A Look Back At 15 Years Of Broncos QBs Between Super Bowls XXXIII & XLVIII
DENVER (CBS4) - It took 15 years for the Broncos to find a quarterback to take them back to the Super Bowl, but they found their man in Peyton Manning. Granted, things didn't go so well in Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey, but there's always next season!
After 16 seasons with John Elway as Denver's quarterback, the Broncos legend retired after Super Bowl XXXIII. It has been a sometimes bumpy ride for the Broncos since then when it comes to quarterbacks, with no quarterback lasting more than a couple seasons in the orange and blue. Here's a look back at all the athletes that have come (and gone) at the position since Elway's retirement.
Bubby Brister was passed over as starter after John Elway retired. The Broncos released him after the 1999 season, when he backed up Brian Griese. (credit: DOUG COLLIER/AFP/Getty Images)
The Broncos drafted Brian Griese in 1998 and he played for the Broncos through the end of the 2002 season. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Chris Miller played for the Broncos in 1999. (credit: Jack Atley/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)
Gus Frerotte played for the Broncos in 2000 and 2001. (credit: Elsa/Allsport/Getty Images)
Steve Beuerlein played for the Broncos in 2002 and 2003. (Photo by Craig Lassig/Getty Images)
Danny Kanell played for the Broncos in 2003. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Jarious Jackson played for the Broncos in 2003. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Quarterback Jake Plummer was signed by the Broncos in 2003 and the Broncos reached the AFC Championship game with him as a starter in 2005. He retired after the 2006 season, when he was replaced as a starter by Jay Cutler. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
The Broncos drafted Bradlee Van Pelt in 2004 and released him in 2006. He saw very little playing time in the regular season. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Jay Cutler (celebrating with wide receiver Eddie Royal #19) was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2006 and traded to the Bears in 2009. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Patrick Ramsey backed up Jay Cutler and was released from the Broncos in 2009. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Kyle Orton played for the Denver Broncos from 2009 to 2011. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Chris Simms saw very little playing time for the Broncos during the 2009 season season. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
The Broncos drafted Tom Brandstater in the 6th round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He never saw any action during the 2009 regular season and was released by the team afterwards. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Tim Tebow was drafted in the first round by the Broncos in 2010 and played for the Broncos during the 2010 and 2011 seasons before he was traded to the Jets in 2012 after the team signed Peyton Manning. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Brady Quinn never got to start a game for the Broncos, playing behind both Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow in 2010 and 2011. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Peyton Manning, center, with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, left, and VP of Football Operations John Elway, right on March 19, 2012. The Broncos signed Manning after he was waived by the Indianapolis Colts. (credit: CBS)
The Future?
There will be a day when Peyton Manning hangs up his cleats and calls it a (Hall of Fame) career. It may be sooner and it (hopefully) might be later, but when it happens the heir apparent appears to be Brock Osweiler.
The Broncos picked quarterback Brock Osweiler in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He posed on April 28, 2012, with John Elway at Broncos headquarters. (credit: CBS)
