Broncos Announce 1-Year Contract Extension For QB Kyle Orton

The Denver Broncos on Thursday signed quarterback Kyle Orton to a contract extension, it was announced. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"I am excited to announce that we have agreed on an extension of Kyle Orton's contract," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "His leadership and knowledge of the offense have enabled him to have a solid offseason and training camp, and we are collectively looking forward to the 2010 season."

A sixth-year pro, Orton joined the Broncos in 2009 after spending his first four NFL seasons with Chicago. He set career highs in nearly every passing category with the Broncos, including 3,802 passing yards that marked the 12th most in NFL history by a player in his first year with a team.

"I really enjoy playing for the Denver Broncos as well as being part of this organization and this community," Orton said. "This is the place that my wife and I definitely want to be.

"Considering the labor environment, I'm aware of how difficult it was to get this deal done and am extremely appreciative of all of the hard work and support from Brian Xanders and Coach McDaniels during this process. I'm eager to get this season started and will do whatever I can to help this team be successful."

For his career, Orton has played 49 regular-season games (48 starts) and completed 841-of-1,454 passes for 9,121 yards with 51 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He entered the NFL with the Bears as a fourth-round (106th overall) pick in the 2005 NFL Draft from Purdue University.

Below are a few notes on Orton's career:

* - Orton's 29-19 (.604) career record as a starting quarterback ranks eighth in the NFL among active players. His 19-5 (.792) career record at home as a starter ranks third among current players.

* - His 10 games with a passer rating of at least 90.0 in 2009 tied for the highest single-season total by a player in Broncos history (John Elway, 1997).

* - Orton's 3,802 passing yards with Denver in 2009 set a team record for a player in his first year with the club and ranked sixth in Broncos history for a season.

* - For his career, Orton has thrown 39 touchdowns and only three interceptions in the red zone for a 13:1 ratio that ranks fifth in the NFL among active players.

* - In 2009, Orton registered the third-lowest interception percentage (2.2 / 12-of-541) by a player in Broncos history. That figure also ranked sixth in the NFL for the season.

* - Orton helped the Broncos to a 6-0 start in 2009 that tied for the second-most consecutive wins to a start a season by a quarterback in his first year with a team since the 1970 NFL merger.

* - Orton's four-game streak of throwing at least one touchdown and no interceptions to start the Broncos' 2009 season tied for the longest such streak in a player's first starts with a team in the NFL since 1960.

While the Broncos did not release the terms of the deal, multiple sources are reporting it was a 1-year extension for $9 million. That brings the total value of Orton's deal to 2 years, $12 million.