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John Elway’s first two chapters at the helm of the Denver Broncos have been, um, different. We examine just how stark the contrast has been.
High Point
2011–2015: Winning Super Bowl 50
2016–2018: Starting the 2016 season 4-0 (the team finished the campaign on a 5-7 run)
Low Point
2011–2015: 43-8 – The score of the Broncos’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVII
2016–2018: 8 – Consecutive games the Broncos lost in 2017
Win Percentage
2011–2015: .725
2016–2018: .416
Political Ads Elway Appeared In
2011–2015: 0
2016–2018: 4 (at least) – In 2016, the Republican publicly backed the GOP’s position on three local initiatives.
Era-Defining Headlines
2011–2015: “John Elway: The Man With The Golden Gut” –Fortune, January 2015 (a reference to his preternatural football intuition)
2016–2018: “Broncos Need A Reality Check Because John Elway Is The Problem, Not The Solution” –Bleacher Report, December 2018
Average Number of Pro Bowlers Per Season
2011–2015: 6.2
2016–2018: 3
Average Quarterback Rating For Starters
2011–2015: 89.3 – Peyton Manning threw 140 touchdowns and 53 interceptions from 2012 to 2015.
2016–2018: 77.1 – Collectively, Manning’s heirs have tossed 73 touchdowns and 58 interceptions.
Defensive Line’s Average Pass-Protection Ranking
2011–2015: 9th – In 2013 and 2014, the Broncos boasted the best line in the league on pass plays.
2016–2018: 22nd – That’s despite Elway investing a combined $123 million in free agent offensive linemen.