The Denver Broncos haven’t had an offseason as simple as this one since at least 2015. Let’s back up to explain.
After the franchise won Super Bowl 50, quarterback Peyton Manning retired, leaving the team to cycle through a long list of QBs over the next eight years. One year after Manning retired, coach Gary Kubiak stepped down due to health concerns, sending the team down a path of hiring and firing coaches over the next seven years.
And while the coach and QB drama dragged on, Denver’s front office also underwent changes.
John Elway stepped down from his general manager position following the 2020 season and the Broncos had to find a replacement, ultimately landing on George Paton in 2021. After one year on the job, Paton’s front office fired coach Vic Fangio and moved on from quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock.
That left the Broncos going into 2022 seeking a new coach and a new quarterback, while a potential sale of the team lingered over the franchise.
Denver ended up hiring Nathan Hackett as coach. Two months later, the team acquired quarterback Russell Wilson. A few months after that, the Walton-Penner family purchased the team.
It looked like the franchise finally had stability for the first time since Manning retired and Kubiak stepped down. Then Hackett went 4-11 and was fired with two games remaining in the season.
After that, the Broncos went into 2023 seeking a new coach with uncertainty at quarterback. Sean Payton was hired and he stuck with Wilson for one season before running him out of town in 2024.
Payton found the team’s quarterback of the future in the 2024 NFL draft, selecting Bo Nix, who went 10-7 as a starter in his first season.
Now, going into the 2025 offseason, the franchise has a respected ownership group, a GM with a good drafting resume, a Super Bowl-winning coach and a promising young quarterback with a bright future.
For the first time in 10 years, Denver does not have any uncertainty about its ownership, GM, coach or QB situation. It’s a refreshing time for Broncos fans. After a decade of the franchise being in flux, the team appears to have the key pieces in place to once again contend for championships.
