1999 Denver Broncos season

1999 Denver Broncos season
Head coach Mike Shanahan
General manager Neal Dahlen
Owner Pat Bowlen
Home field Mile High Stadium
Results
Record 6–10
Division place 5th AFC West
Playoff finish did not qualify
Denver visits the Green Bay Packers in preseason at Camp Randall Stadium, August 23, 1999

The 1999 Denver Broncos season was the team's 40th year in professional football and its 30th with the National Football League (NFL). After winning its second consecutive Super Bowl with a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, the team suffered the retirement of Super Bowl XXXIII MVP quarterback John Elway during the off-season. Elway had spent his entire career with the Denver Broncos, and much of the focus in the weeks leading up to the season centered on the void left by Elway's departure. Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced that third-round 1998 draft pick Brian Griese, son of Miami Dolphins Quarterback Bob Griese, would take the reins of the offense, passing over veteran and credible back-up QB Bubby Brister.

In the preseason, the Broncos played in the first and so far only NFL game held in Australia. On August 7, 1999, before a crowd of 73,811 spectators at Stadium Australia in Sydney, the Broncos defeated the San Diego Chargers 20–17.[1]

Although no one expected a serious defense of their title, the Broncos would stumble out of the gate this season, losing the first four regular season games. Many of the games would be decided in the final two minutes of play, but the Broncos found themselves on the losing end at 6–10. It was their first losing season since 1994, the worst season since 1990 and the worst record of the five-team AFC West. This was the worst-ever season for a team defending their Super Bowl title.[2]

Statistics site Football Outsiders calculates that the Broncos went from the league's 28th (third-easiest) schedule in 1998, to the hardest schedule in 1999.:[3]

Before 2011, the worst one-year increase in strength of schedule belonged to the 1999 Broncos. Denver had ridden the third-easiest schedule (in a 30-team league) to a Lombardi Trophy in 1998, only to fall apart the next season under the weight of John Elway's retirement, Terrell Davis'[s] Week 4 injury, and – oh, by the way – the toughest schedule in the league.

This was the largest single-season change in Football Outsiders' rankings until the 2011 St. Louis Rams.

Week 4 saw star running back Terrell Davis, who was last year's league MVP after a historic season, hurt his knee and was eventually shelved for the remainder of the season.

Personnel

Staff

colspan="7" style="background: #002244; color:white; border: 2px solid
  1. FB4F14" text-align: center;" | 1999 Denver Broncos staff
Front office
  • President and Chief Executive Officer – Pat Bowlen
  • Vice President of Business Operations – Joe Ellis
  • Vice President of Administration – John Beake
  • General Manager – Neal Dahlen
  • Director of Pro Scouting – Jack Elway
  • Director of College Scouting – Ted Sundquist
  • College Scouting Consultant – Jerry Frei

Head coaches

  • Vice President of Football Operations/Head Coach – Mike Shanahan
  • Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line – Alex Gibbs

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Rich Tuten
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Barney Chavous
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Ricky Porter
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Greg Saporta

Roster

colspan="10" style="background: #002244; color:white; border:2px solid
  1. FB4F14" text-align:center;" | 1999 Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams


Rookies in italics

[4]

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 13, 1999 Miami Dolphins L 38–21
75,623
2 September 19, 1999 at Kansas City Chiefs L 26–10
78,683
3 September 26, 1999 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–10
65,297
4 October 3, 1999 New York Jets L 21–13
74,181
5 October 10, 1999 at Oakland Raiders W 16–13
55,704
6 October 17, 1999 Green Bay Packers W 31–10
73,352
7 October 24, 1999 at New England Patriots L 24–23
60,011
8 October 31, 1999 Minnesota Vikings L 23–20
75,021
9 November 7, 1999 at San Diego Chargers W 33–17
61,204
10 November 14, 1999 at Seattle Seahawks L 20–17
66,314
11 November 22, 1999 Oakland Raiders W 27–21
70,012
12 Bye
13 December 5, 1999 Kansas City Chiefs L 16–10
73,855
14 December 13, 1999 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 27–24
71,357
15 December 19, 1999 Seattle Seahawks W 36–30
65,987
16 December 25, 1999 at Detroit Lions W 17–7
73,158
17 January 2, 2000 San Diego Chargers L 12–6
69,278

Standings

AFC West
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(3) Seattle Seahawks 970.563338298L1
Kansas City Chiefs 970.563390322L2
San Diego Chargers 880.500269316W2
Oakland Raiders 880.500390329W1
Denver Broncos 6100.375314318L1

References

External links

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