought Ingold had broken the plane of the goal line, and unsuccessfully challenged the ruling of the play, resulting in a turnover on downs. After a fumble on the Raiders' next possession, the Broncos took advantage, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackDrew Lock to tight endAndrew Beck just before halftime.^[127]

The Broncos increased their lead to 16–3, with a pair of field goals by McManus—a 49-yarder in the third quarter, followed by a 51-yarder on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Raiders responded with a pair of field goals by Carlson—from 33 and 28 yards out; the latter occurring after a fumble by Lock. After a Raiders' turnover on downs at their own 27-yard line, the Broncos attempted to either the run out the clock or add to their lead. However, after a false start and an unnecessary roughness penalty on offensive tackleGarett Bolles pushes the Broncos back 15 yards, McManus missed wide-right on a 57-yard field goal attempt, giving the Raiders one last possession at their own 47-yard line. On the eighth play of the drive, the Raiders finally reached the end zone, with a 3-yard pass from Carr to Renfrow to pull to within a 16–15 deficit with 11 seconds remaining in the game. Instead on sending the game to overtime, the Raiders decided to go for a potential game-winning two-point conversion attempt. However, Carr's pass attempt was batted down by nose tackleShelby Harris, and the Raiders' ensuing onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, giving the Broncos the win.^[127]

For the second time in three seasons, the Broncos underwent multiple changes at thequarterback position. The team traded for formerBaltimore Ravens' quarterbackJoe Flacco during the offseason.^[56] However, he threw for 1,822 yards and only six touchdown passes, prior to discovery of a herniated disc in his neck that ended his season following the team's Week 8 loss to theIndianapolis Colts.^[62] Backup quarterbackBrandon Allen took over, beginning with their Week 9 win over theCleveland Browns,^[120] and in three starts, threw for 515 yards and three touchdown passes. Following a poor performance during the Broncos' Week 12 loss to theBuffalo Bills, Allen was replaced byDrew Lock, the team's second-rounddraft selection. Lock missed the first eleven games due to a sprained thumb that he sustained during the preseason, and he made hisNFL debut on December 1, leading the Broncos to a 4–1 record in their last five games.^[127] Lock became the Broncos' seventh different starting quarterback since Week 9 of the2017 season.^[128]

Source for this section: Denver Broncos' official website.^[129]

Source for this section: NFL.com.^[130]

LinebackerVon Miller was selected to the2020 Pro Bowl, whilewide receiverCourtland Sutton,safetyKareem Jackson andreturn specialistDiontae Spencer were named alternates.^[135] Sutton was later added to the Pro Bowl roster as an injury replacement forHouston Texans' wide receiverDeAndre Hopkins, becoming the fastest wide receiver in Broncos' franchise history to make his first Pro Bowl—in his second season.^[136] SafetyJustin Simmons was voted to the2019All-Pro Team and named to the Second Team.^[137]

On September 4, Broncos Stadium at Mile High was rebranded asEmpower Field at Mile High. The Broncos had been seeking a long-termnaming rights partner for their home field sincesporting goodsretailerSports Authority went bankrupt in2016. Empower Retirement, a retirement plan provider that is based inDenver, had served as a team sponsor since2015, with the Broncos agreeing to terms on a 21-year deal that will run through 2039, though financial terms were undisclosed. This marks the third naming rights change for the Broncos' home field, following "Invesco Field at Mile High" (2001–2010), "Sports Authority Field at Mile High" (2011–2017) and "Broncos Stadium at Mile High"—the latter of which was used on a temporary basis for the2018 season.^[138]