Best Broncos to Ever Wear the Jersey Number: 10-19
Recently, USA Today presented its list of the best NFL players to wear a particular jersey number, a list that included four former Denver Broncos players: John Elway (7), Peyton Manning (18), Terrell Davis (30), and Gary Zimmerman (65).
As we approach the 2023 NFL season, let's have some fun and look at who were the best Broncos to ever wear each jersey number, from 0 to 99.
I used Pro Football Reference's 'Approximate Value' to determine most of the selections. In a few cases, I selected more than one player, whether they were tied in PFR AV or there is more than one player who holds significance to the team's history.
In the second installment of the series, looking at numbers 10 through 19, we have a variety of players from the Broncos' earlier years to more recent times, with multiple cases in which two players deserve recognition.
No. 10: Emmanuel Sanders | WR
Notable players to wear jersey number 10 include quarterback Steve Ramsey (from the 1970s), wide receiver Jabar Gaffney (who spent two seasons with the team in 2009 and 2010), and current Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy.
However, it's Sanders who gets the nod as the best Broncos player to wear the number. After spending his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sanders signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2014.
During his six seasons with the team, Sanders caught 404 passes for 5,361 yards and 28 touchdowns. He formed a strong duo with Demaryius Thomas for most of his time in Denver, including the year the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.
No. 11: Bobby Anderson | RB
There have been quite a few players to wear this number for Denver, but most didn't have much of an impact. Luke Prestridge, a punter from 1979 to 1983, had a fine career with the team.
But Anderson, the Broncos' first-round draft selection in 1970, was the most notable player to wear 11. He played four seasons with the Broncos, rushing for 1,281 yards with nine touchdowns.
Anderson, who played at the University of Colorado, didn't have a lasting impact on the Broncos, but he did go on to serve as a broadcaster for the CU Football Network after his NFL career ended.
No. 12: Charley Johnson | QB
Johnson was the clear standout among the multiple players to wear No. 12. He was the Broncos' starting quarterback from 1972 to 1975.
The veteran QB played nine years for the St. Louis Cardinals and two years for the Houston Oilers before coming to the Broncos via trade. During his four seasons with the Broncos, he passed for 7,238 yards and 52 touchdowns with 52 interceptions.
Johnson may be most notable for being the starter for the Broncos' first winning season in franchise history when the team finished 7-5-2.
No. 13 (Tie): Steve Tensi | QB
The Broncos went through multiple quarterbacks during their time in the American Football League. Tensi was one of the more notable such QBs to join the franchise.
He played his first two seasons in San Diego before joining the Broncos in 1967. Tensi played in 41 games with 32 starts and passed for 5,153 yards and 38 touchdowns with 45 interceptions.
Tensi was out of pro football after the 1970 season, when he retired because of a shoulder injury that limited his throwing strength.
No. 13 (Tie): Trevor Siemian | QB
A notable quarterback from recent Broncos history, Siemian was a seventh-round pick in 2015. He was the third-string QB behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler as a rookie.
After Manning retired and Osweiler left as a free agent, Siemian found himself in a competition for the starting job and claimed it in 2016, beating out veteran Mark Sanchez. In 2017, Siemian beat out 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch for the job.
In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Siemian started 24 games and threw for 7,027 yards and 42 touchdowns with 28 interceptions.
No. 14: Brian Griese | QB
While wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Brandon Stokley are players to wear 14 and make an impact, we go with a quarterback here. Specifically, it's the QB who became the Broncos starter after John Elway's retirement after the 1998 season.
Griese, a 1998 third-round pick, started 51 games in the next four seasons and passed for 11,763 yards and 71 touchdowns with 53 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2000.
The Broncos released Griese after the 2002 season, and he went on to sign with the Miami Dolphins. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, then entered sports broadcasting, which included a stint with KOA Radio in Denver.
Griese is now the quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers.
No. 15 (Tie): Jim Turner | K
Here we have a situation in which two players who wore the same uniform had the exact same PFR Approximate Value. We'll first look at a Broncos Ring of Fame player.
Turner was a longtime NFL kicker who spent 16 seasons in the league, seven with the New York Jets and nine with the Broncos. While with the Broncos, he went 151-of-232 on field-goal tries, and 3-of-13 on 50-plus-yard attempts.
Turner was the kicker for the Broncos' first Super Bowl trip to conclude the 1977 season. Sadly, Turner passed away in June.
No. 15 (Tie): Brandon Marshall | WR
The other top player to wear 15 is from more recent Broncos history. Marshall was a fourth-round pick in 2006 and went on to produce a quiet rookie season, with 309 yards receiving on 20 receptions.
But Marshall broke out in 2007 with 1,325 yards receiving on 102 receptions. He surpassed 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in his next two seasons and had 25 touchdown receptions in his four years with the Broncos. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2009.
Marshall was traded to the Dolphins after the 2009 season, where he stayed for two years before being traded to the Bears. Marshall played three seasons for that team, then spent time with the Jets, New York Giants, and Seattle Seahawks in his final four NFL seasons.
No. 16: Jake Plummer | QB
Former Broncos punter Tom Rouen wore No. 16 and had a good career with the team, but it's Plummer who easily claims the distinction of the best player to wear that number in Denver.
After spending his first six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Plummer signed with the Broncos in 2003, with head coach Mike Shanahan looking for someone to provide a spark after Griese had missed so much time with injuries before being released.
Plummer did quite well in his four seasons with the team, throwing for 11,631 yards and 71 touchdowns with 47 interceptions. His best season was 2005 when he was named to the Pro Bowl, and the Broncos reached the AFC title game. However, Plummer was benched after 11 games in 2006 for Jay Cutler.
No. 17: Steve DeBerg | QB
Most of the players to wear this number either weren't around for long or wore other numbers during their careers. Brock Osweiler, for instance, wore No. 6 as a rookie before switching to No. 17 in his second season.
But while Osweiler played a key role in the Broncos' 2015 season, DeBerg contributed more over multiple seasons. DeBerg joined the Broncos in 1981 and started 11 games in the next three seasons, throwing for 3,819 yards and 22 touchdowns with 24 interceptions.
DeBerg is notable for being the quarterback who eventually replaced Craig Morton as the starter, then ultimately gave way to none other than John Elway.
No. 18 (Tie): Frank Tripucka | QB
In this case, we have just two players to wear a particular number for the Broncos. Therefore, it's fitting to recognize them both and let them share the honor of the best to wear the number.
Tripucka had spent four seasons in the NFL, from 1949 to 1952, then became a coach. He joined the Broncos in 1960 and, originally on the coaching staff, but was convinced to play quarterback after the Broncos lacked suitable options.
In his four seasons with the team, Tripucka started 40 games and passed for 7,676 yards and 51 touchdowns with 85 interceptions. He was the first Broncos player to have his jersey retired but agreed to its temporary return for the next player we'll mention.
No. 18 (Tie): Peyton Manning | QB
The Broncos were among the teams courting Manning after the Indianapolis Colts parted ways with him in 2011. He ultimately joined the Broncos, and, as they say, the rest is history.
Manning played for the Broncos for the next four seasons, throwing for 17,112 yards and 140 touchdowns with 53 interceptions. He set NFL career passing yards and passing touchdown marks while with the Broncos.
The Broncos won the division and reached the playoffs all four seasons with Manning at the helm, reached the Super Bowl twice, and won it once. Without a doubt, Manning left his mark on the Broncos in the short time he was with the team.
No. 19: Eddie Royal | WR
The list of notable Broncos to wear 19 is a short one, but the one who stands out is somebody from recent history who did well for himself.
Royal was a second-round pick by the Broncos in 2008 and had a quality rookie season. He caught 91 passes for 980 yards and five touchdowns, receiving All-Rookie Team honors as a result.
In his four years with the team, Royal had 2,107 yards receiving on 206 receptions. He also returned punts and kicks, getting three return touchdowns. Royal went on to play for the Chargers the next three seasons, then the Bears his final two years in the league.
We'll next look at numbers 20 through 29, but in the meantime, be sure to check out our 0 through 9 installment.
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