The history of the Denver Broncos American football club began when the team was chartered a member of the American Football League in 1960. The Broncos have played in the city of Denver, Colorado throughout their entire history. The Broncos did not win any titles as members of the AFL.
Denver Broncos Best Linebackers Of All-Time
KARL MECKLENBURG-(1983-1984)
Karl Mecklenburg was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 12th round in 1983. He played all 12 seasons for the Broncos. He was known as the “Snow Goose” or the “Albino Rhino” and a key member of the Broncos teams that reached the Super Bowl.
Mecklenburg was known for his ability to play every front 7 position. His versatility was show by his 79 career sacks. In 2001, Mecklenburg was inducted into the Bronco Ring of Fame.
Karl’s Bronce Statistics: 79 Sacks, 1104 Tackles, 5 interceptions, and 14 Fumble Recoveries
Randy Gradishar-(1974-1983)
Gradishar the great roamed the middle of the field for a decade in a Broncos uniform. The inside linebacker went on to record over 2,000 tackles for the orange and blue, and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1978.
Gradishar was a value for both the run game and pass game, finishing his career with 20 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. Gradishar was a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro.
Undeniably, one of the best defensive players of his generation, many argue that Gradishar should be in the NFL Hall of Fame. Considering the type of production he contributed to some of the best defenses in NFL history, I’d bet Gradishar eventually gets a spot in Canton.
BILL ROMANOWSKI-(1996-2001)
Romanowski was drafted by the 49s in the 3rd round of the 1988 Draft. He played 6 years with them and a couple with the Eagles before joining the Broncos in 1996. His first two years with the Broncos he made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.
He won two championships with the team as well. Bill had a history of being fined by the NFL for different incidents including spitting in a receivers face after he taunted. After he left Denver he finished his career with Oakland.
Bills Bronco Statistics: 962 Tackles, 23 Sacks, and 11 Interceptions
D.J. Williams-(2004-2012)
Williams was a standout linebacker at the University of Miami and when Denver selected him with the 17th overall pick in 2004, the expectations for Williams could not have been higher. Williams met those expectations and then some, performing as one of the team’s best defensive players for nearly a decade. In nine years with the Broncos, Williams played in 127 games, starting 115.
His versatility allowed the Broncos to move him both inside and out, and his ability to read the offensive play and react made him a dominant force against the run game. Williams recorded 824 total tackles for the orange and blue, including an incredible 2007 season, when he recorded 170 tackles.
John Mobley-(1996-2003)
The Broncos selected Mobley from Kutztown University with the 15th overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft, and he took the league by storm, starting all 16 games for Denver in his rookie season.
John played his entire career in Denver and despite missing most of the 1999 season with an ACL injury and suffering a severe spinal injury in 2003, Mobley managed to play 105 games in a Denver uniform, starting 102.
Mobley recorded 606 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, five interceptions and was a key player in the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl victories. If it were not for injuries, John could have gone on to have had an even more impressive career.
