The Greatest Broncos Of All Time....By The Numbers - #8 Gary Kubiak
by John Bena on Jul 10, 2008 8:38 PM MDT
in Denver Broncos Greats...By The Numbers
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The Candidates -
Matt Mauck QB 2004
Todd Husak QB 2001
Jeff Lewis QB 1996-97
Tommy Maddox QB 1992-93
Gary Kubiak QB 1983-91
Five different quarterbacks have worn the #8 in Denver, all five primarily backups during their careers. Some have been villified, simply because they were drafted to replace a legend weel before his time(Maddux), while others showed promise until a pickup basketball game got in the way(Lewis).
One #8, however, stood out from the crowd. From trusted teammate to respected coach, Gary Kubiak was the consummate professional. Seemingly comfortable in the shadow of greatness, Kubiak was a calming influence, both as a player then latere as a coach to Elway, and later a series of quarterbacks, from Brian Griese to Jake Plummer.
via media.rockymountainnews.com
A quick trivia question. What quarterback was drafted by the Denver Broncos is 1983?
The Answer - Gary Kubiak. Try it in a bar some night with your Broncos Fan friends. You'll get someone to bite. Kubiak was drafted in the 8th round that year, the same year the team acquired the rights to John Elway in a trade with the Baltimore Colts. Destined to be linked forever, Kubiak relished in the role as a mentor and friend to Elway, especially in the ealry years when things didn't always go so well for #7. While Kubiak did see all that much action in his time as a quarterback from 1983-1991(14 touchdowns and 1,920 yards in nine seasons), Broncos fans will always remember Kubiak stellar performance against the Buffalo Bills in the 1991 AFC Championship Game.
Playing in his last NFL game as a player, Kubiak entered the game for an injured John Elway with the Broncos trailing 10-0. Kubiak quickly led the Broncos on an 85-yard TD drive. After recovering the on-side kick, Kubiak was moving the troops again before a Steve Sewell fumble ended the comeback.
After retiring, Kubiak returned to his alma-mater, Texas A&M, to coach running backs(92-93). He returned to the NFL in 1994 as the QB coach in San Francisco, working under then-49'er Offensive Coordinator Mike Shanahan. When Shanahan was hired as coach of the Broncos in 1995, Kubiak came with him becoming the Offensive Coordinator and reuniting with John Elway.
In 11 seasons under Kubiak, the Broncos offense amassed 66,501 total yards and 465 touchdowns, the most in the NFL during that span. He has coached 14 different Broncos that made the Pro Bowl, including running back Terrell Davis, who was named the NFL MVP in 1998. Three different quarterbacks earned Pro Bowl honors as well, with Elway, Brian Griese and Jake Plummer enjoying their best seasons under Kubiak. Kubiak has earned three Super Bowl rings in his time as an assistant coach, is one of just 15 NFL coaches to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises (San Francisco, 1994) and one of just nine to win a title with a team from each conference.
Kubiak left the Broncos after the 2005 season to return home to Texas. As Head Coach of the Houston Texans, Kubiak again appears to have a team on the right track. The Texans seemed prime to make a run at the playoffs in the near future, and from we have seen from Kubiak he'll have them there.
Whether it was his actions while wearing the #8, or his contributions after he hung his jersey up for the last time, Gary Kubiak has had a huge effect on the Denver Broncos. For that, Gary Kubiak is the Greatest Bronco ever to wear the snowman.
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Kubiak and Class synonymous
A funny man that is willing to be #2 his entire career. You would have to be a true Bronco fan to have seen the few times Gary played. Friends at this site, at least those that are old enough, know that Gary could have started and done well with many, if not most, NFL teams during his career.
No resentment, totally unselfish, and happy to back-up The Duke. A Brilliant mind standing on the sidelines, ready to come in if needed, and learning. Reeves was a great coach—but he just couldn’t let go of the oldy-moldy-offense he had seen and used in Dallas for years. Kubiak, on the sidelines, absorbed everything he could from Reeves.
Back in Denver, after a short absense, Gary soaks in all of Shanny’s brain, possibly making his brain greater than the whole of his two great mentors. Scary.
My favorite back-up team is the Houston Broncos…or maybe its the Denver Texans…I can’t seem to remember.
None of us can ever hate Gary-despite what he does to us. The fun I look forward to is there is two great minds-in the same conferance—at times having to be enemies.
Two great minds that in the future may have to play the ultimate game of football Chess.
I wish nothing but the best for Kubiak
unless Houston is playing Denver. And on October 26th of this year I’ll be pulling for Houston. He was a great 8th round draft choice.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. - Emerson
It will be fun....
and with mixed emotions each time we play. I hope both teams play great…with us on top of course.cx
I saw him play in L.A.
In 1984, Elway had the flu or something, Kubes came in and was so solid. The only down part of the day was coming out to my car after the game and finding my car broken into and a bunch of stuff taken.
Sounds like Elways first two SuperBowls
We out-play them six of eight quarters and get crushed twicw.
I remember that game
LA threw a long pass and was inside the 10. So the Flores runs the ball with Allen and Foley strips the ball and recovers it. Man, I always will love it when Alice and company over think themselves.
by broncfanstuckinsd on Jul 11, 2008 11:32 AM MDT up reply actions
I voted that I didn't miss Kubes
...which isn’t exactly tru. Of course I miss him, for all the reasons Mike Clark lists above.
But I hold true to an immutable fact that transcends whatever my desires might be for a given situation: If the Broncos’ success had to come at the cost of Kubiak’s growth, then it was a price that couldn’t be paid. Better to see him moving on to bigger and better things, things that he deserved, regardless of any short term woes we might suffer from…
Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.
by Jeremy Bolander on Jul 10, 2008 11:18 PM MDT reply actions
And moreover
with Kubiak’s growth and migration, the Broncos Shanahan legacy gets only stronger. Over time, Shanahan’s disciples going on to great success will only raise the esteem of the organization in the eyes of many. Maybe it will even help us get guys in to the HOF…
Sharpe deserves to go in.
But the hof might only consider him because of his air time as a pundit. God knows that he earned a hof position as a player, but with the anti-Denver bias…
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Jul 14, 2008 1:26 PM MDT up reply actions
Yes we miss him, but I don't think he was/is the real 'Mastermind'
I think we’re going to see something great this year on offense.
I think Kubes
managed Plummer better than Shanny. But that being said Plummer was in a decline and it was smart the Kubiak and Shanny ran the offense in 2005. But still when Plummer started to only complete 50% of passes in 2006 I dont think he missed Kubiak as much as he missed his primary WR
by broncfanstuckinsd on Jul 11, 2008 11:34 AM MDT reply actions
I do miss Kubiak
and was not surprised that he finally became a head coach. With Denver’s success I figured it was only a matter of time before he got his turn. He is a very smart football coach and I wish him all the best except for when he plays us or if stands in Denver’s way of the playoffs. He really had our offense rolling and we have stuttered since. He deserves everything he gets.
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