25 Best Games in Colorado Sports History

Last year, the DNVR squads came together to build a list of the top 25 players in Colorado sports history. The immaculate list was agreed upon by all parties who consumed it and it inspired us to do it again this year, but with the focus being on the best individual games.

This was a particularly tricky list to put together because there were so many factors to consider. When building last year’s list, it was much cleaner to compare player careers against one another because the accomplishments across sports are similar. MVPs, All-Stars, Hall of Fame status. That stuff made it easy.

Comparing games was a tougher task because the importance of games varies wildly. Postseason games in football are one-and-done whereas the other three sports are usually decided by a best-of series. This inherently makes every football game feel a little more important.

There was also the challenge of looking at games in a vacuum or considering the context surrounding the game. Is the list below strictly the best 25 games ever played in Colorado sports history? I would say no, but when you build the story of each game, I think the list we made is solid.

We decided beforehand to make sure we had games from the Rapids and both Colorado and Colorado State after they were shut out in our list from last year. It was a collaborative effort from all corners and we hope y’all enjoy consuming the list as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Below are quick links if you want to jump to a specific game!

25. 2013 New Mexico Bowl Rams vs. Washington State Cougars

The 2013 New Mexico Bowl is not the most significant win in school history. It is, however, one of the craziest college football games of all time.

After a back-and-forth shootout for four quarters, the Rams, trailing by 15, managed to score 18 points over the final 3 minutes to absolutely shock the Mike Leach-led Washington State Cougars.

There were quite a few memorable moments over the course of the chaotic comeback.

From a perfectly executed two-minute drill to keep hope alive to Donnell Alexander diving head first towards the pylon to tie the game at 45 apiece on a dramatic 2-point conversion.

The biggest play of the game though was definitely Shaq Barrett stripping Wazzu RB Jeremiah Laufasa — just seconds after his strip of QB Connor Halliday was overturned. It was a shocking and inspiring moment for a Rams squad that simply refused to lose. And it ultimately sparked the best run for the Green & Gold outside of the Sonny Lubick era.

-Justin Michael

Return to Games List

24. 2016 MLS Playoffs Rapids vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

Tim Howard. Landon Donovan. Steven Gerrard. Jermaine Jones.

With star power across the field, it was Shkelzen Gashi’s near 40-yard goal for Colorado that evened the aggregate at 1-1 and would send the game to extra time and eventually penalties, where Howard had two saves as the Rapids sent Los Angeles home in Gerrard’s final career match. -Mitch Carroll

Return to Games List

23. Cale Makar’s Debut vs. Calgary Flames

A game on here mostly for the vibes and what came next. The Avs had shown themselves to be a fun team with star talent who could hang with anyone on any given night but lacked consistency and a true top defenseman.

Enter Cale Makar, who led UMass to the national championship game and signed with the Avs shortly after. The Avs had just finished stealing Game 2 in Calgary in overtime and were coming back to Denver feeling good about their chances against the West’s top team that season.

The Avs scored three times in the first period to completely change the dynamic of the series. The third goal was the first shot of Makar’s career. This game is where it started to feel like this Avs group could achieve something special.

His introduction into the lineup would have a transformative effect on the Avs, culminating three years later in a Stanley Cup win and a Conn Smythe trophy for Makar. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

22. 2006 AFC Divisional Game Broncos vs. New England Patriots

Tom Brady won the first 10 postseason games of his career, but the Broncos handed him his first loss in 2006.

The Broncos had earned a bye to the Divisional Round of the playoffs thanks to a surprise 13-3 season. Quarterback Jake Plummer led the way, earning the only Pro Bowl trip of his NFL career.

Deep in the third quarter, the Patriots were poised to score. They lined up at the Broncos’ 5-yard line facing a four-point deficit. Brady tried to throw an out route into the end zone, but Champ Bailey jumped the pass and returned it 100 yards. The Broncos scored on the next play to take a 17-6 lead and never looked back. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

21. 2023 Nuggets NBA Finals Game 5 vs. Miami Heat

The Denver Nuggets faithful waited a long time to watch their team play in the NBA Finals. When the moment finally came, the players left little doubt in the result. After dispatching the hated Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the series with the Heat felt like a formality.

It was Denver’s to lose, and they were in no mood to lose it. Game 5 didn’t comprise the most action-packed four quarters in Nuggets history, but they were the most important.

As is often the case deep into the postseason, both offenses began to grind to a halt. The Final game was a defensive battle, which was in some ways poetic. For years, Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets struggled on that end of the floor. Outsiders questioned if it was even possible to build a champion around an offense-first center. Jokić and his teammates provided an emphatic answer.

Yes, it could be done. And in 2022-2023, no one could do anything about it. What had seemed impossible for so long felt inevitable when Game 5 tipped off. It was Denver’s time. It was our time. And it’s a moment we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
-Brendan Vogt

Return to Games List

20. The Fumble

One year after “The Drive” delivered John Elway his first Super Bowl appearance, the Broncos faced an AFC Championship Game rematch with the Cleveland Browns.

Denver jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead and appeared poised to repeat as conference champions, but the Browns bounced back in the third quarter. Cleveland running back Earnest Byner scored twice and picked up 167 yards from scrimmage as the Browns built a comeback bid.

Facing a 38-31 deficit deep in the red zone with seconds remaining on the clock, the Browns fed Byner… who made his way to the one-yard line before fumbling the ball to the Broncos, sealing a second consecutive Super Bowl trip for the Broncos. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

19. 2018 Rockies Wild Card vs. Chicago Cubs

Flying in late following their Game 163 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a weary Rockies team got started on the right foot early on as they scored in the 1st inning with a Nolan Arenado sac fly that scored Charlie Blackmon. It was the last time they would score until the 13th inning.

Kyle Freeland pitched six shutout innings before being removed with one out in the bottom of the 6th inning. The Cubs tied the game in the 8th inning on a Javier Baez double. Each team left men on base in the 11th inning, pushing the game deeper into the night.

In the 13th inning, three consecutive singles by Trevor Story, Gerardo Parra, and Tony Wolters broke the stalemate and gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead. Scott Oberg came on and struck out the side in the bottom of the 13th to secure the save and send the Rockies to Milwaukee for the NLDS. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

18. 2020 Game 7 Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The LA Clippers were the story of the NBA heading into the 2019-20 season after adding Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the offseason and were betting favorites heading into the bubble. The young Denver Nuggets were getting bullied through four and a half games, and found themselves down 3 games to 1 for the second consecutive series.

But everything flipped in Game 5 when Paul Millsap and Marcus Morris got into a tussle under the basket right before halftime with the Nuggets trailing by 15 points. It was a symbolic coming-of-age moment for the Nuggets and marked one of the most improbable series comebacks in NBA history.

The Nuggets stormed back in the 2nd half to steal Game 5 and then rallied back from 18 down in Game 6 to force a Game 7. Nikola Jokic put on a masterpiece in the final game of the series, scoring 16 points to go along with 22 rebounds and 13 assists, completely dominating every possession on offense to help lead a 2nd half comeback. Jamal Murray poured in 40 points, his fourth 40-point game of the post-season.

The game ended with one of the best punctuation marks of the Jokic era when Murray drained a three-pointer right in front of the Clippers bench followed by a Jokic steal and Jerami Grant fastbreak dunk, capping off an 18-6 run. The series propelled Jokic and Murray to their first-ever Western Conference Finals and launched the Nuggets into the contender tier in the NBA for years to come. -Adam Mares

Return to Games List

17. Super Bowl 33 Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons

Of the Broncos’ three Super Bowl titles, none came easier than Super Bowl 33.

John Elway hit Rod Smith for an 80-yard bomb in the second quarter and the Broncos hit cruise control. Eventually, Denver built a 31-6 lead before the Atlanta Falcons added some garbage-time points.

Widely regarded as the best team in franchise history, the 1998 Broncos cemented the legacy of the John Elway Era. Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey were the first teammates in NFL history to both post 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. Shannon Sharpe received first-team All-Pro honors for the fourth and final time in his career.

Terrell Davis capped off the greatest postseason career of any running back in NFL history by averaging 156 yards per game in his final playoff run. Elway rode off into the sunset as a two-time reigning champion. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

16. 2020 Game 7 Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz

It might all be different if Mike Conley’s shot went down. We can’t say for sure that the Denver Nuggets would have stayed the course. Murray, Jokić, Porter, and Malone may not have won Denver’s first-ever title together.

The sports world comprises many sliding-door moments. This is perhaps the most significant one in Nuggets history. In reality, Conley’s shot at the end of Game 7 rimmed out. Nikola Jokić’s twirling hook shot over Rudy Gobert was the winning bucket in Denver’s first of consecutive 3-1 comebacks. And the core would go on to prove they were who we thought they were.

Anyone who followed this journey from start to finish remembers this game. Not just for the result, but the heart-stopping final moments, and the highlights provided by some of our favorite characters in team history. Murray found a new level against Utah. Gary Harris poked the ball free from Donovan Mitchell. And Jokić drove the final nail into Utah’s coffin. -Brendan Vogt

Return to Games List

15. 1991 Orange Bowl Buffaloes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Darian Hagan started the game at quarterback but suffered a serious knee injury that forced Charles Johnson into the game just before halftime. Johnson would go on to complete five of his six passes for 80 yards and win co-MVP of the game.

Notre Dame nearly pulled off a miracle last-second victory over the Buffs when Raghib “Rocket” Ismail returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown with 43 seconds left. The Irish were called for a clipping penalty that wiped out Ismail’s return and ensured the Buffs would be national champions. Eric Bienemy was the driving force behind Colorado’s victory that day with 95 rushing yards on 26 carries and a touchdown.

Colorado Football legends Mike Pritchard, Deon Figures, Alfred Williams and Chad Brown also had standout performances to power CU to their first national title. -Jake Schwanitz

Return to Games List

14. 2022 Game 4 Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues

One of the all-time great vibes games in Colorado history. Nazem Kadri’s involvement in the collision with Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington in Game 3 that resulted in Binnington being hurt for the remainder of the series led to a torrent of death threats and racist invective sent to Kadri.

With a police escort to the rink, the Avalanche had a slow start being down 1-0 after the first period. They scored four goals in the first 7:37 of the second period, two by Kadri. Two Blues goals brought the game to 4-3, but Kadri put the finishing touch on his hat trick (in this case, a “hate trick”) as the Avs pulled away for a 6-3 win to secure a 3-1 series lead. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

13. 2012 AFC Divisional Game Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Tebow’s lone playoff win didn’t quite take the shape of most of his games in Denver. His Broncos blew a lead and nearly lost the game at the end of regulation, only to be saved by a last-second sack from Robert Ayers. Then Tebow found Thomas for an 80-yard walkoff touchdown on the first play of overtime and the rest was history.

“Tebow to D.T.” brings Broncos fans back to one of the greatest plays in Broncos history, but the dominance of both players’ performances in the 2012 AFC Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is forgotten.

By January, the book on Tebow was out. He could overpower defenses on the ground, but he wasn’t dominant through the air. Somehow, he found a way to win. But against the Steelers, Tebow set a new franchise record for a single playoff game with a 125.6 passer rating. Even Peyton Manning didn’t meet that mark in Denver.

Tebow also threw for 316 yards, one of two 300-yard performances in his career. Thomas, meanwhile produced 204 receiving yards, a franchise record of his own. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

12. 1994 Game 5 Nuggets vs. Seattle SuperSonics

In hindsight, it’s surprising how iconic and memorable the 1994 Denver Nuggets were to Denverites who grew up in the 90s. Part of this is that the 90’s NBA felt completely different from the 80’s NBA. Players seemed to be cooler and had more personality, or at least we got to see their personality more and more.

That was certainly the case for the 1994 Denver Nuggets, a team that featured a wide variety of characters including Robert Pack, the high-flying 6-2 point guard who rocked a flat top that could make the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air jealous. Dikembe Mutombo was a larger-than-life figure who arrived at a time when the world felt bigger and places like the Congo might as well have been Mars.

Mahmoud-Abdoul Rauf, LaPhonso Ellis, Reggie Williams, Bryant Stith, Rodney Rodgers, and Brian Williams, who would later change his name to Bison Dele. For a 42-win team, the 94 Nuggets featured a surprising amount of memorable players.

But the team is most known for being the first 8-seed in NBA history to upset a 1-seed. It was even more surprising that it was this 8-seed. The ’94 Nuggets were certainly on the come-up but no one thought they had a chance against the top-seeded Sonics, who featured two all-stars in Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp and an incredible supporting cast.

The Sonics won a league-best 63 games that season and won 15 of their last 17 heading into the playoffs. They also dog-walked the Nuggets in Games 1 and 2 while holding the Nuggets below 90 points in both games.

But the Nuggets stormed back at home in Games 3 and 4, winning both games comfortably. Game 5 was a battle that would come down to the wire and somehow, the young Nuggets were the more calm, cool, and collected team, at least until the final buzzer.

Mutombo falling to the ground and clutching the basketball while he cried tears of joy is one of the most iconic images in Denver sports history and part of what helped etch this star-crossed team into the hearts of sports fans across Colorado. Short of winning a championship, the most memorable teams are all likable, interesting, and delivered some kind of surprise or upset on the biggest stage.

The ’94 Nuggets were all of those things and the 1994 playoffs delivered the moment that would help them make their mark in Colorado sports lore. -Adam Mares

Return to Games List

11. 1977 AFC Championship Game Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders

On January 1st, 1978, the impossible happened: the lowly Denver Broncos earned a trip to the Super Bowl. (And lowly is putting it lightly.)

The Broncos followed up a 10-year run in the AFL in which they never posted a winning record with seven years of struggles in the NFL. Then, the Broncos posted a surprise 12-2 record to earn their first-ever playoff berth and beat the Steelers to earn a trip to the AFC Championship Game. The Broncos met the mighty Oakland Raiders, who were appearing in their fifth consecutive AFC Championship Game.

Denver made the types of errors they were known for in their early days; they extended the Raiders’ first drive with a running into the punter penalty, they dodged a bullet on a clear fumble that the refs blew dead too early, they missed three field goals and an extra point.

But Craig Morton outdueled Ken Stabler—with plenty of help from Haven Moses, who hauled in 164 receiving yards and two touchdowns—and the Broncos ran out the final three minutes to close out the 20-17 win. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

10. The Miracle in Michigan

Colorado went into Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House in a battle of two top-ten teams. The Buffs trailed by 12 points entering the fourth quarter and it came down to one last play from their own 36-yard line with seconds left.

Kordell Stewart launched an absolute bomb that was tipped by a Michigan defender and caught by Michael Westbrook in the end zone to beat the fourth-ranked Wolverines on the last play of the game. It is considered one of the best finishes and moments in college football history. -Jake Schwanitz

Return to Games List

9. 2015 AFC Championship Game Broncos vs. New England Patriots

In the final Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady matchup, Brady nearly completed a drive for the record books.

With less than two minutes on the clock and needing a touchdown, the Pats were 90 yards from paydirt. On 4th & 10, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for a 40-yard gain that gave New England life. A few plays later, Brady faced a 4th & Goal from four yards out and found Gronkowski in the end zone.

But Stephen Gostkowski had missed an extra point earlier in the game, which left the Patriots needing eight points, not seven. New England lined up for the two-point conversion that could have forced overtime. Brady tried to hit Julian Edelman in the end zone, but Aqib Talib knocked the ball into the air and Bradley Roby caught it to seal the victory. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

8. 2022 Game 6 Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Looking to end the two-year reign of terror on the NHL by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Avs went into Game 6 up 3-2 but having lost a nail-biter in Game 5. Things started poorly as Cale Makar took a penalty just 23 seconds into the game and then Steven Stamkos scored shortly after the power play expired to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.

A Nathan MacKinnon one-timer with an extra man on the ice for a delayed penalty tied the game 1-1 just 1:54 into the second period. MacKinnon would lead a rush up the ice later in the period and found Artturi Lehkonen, who ripped a shot past Andrei Vasilevski to put the Avs up 2-1.

Despite a dominant third period that saw the Avs push like crazy for the insurance goal, Andrei Vasilevski locked it down and refused to budge. Darcy Kuemper responded on the other end, finishing with 22 saves on 23 shots to secure Colorado’s third Stanley Cup victory.

Cale Makar won the Conn Smythe after having an all-time great postseason with 29 points in just 20 games and leading the Avs to a 16-4 postseason record. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

7. Super Bowl 50 Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

The Broncos entered Super Bowl 50 as the biggest underdogs in half a decade and there hasn’t been a spread as wide as Super Bowl 50 since. The Carolina Panthers carried the league’s No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense into the game. Denver’s No. 1 defense was overlooked because of its pitiful offense, but it was the No Fly Zone that solidified its place in NFL history in Santa Clara.

Denver’s offense managed a field goal on its first possession. Then Von Miller ripped the ball away from MVP quarterback Cam Newton and Malik Jackson recovered it in the end zone. That 10-0 lead proved to be insurmountable.

Miller’s 2.5 sacks—two of which were strip sacks—capped off an incredible postseason run and, rightfully, earned him Super Bowl MVP honors. The Broncos produced one of the most impressive defensive performances in Super Bowl history, smoothly cruising to victory despite the offense only generating 194 total offensive yards, the fewest ever by a Super Bowl champion. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

6. 2023 Game 4 Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The Denver Nuggets first faced the Lakers in the playoffs back in 1979, just 3 years after the Nuggets joined the NBA. It would be the first of 7 straight playoff series losses spanning 45 seasons.

Oftentimes, those series featured some kind of tough luck for the Nuggets, whether it was an injury to Alex English in 1985, an errant inbound pass in 2009, or an improbable buzzer-beater from Anthony Davis in 2020.

For Nuggets fans, it always felt like two things were true: they’d never beat the Lakers, and they’d never win a championship. So it felt fitting when it turned out to be the Lakers standing in the way of the Nuggets making it to the NBA Finals for the first time in NBA history back in 2023. If the Nuggets were going to win their first-ever title, they were going to have to slay their own personal demons.

There was also an element of personal revenge in this series. Just three seasons prior, the Lakers had ended Denver’s Cinderella run in the bubble. A season prior, Lakers star LeBron James had famously picked Nikola Jokic last at the NBA All-Star Game.

Game 1 was a Jokic masterpiece that had converted even the most ardent Jokic haters to proclaim him the best player in the world. Game 2 featured an all-time Murray Flurry in the 4th quarter to help the Nuggets pull ahead late. Game 3 was a methodical win as the Nuggets fell back on the Jokic-Murray two-man game in the 4th quarter en route to a surprisingly comfortable road win.

But in Game 4, LeBron James left it all on the court, scoring 30 points in the first half and leading to a 15-point Lakers lead. What happened next was a half that defined the greatest team in Nuggets history.

The Nuggets came out of halftime with a calm confidence that defied 45 years of history. They outscored the Lakers by 20 points in the 3rd quarter behind a completely balanced attack. The Lakers fought desperately to avoid the sweep in the 4th quarter as the game became a defensive battle.

Only 13 combined points were scored over a five-minute stretch heading into the final three minutes of the game. With the Nuggets up three and the clock winding down, Jokic, who had hit a series of tough shots throughout the series, fell back into an awkward one-legged step-back shot from behind the 3-point line with Anthony Davis’s hand square in his face.

The shot was a perfect swish that ripped the soul out of the 18,997 Lakers fans in attendance. The Nuggets went on to beat the Heat in the Finals and bring home their first-ever NBA championship. There was still a series against the Heat standing in the way of the championship, but the sweep over the Lakers was the emotional peak of the entire playoff run.

Game 4 symbolized everything that made this team special. It was both an entertaining game, a heroic game, and the most important game ever played by the Denver Nuggets. -Adam Mares

Return to Games List

5. 1996 Game 4 Avalanche vs. Florida Panthers

Up 3-0 in the series, the Avalanche were on their way to their first Stanley Cup and Denver’s first pro championship but the pesky Florida Panthers were in their way.

They stayed in Colorado’s way as Patrick Roy and John Vanbiesbrouck staged an epic goaltender duel with neither allowing a goal through five periods. The dam finally broke at 4:31 of triple overtime when Uwe Krupp’s shot from the point found its way in to give the Avalanche the Stanley Cup.

Patrick Roy’s 63-save shutout further burnished his reputation as one of the all-time great goaltenders in NHL history. Joe Sakic won the Conn Smythe behind the power of one of the greatest goal-scoring postseasons ever. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

4. 2007 Game 163 Rockies vs. San Diego Padres

Winners of 13 of 14 games just to force Game 163, the Rockies were a buzzsaw just getting revved up. Going against eventual Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, the Rockies faced an immediate uphill battle with fifth starter Josh Fogg starting the game.

The Rockies started hot, scoring six runs in six innings to knock Peavy from the game. An Adrian Gonzalez grand slam in a five-run 3rd inning for the Padres provided plenty of back-and-forth drama, as did Brian Fuentes blowing the lead in the 8th inning to push the game into extras.

San Diego scored two in the top of the 13th inning and brought in Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman to seal the win. Two doubles and a triple tied the game before Hoffman even recorded an out, and an intentional walk to Todd Helton loaded the bases. Jamey Carroll’s sacrifice fly to right field brought Matt Holliday home for the win and a place in the postseason and gave berth to Rocktober. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

3. The Drive

John Elway solidified his myth as “The Comeback Kid” in a sub-freezing AFC Championship Game in Cleveland.

Elway’s Broncos were pinned at their own two-yard line after a muffed kickoff. They had five minutes to trek 98 yards and force overtime. Over 15 plays, Elway marched his offense down the field, never facing a fourth down. The hairiest moment came on a 3rd & 18 near midfield when a shotgun snap bounced off a receiver motioning through the backfield. Elway caught the ball off the ricochet and ripped it 20 yards to Mark Jackson for a first down.

Denver won the overtime coin toss and marched downfield once again, setting up a chip shot, game-winning field goal. -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List

2. 2001 Game 7 Avalanche vs. New Jersey Devils

The story of the game itself was Alex Tanguay, the second-year forward who scored twice as the Avalanche built a 3-0 lead in the second period. Patrick Roy stopped 25 of 26 shots and was brilliant (ask Patrik Elias) en route to his NHL-record third Conn Smythe Trophy.

The real story of that team, however, was Ray Bourque’s journey to Cup glory. Acquired a year earlier, Bourque was in his 22nd, and final, season and finally won his first Stanley Cup. Having lost on the road in consecutive Game 7s to the Dallas Stars in the previous two years, the Avs set out on a mission to get home ice throughout the postseason.

Their President’s Trophy-winning season accomplished that goal and this game was the ultimate pay-off for that work. They hosted Game 7 and played like the team they were destined to be from the moment the season began.

This series featured the head-to-head battle between Roy and Martin Brodeur, with Roy stealing Game 6 to force Game 7 and ultimately outdueling Brodeur. Hall of Famers dotted both teams and this didn’t even include Peter Forsberg, who missed the series due to injury.

After playing 29:35, Ray Bourque eagerly waited for his turn to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup once the victory was secured. Eschewing tradition, captain Joe Sakic accepted the Cup but didn’t lift it, choosing to hand it off to Bourque immediately, who was the first Avalanche player to raise the Cup in a moment that became iconic in NHL history. -AJ Haefele

Return to Games List

1. Super Bowl 32 Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers

Not only was Super Bowl 32 the first Super Bowl win in Broncos history, but it was also a nail-biter decided in the final minute littered with iconic plays.

Steve Atwater laid a hit that knocked three players (including himself) out. Ed McCaffrey laid a nasty blindside block. Terrell Davis re-entered the game nearly blind with a migraine to take a fake handoff. “The Helicopter” became the image that defined John Elway’s career.

Super Bowl 32 gifted us with classic moment after classic moment after classic moment… and it ended with the most iconic line in the history of Denver sports: “This one’s for John.” -Henry Chisholm

Return to Games List