After eight seasons to hate, the Denver Broncos have given us a season to love

(to be sung semi-poorly to the melody of Seasons of Love…)

Four million, nine hundred sixty eight thousand, seven hundred minutes
Four million, nine hundred sixty eight thousand moments so weird
Four million, nine hundred sixty eight thousand, seven hundred minutes
How do you measure almost nine years?

In touchdowns, in touchbacks
In guys there for cups of coffee
In inches, in yards
In postseason burns
In Four million, nine hundred sixty eight thousand, seven hundred minutes
How do you feel now, we’ve we’ve finally returned?

—————–

There are dance steps. I’m working on it.

Almost five million minutes. Almost nine years. Eight years, 11 months, and a week, to be exact. What seems like forever since the Denver Broncos tasted the postseason. While this year’s squad has vastly outpaced preseason expectations, Broncos Country didn’t take a breath until the final game of the season was out of reach and Denver was finally back in the playoffs. It doesn’t just seem like five million minutes, does it? The other lengthy lists make this drought seem even longer. Items like…

Over a dozen starting quarterbacks, even if you don’t include the 2020 COVID-fueled emergency start by Phillip Lindsay. Names like Siemian, Keenum, Flacco, and Lock are amongst the many who have “helped” the Broncos fall short since Manning left the building.

Five head coaches. Former Broncos’ QB Gary Kubiak stayed with the team another season past the Championship win, but was eventually forced to leave for health reasons, and has struggled to find true leadership at the helm. Coaching legend Sean Payton has settled those troubled waters with the help of one of the gents who was unable to hang onto the head seat himself, with Vance Joseph now steering Denver’s fearsome defense, but Joseph was nearly run out of town after two seasons steering the team garnered an 11-21 record.

No tie-over to that Championship past. Garrett Bolles arrived to Denver two seasons after the Broncos last ring, and has been with the team longer than any other current player. Courtland Sutton came a year after, and their tenures have only been marked with disappointment until this year. The couple hundred gents that have also passed through since 15-16 have felt primarily the same.

Countless flame outs. Not just rough decisions and tough luck coming the Broncos way, but animosity and division at times in the locker room, in the front offices, in the old ownership group, and even amongst one of the league’s most loyal fanbases. There have been enough fits and starts in the last nine years for these Broncos that a whole new generation of football fan has very little idea of just how fearsome and fantastic Mile High Football can be.

But that’s finally changing.

After eight seasons of of Denver Broncos football we all primarily hated, and several moments we found more than a little confounding or confusing, it’s finally time. The Broncos are back in the playoffs after putting together season we really had to love.