Including the current holder of the jersey, eight players have worn #69 in Denver Broncos history. Six Offensive Linemen and two Defensive Linemen. This will be short and sweet so let's take a look at the list.
Eric Olsen OL 2010-Present
P.J. Alexander T 2003-05, ‘07
Michael Moore G 2001-02
Mark Schlereth G 1995-2000
Darrell Hamilton T 1989-91
David Jones OL 1987
Tony Colorito NT 1986
Brison Manor DE 1984
Eric Olsen is the player who currently wears #69. He was selected by the Broncos in the sixth round (183rd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. Olsen appeared in one game for the Broncos last year, making his NFL debut on the Field Goal Protection Unit during the Week 2 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Brison Manor was drafted by the New York Jets in the 15th round (380th overall) of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played 8 total seasons in two different uniforms with the Broncos. In his first go-round, he wore #66. You can read what Brian had to say here. In 1984, Brison returned to the Broncos after playing 6 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and donned #69 as Scott Garnett had his old number. Manor played 5 games and didn't record any stats.
Tony Colorito was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 5th round (134th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played 15 games for the Broncos in 1986 and recovered 2 Fumbles.
David Jones was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 8th round (214th overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played 2 seasons with the Lions before splitting 1987 between the Washington Redskins and the Broncos. Jones started 1 of 3 games in Denver and recovered one Fumble.
Michael Moore was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 4th round (129th overall) in 2000. He started 1 of 5 games in Washington and was waived during Training Camp in 2001. The Broncos signed him on Christamas Eve and when the season ended, re-signed him for the 2002 season. Moore was signed and released twice more, then released for the final time on December 11, 2002. Michael saw the same scenario in Atlanta with the Falcons from 2003-05 and then again in 2006 with the Green Bay Packers. There are no game records for Moore so I can only conclude that he was on the Inactive Game Day Roster each time he signed with the Broncos. He isn't listed as a Practice Squad player in the Broncos Media Guide either.
P.J. Alexander was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played in New Orleans during 2002-03 before joining the Broncos from 2003-05 and then another stint in 2007, playing for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006. Alexander played 16 games for the Broncos. Upon leaving Denver, P.J. joined the Florida Tuskers in 2009 and currently plays Center for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.
Darrell Hamilton was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 3rd round (69th overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft. He dressed for the first 3 games of his rookie year before ending up on the Practice Squad for the year. In the next 2 seasons, Darrell started 8 of 21 games at Left Tackle. Hamilton last appeared on the San Diego Chargers Roster in 1993.
Not a whole lot to get excited about there I know. That is what makes this an easy choice. The Greatest Bronco to wear #69 is...
Mark Schlereth
Mark Schlereth was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 10th round (263rd overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played half of his 12-year career at Right Guard in Washington and the other half at Left Guard in a Denver Bronco uniform. He won Super Bowl Rings and earned Pro Bowl selections with both teams. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Schlereth was the first Alaska native to play in the NFL and is the first and only Alaskan to win a Super Bowl.
Most Bronco (and Redskin) fans know that Schlereth's nickname is"Stink." But many may not know the reason why. Mark related the story on the "Mike and Mike in the Morning" ESPN Radio show November 2, 2006. He said the moniker originated in his 1st season with the Broncos in 1995. He told his teammates a story about his sister working in an Eskimo town in Alaska, where people cut the heads off of fish and consider the head a delicacy; these heads are known as Stinkheads. They called him "Stinkhead" after that and later it was shortened to "Stink." On the same Mike and Mike show, Schlereth joked that the reason he was known as "Stink" was because there were few restrooms on the sideline, so he often urinated in his game pants (he was joking of course).
Further evidence of the nickname "Stinky" exists from Schlereth's pre-Denver days. John Madden commented during Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, when Schlereth was playing for the Washington Redskins. When Schlereth was introduced to the crowd, Madden stated that Schlereth's father "loves it when they call him Stinky."
Known for his hard-nosed competitiveness, Stink played 156 games (with 140 starts) during his NFL career before retiring in April 2001 after enduring 29 surgeries, 20 on his knees (15 left, 5 right). He started all 15 post-season games in which he played, including 3 Super Bowls.
With the Broncos, Mark started all 81 games at Left Guard from 1995-2000 and had one Fumble Recovery. He went to the 1998 Pro Bowl and won 2 Super Bowl Rings.
After he retired, Schlereth hosted a show on Denver AM radio 760 "The Zone" with fellow former teammate David Diaz-Infante. Soon after, he landed a job with ESPN. Mark joined Denver Radio station KKFN /104.3 FM "The Fan" last August, teaming up with former Broncos teammate Alfred Williams and Darren "D-Mac" McKee. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN on NFL Live, Sportscenter, and other programs. He began a career in acting, and has a recurring role as Roc Hoover on the soap opera Guiding Light.
- 2-Time Pro Bowl selection (1991, 1998)
- Washington Redskins Super Bowl XXVI Champions (1992)
- Denver Broncos Super Bowl XXXII Champions (1998, 1999)
- Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team (2009)
- University of Idaho Vandals Hall of Fame (2008)
- Alaska Sports Hall of Fame (2008)
(photo courtesy of Sam Smith)
MHR gives a Mile High Salute to Mark "Stink" Schlereth as the Greatest Bronco to wear #69.
Go Broncos!
