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Super Salute
Alfred Williams, like most of the Denver Broncos, had a hard time sleeping the morning of Jan. 25, 1998, hours before Super Bowl XXXII. Williams got up, left the team hotel in La Jolla, Calif., at about 6 a.m., and went to get his brother Andre Goffney.
A day in their lives
PREPARED TO SUCCEED
Most Broncos, including receiver Willie Green, barely slept and were up well before the final 9:30 a.m. wake-up call. At about 7 a.m., Green went down to the lobby. He walked past a curtained-off section for the team, peered in and saw at least 10 teammates quietly studying their playbooks.
Elway's example easy to follow
All of the 1997 Denver Broncos earned fame when they won Super Bowl XXXII, but none more so than quarterback John Elway.
“Even to this day, when I see him I get like kind of woozy,” said receiver Rod Smith, who holds almost every Broncos receiving record. “Out of respect for him. Every time I see him I get nervous.”
Team was united, rarely divided
Some members of the 1997 Denver Broncos fondly remember a trip to the theater for a matinee, although they never saw the movie.
“We went to see ‘Mulholland Falls,’” receiver Rod Smith said. “We had the whole theater to ourselves.”
“Yes, I remember that,” tight end Shannon Sharpe said after a long, loud laugh. “It just seems like yesterday. I think the movie we went to watch is ‘Mulholland Falls.’”
Bittersweet win for players on sideline
Ernest Jones’ first reaction was to politely decline discussing his experience with the 1997 Broncos.
He didn’t figure there was much point. He played in one game at defensive end, and was inactive for every playoff game. After he finally agreed to talk about that team, he said he feels strange about that Super Bowl.
Elway alone in Hall
These victors haven’t gotten the spoils quite yet. The Denver Broncos won more games, including playoffs, from 1996 to 1998 than any other NFL team over a threeyear period. They won two Super Bowls.
And quarterback John Elway is still the only member of those teams, and the only player who spent most of his career with the Broncos, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Retired Bronco shrugs off rest and relaxation
An eight-year NFL career seems like a footnote in Willie Green’s life.
Green played receiver for four teams. His last two seasons were with Denver in 1997 and 1998 — when the Broncos won their two Super Bowl titles. He retired from football, and then he got busy.
Bed & Breakfast becomes refuge
After former Denver Broncos cornerback Randy Hilliard’s playing career ended, he opened a bed and breakfast in New Orleans, his hometown.
His unusual post-NFL career turned out to be a blessing two years ago when friends and family needed a place to stay. Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in August 2005, ruining many homes and businesses.
Big men back on campus
After taking a few years off to relax and heal up after a sevenyear NFL career, Detron Smith decided to fulfill a promise he made to himself. He went back to college.
Smith, a backup fullback on the 1997 Broncos, went back to Texas A&M this summer, hoping to finish his undergraduate degree and move onto graduate school.
Romo still stays in the spotlight
Bill Romanowski was controversial and disliked by some, but he was never boring. He wasn’t when he played, and he isn’t since he retired.
Romanowski, a linebacker for the 1997 Denver Broncos, didn’t go away when his football career ended. He has starred in movies. He does some television commentating. He opened a nutrition company, “Nutrition 53.” He also admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. And he wrote a book in which he talked about the dirty hits he administered in his career.
Ex-Bronco found a different kind of glory after retirement
Harry Swayne wasn’t into religion during his 15 years as a NFL offensive lineman. As his career wound down he planned to get into business, do some speaking, perhaps go back to his alma mater of Rutgers and work his way up the ladder in the athletic department. He never thought about religion and didn’t want another job in the NFL.
Better than a title
The tape of Super Bowl XXXII is telling. There’s Denver Broncos right tackle Tony Jones pummeling legendary Green Bay defensive end Reggie White. White had one tackle and no sacks against Jones.
Less than 10 years after looking invincible against White, Jones was frightened he might be dying. In June 2006, he was laid up in the hospital with his kidneys failing. Doctors rushed him to the emergency room to start dialysis.
Past decade rough for some champions
ENGLEWOOD - Tyrone Braxton was embarrassed when he was arrested last year but tried to use the incident to turn around his life.
Some of the players from the 1997 Denver Broncos team have had problems off the field, including financial and legal difficulties. Braxton, who was a starting safety on the Broncos’ first Super Bowl championship team, is trying to rebound from one of the more embarrassing falls from grace.
Two tours of duty
The sacrifices Steve Russ made and the patience the Denver Broncos showed in him paid off in 1997.
The former Air Force linebacker was selected in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL draft. He used his 30-day leave from the Air Force in 1995 and 1996 to participate in training camp. Then he went back to his service commitment when the Broncos started the season.
Elway's head spun before his body did
DENVER - There was nothing in the Denver Broncos’ playbook that called for quarterback John Elway to scramble around and then spin around like a top as he dived for a first down.
On third and 6 late in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXII, Elway didn’t have a play.
Former Broncos enter new arena
In 1997, the Arena Football League was struggling for national exposure. Quarterback John Elway and defensive end Neil Smith were leading the Denver Broncos to a historic Super Bowl win.
have changed since Elway and Smith retired. Elway and Smith are the co-owners and most recognizable faces of separate AFL franchises, and Elway is one of the selling points of the league. Elway is a co-owner and chief executive officer of the Colorado Crush, and Smith is a co-owner and vice president of the Kansas City Brigade.
Down time a good thing
Harald Hasselbach longs for the days when he played defensive end for the Denver Broncos.
He doesn’t miss the game that much, but he misses the free time. Hasselbach, who started three games for the 1997 Broncos, runs a successful and busy Web site business out of Denver.
Peer reprimands
ENGLEWOOD - Of all the players who suited up for the 1997 Denver Broncos, the one who seems most nostalgic about the team is receiver Rod Smith. And he is one of the few who hasn’t retired from playing football.
Smith is one of three remaining Broncos players who played in Super Bowl XXXII, along with center Tom Nalen and kicker Jason Elam.
Broncos treasure Super Bowl mementos
ENGLEWOOD - When linebacker John Mobley knocked down a fourth-down pass to clinch Super Bowl XXXII, most of the Denver Broncos’ players erupted in joy. Defensive end Neil Smith had something on his mind.
He ran for the ball. Just before he reached it, an official picked it up, ready to place it so the Broncos could snap the ball one more time.
“That was the ball I was waiting my whole career for,” Smith said. “The referee grabbed it and I said ‘Could I have that ball, sir?’ He handed it to me with the biggest smile.”
Perfect motivation
When the Denver Broncos planned the alumni weekend for the 10th anniversary of the 1997 Super Bowl championship team, it was fitting that Jacksonville was today’s opponent.
The Jaguars’ 30-27 playoff win over Denver at the end of the 1996 season is one of the more infamous games in team history. Many thought quarterback John Elway’s chance to win the Super Bowl ended that day. Although the loss still stings, the Broncos view it as the first step to their Super Bowl win a year later.
In Elway’s shadow
History hasn’t forgotten running back Terrell Davis’ role on the 1997 Denver Broncos. But over time, it might have become a bit undervalued.
Denver’s first NFL championship became quarterback John Elway’s moment. The signature play of Super Bowl XXXII was Elway diving for a first down and being spun around. Owner Pat Bowlen’s speech dedicating the win to Elway is another enduring memory. Elway finally winning a title after three Super Bowl losses is the legacy of that game.
Perfect storm
TO OUR READERS: Ten seasons ago, the Denver Broncos broke a franchise drought by topping the Green Bay Packers 31-24 and winning Super Bowl XXXII. Through the eyes of the players, The Gazette looks back at that season with a weekly installment through the 10-year anniversary on Jan. 25, 2008. Howard Griffith remembers waking up at 3 a.m. the day the Denver Broncos were supposed to head to Buffalo for a 1997 road game.
IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN A DECADE
TO OUR READERS: Ten seasons ago the Denver Broncos broke a franchise drought by topping the Green Bay Packers 31-24 and winning Super Bowl XXXII. Through the eyes of the players, The Gazette looks back at that season with a weekly installment through the 10-year anniversary on Jan. 25, 2008.
Many of the 1997 Broncos contacted to talk about the 10th anniversary had a similar response. First, there was some disbelief.
“Oh my God,” cornerback Tim McKyer said. “It’s amazing it’s been that long.”
SUPER BOWL: FINALLY!
SAN DIEGO - To the many who still believed and even to the few who had lost faith, quarterback John Elway could finally say the words legions of long-suffering Denver Broncos fans have waited to hear Sunday night. The Broncos have earned their long-awaited championship. In one of the most exciting NFL title games in history, the Broncos ended their own misery as well as that of their AFC brethren with a 31-24 win over the heavily favored Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
Blitzing Denver defense accomplishes goal of flabbergasting Favre
SAN DIEGO - To succeed, the Denver Broncos' defense knew it had to win its battle of wits with Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre. Mission accomplished. The Broncos combined a punishing physical attack with a confusing array of defenses to shut down the Packers in the critical fourth quarter and post a 31-24 upset victory Sunday in Super Bowl XXXII.
AFC Championship Game: Theyy're Baackk!
PITTSBURGH - If Tyrone Braxton gets his wish, the Denver Broncos will show up for Super Bowl XXXII all decked out in matching T-shirts. The shirts will be collector's items, the kind that are sold as mementos to highlight the stops on a concert tour. And from Braxton's viewpoint, the Broncos "Revenge Tour" deserves to be honored like the Rolling Stones. "People need to be reminded of what we've done," Braxton said. "It's that big."
Playoffs: BRONCOS STAND & DELIVER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A fabled piece of Denver Broncos' history known simply as "The Drive" found a companion on Sunday.
And until the pundits come up with a flamboyant nickname, simply call Sunday's playoff-saving performance "The Stand." The Broncos were successful in saving their season when cornerback Darrien Gordon leaped high in the end zone to tip away the last pass of the day thrown by Kansas City's Elvis Grbac and preserve a pulsating 14-10 victory and silence an Arrowhead Stadium crowd of 76,965.
Playoffs: Denver rids itself of nemesis Jaguars
DENVER - If you've never tried it, take the Denver Broncos' word for it that fricasseed Jaguar is not bad holiday fare. Exactly 51 weeks of agonizing self-doubt came to an end for the Broncos on Saturday as they played payback against the Jacksonville Jaguars beyond even their own wildest expectations.
The Broncos advanced to the second round of the AFC playoffs with a 42-17 wild-card victory that thoroughly entertained a Mile High Stadium crowd of 74,481 and set off mini celebrations all around the winners' locker room.
Week 17: Davis could have played if needed
DENVER - Terrell Davis' playing status heading into the Denver Broncos regular season finale was a poorly kept secret.
Even though both Davis and coach Mike Shanahan talked positively last week about Davis' return from a separated shoulder, it was clear soon after Davis was injured in the Monday night game in San Francisco that he would sit out against San Diego. "I felt good and if this would have been a playoff game, I would have been able to play," Davis said. "But the team felt and I felt that it was better to sit out so I'll be ready for the playoffs."
Davis believes he'll be close to 100 percent for Saturday's wild-card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Week 16: Broncos Nose Dive
SAN FRANCISCO - In a matter of eight days the Denver Broncos road show took them from one coast to the other.
Unfortunately with the same results. Desperately needing a win after falling flat 35-24 in Pittsburgh, Denver suddenly saw its long season become even longer Monday night as San Francisco turned three turnovers into 17 points and defeated the Broncos 34-17 to highlight an emotional night.
Week 15: Steelers spike Broncos' plan
PITTSBURGH - The month of January just became a beastly trip for the Denver Broncos. Even if the Broncos (11-3) win the next two weeks - a question mark since they'll be in San Francisco next Monday night - a 13-3 record probably will earn nothing more than a wild-card berth.
Week 14: CHARGING AHEAD
SAN DIEGO - Now we know how the Denver Broncos spent their Sunday morning. They definitely weren't watching the waves lap against the San Diego Bay rocks. They sat before their television sets at the hotel as the Kansas City Chiefs threw down a challenge by ending San Francisco's 11-game winning streak with an eye-opening 44-9 win in the heartlands.
Week 13: 31-POINT SALUTE
DENVER - Some guys just can't be satisfied.
As Alfred Williams stood glaring at the scoreboard above the Mile High Stadium south stands late Monday night, the Denver Broncos defensive end sighed heavily as he shook his head. "That's nice," Williams said as he reflected on the Broncos' 31-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders. "But I wish we had shut 'em out. Left 'em with nothing. Not even a ride home."
Week 12: A KICK IN THE PANTS
KANSAS CITY - The 44th come-from-behind victory of John Elway's spectacular career was all but signed and sealed and being celebrated. Then a dramatic swing of Pete Stoyanovich's right leg not only put the kibosh on the celebration but did serious damage to the Denver Broncos' plans to put away the AFC West along with their Thanksgiving feast. Stoyanovich's last-play, 54-yard field goal allowed Kansas City to pull out a dramatic 24-22 victory here on Sunday and keep the Chiefs (8-3) in touch with the Broncos (9-2) with five weeks to go in the regular season.
Week 11: NOTHING COULD BE FINER
DENVER - Think the Carolina Panthers believe the Denver Broncos are capable of a breakout game? Despite coming into Week 11 tied for the best record in football, the Broncos still longed for the Sunday afternoon where greatness would all come together like alchemy.
Week 10: TAKE TWO - WHEW!
DENVER - In addition to a little something in the thermos to combat the winter cold, Denver Broncos fans may want to pack a nail file for the final seven games of the regular season. As Sunday's harrowing 30-27 victory over the Seattle Seahawks suggests, it could be a bumpy ride.
Week 9: Broncos reign after wet
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Their offense had gone into the tank. Their kicker already had missed one easy attempt. Everyone had run out of energy and emotion, the result of dealing with a chaotic road trip to escape Colorado's Great Blizzard of '97, building a 20-point lead entering the fourth quarter - and relaxing.
Week 8: Ruined by the Raiders
OAKLAND, Calif. - In a winner-take-all grudge match, all the spoils go to the last man standing. Otherwise, the Denver Broncos would have chosen almost any setting other than the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and virtually any opponent other than the Oakland Raiders for their first pratfall of 1997.
Week 6: Patriots' game over
DENVER - Let the Super Bowl hype begin again.
Yes it's only six weeks into the season. And yes the only thing that matters in the NFL is the postseason. But neither a national television audience nor the New England Patriots could be anything but dazzled after the Denver Broncos put on a dominating performance to win the Monday Night Football battle of the unbeatens 34-13 at Mile High Stadium.
Week 5: CRUISE CONTROL
ATLANTA - Dan Reeves might be a lost soul with a lost franchise, but he hasn't lost his ability to manipulate a football team like a virtuoso playing a violin. On paper, the winless Atlanta Falcons came into the Georgia Dome on Sunday apparently needing a miracle to avoid a crushing defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
Week 4: Davis runs to glory
DENVER - You know it's no ordinary afternoon in the National Football League when a man runs for 215 yards and gets second billing in the highlight films. But that was Terrell Davis' fate as he set a Denver Broncos rushing record on Sunday, yet was partially upstaged when defensive end Alfred Williams completed a lumbering 51-yard touchdown run by making a swan dive into the end zone.
Week 3: Ramming Speed
DENVER - The Denver Broncos, who fancy themselves as the Siskel and Ebert types, expect a thumbs-down review when the videotape machines crank up today. Except for some brief highlight-film stuff that turned a pedestrian performance into a runaway on the scoreboard, the Broncos pretty much played to the level of their opposition on Sunday.
Week 2: Broncos reign in Kingdome
SEATTLE - Matters certainly would be a lot simpler if the Denver Broncos knew there would be a Shawn Springs on the opposition's sideline every game day this season. Quarterback John Elway and wide receiver Ed McCaffrey turned a potentially troublesome afternoon in the Kingdome into a romp by exploiting Springs for a pair of touchdowns and a 35-14 victory over the sadsack Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Week 1: Broncos reach Chief Goal
DENVER - With 43 seconds to play in Sunday's first half, John Elway lay writhing on the ground near the 10-yard line in the southwest corner of Mile High Stadium. The Denver franchise quarterback got up, and after determining all his body parts were still functioning, completed the Broncos' 19-3 Opening Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Healthy Elway too much for S.F.
DENVER - OK, if you are going to nit-pick, those new all-blue uniforms are still hideous. But there's not much else to fault about the Denver Broncos with only seven days to go before the season opener. With John Elway back and playing at mid-season form, the Broncos turned their final preseason tuneup into a 31-17 blowout of the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night at Mile High Stadium.
Broncos' preseason troubles continue
FOXBORO, Mass. - A preseason schedule that already seems interminably long to the Denver Broncos turned incredibly ugly on a hot, humid Sunday afternoon in New England.
Preseason: Elway, Broncos torn up
MEXICO CITY - The Denver Broncos will be holding their collective breath when quarterback John Elway goes to the hospital today. This much is known: Elway suffered a partially torn biceps in his throwing arm sometime during the first quarter of Monday night's 38-19 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins at noisy Estadio Guillermo Canedo.
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