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How did you become a fan of the Broncos?

Share your story in the comments while we wait for the Denver Broncos to start training camp this week!

By Tim Lynch
/ new
NFL: Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Monday Broncos Country!

As we prepare for Denver Broncos training camp to begin this week, I thought it would be fun to talk about us fans today. MHR is lucky to have a fairly vibrant and active community and those interactions are a big reason why we end up coming back to talk shop on a daily basis.

I have a few questions to ask. I’ll answer them for myself, but please copy each below and share your story as well. We have a new feature that allows us to share comments in posts now, so I’d love to use that tool today and update this post with some of your responses. Alright, let’s get started.

How long have you been a fan of your team?

I’ve been a fan since 1987. I spent most of my childhood living in Northern California deep in Raiders and 49ers country. As the only Broncos fan in the school, it was particularly hard after that 55-10 drubbing in the Super Bowl in early 1990. I persevered through all the bullying and never wavered. It obviously paid off as the Broncos have won three of four Super Bowl appearances since then.

How did you become a fan of your team?

My story began in San Diego where I was born and I even have photos of me as a kid in Chargers gear. I don’t really remember being a Chargers fan, but both of my parents were.

My interest in football began in first grade. We had moved around by then and ended up in Pagosa Springs, Colorado in the mid-80s. In January 1987, my family held an AFC Championship game party at our house with a group of friends and wouldn’t you know it the Denver Broncos were playing.

I didn’t really watch the game. I was playing with the other kids, but when the adults started behaving all strange I sat down and watched. It happened to be John Elway doing insane things in what would become The Drive. When he threw that touchdown pass to tie the game, I became a Broncomaniac from that day forward.

How long have you been a member of Mile High Report?

As for Mile High Report, I found this community in 2007 and began writing “diaries”. That is what they called FanPosts back then. I spent almost a decade just writing for this site and writing well over 30,000 comments during that span. In 2016 fresh off the Broncos’ last Super Bowl win, I took over as managing editor of the site.

Sadly, that also coincided with the start of the longest playoff drought in my life as a fan. I am really hoping this is the year that I get to blog the Broncos in the playoffs again.

Fan Stories from the Comments

Mancar
Great Stuff! Thanks for sharing.
Wish I could say I was born a Broncos fan but I was not. My family moved from Chicago to Denver a few months before I was born so they were inherently Bears fans. Football was on every Sunday without fail but it never caught my interest. For our first two superbowls I became a casual fan because I loved rooting for the underdog. When Elway beat Favre it was so fun to be a part of the city that finally had a championship. I didn't really get into watching the Broncos until Jake Plummer was brought in. I don't know what it was about Plummer that got me watching religiously but I think it was his swagger that made me want to watch.
After that I was hooked on watching everything Broncos, historical films, legendary player's careers in Denver. etc. Its cool to see the interest grow...from there I started paying attention to the drafts, then college film of those players, training camp, and training regiments.
Now my son is deeply rooted in playing football and loves the grind of training along with the x's and o's of plays and formations.
Try as I might he did not take to being a Bronco fan or a Steelers fan (Wife is a steeler fan). He ironically really liked to watch Lamar Jackson and became a Ravens fan...but, wouldn't you know it, he is starting to appreciate the history of the Broncos and is slowly coming to the winning side. I think its great to see the next generation take interest in the game in their own way so that it means more to them..... Thankfully he has always been a Nugget and Avalanche fan.
moruno28
Tim, I also grew up as a Broncos fan in Northern California and the 55-10 loss to the Niners *really* hurt! I was in middle school at the time and the Monday after was not fun. :D
I've been a Broncos fan since 1986. People always ask me why I'm a Broncos fan and I reply, "Because I have good taste." The real reason: John Elway. I saw him on TV in 1986 and was hooked! Dude was amazing! The experiences of The Drive, The Fumble, three painful Super Bowl losses, and finally championship against the Packers. Not gonna lie, that might have been the happiest days of my life at that point and I damn near cried!
Before that, I had kind of bounced around as a young kid, "liking" the 49ers (like many family members), Raiders (Yikes! Again, family.), Cowboys (my aunt and uncle's team), and then the Bears (Super Bowl XX) until Elway worked his magic on me.
I've been a member of MHR since 2015 or 2016. Super Bowl 50 was really special because I live in the Bay and went to the NFL Fan Experience in SF with my Broncos gear on and met some cool Broncos fans. I was really tempted to buy a nose-bleed ticket for the game for $3k, but cooler heads (i.e. my wife) prevailed. :D
Looking forward to getting back to the playoffs this season! Go Broncos!
HowAboutThemBroncos
Great article, Tim! I enjoyed reading about your personal Broncos experience.
My journey began at the time of the NFL/AFL merger, I remember watching the first Super Bowl! I'm a Colorado native and really became a Broncos fan at the time our family got our first color television when I was about eight years old, so around 1965. I remember getting a Broncos uniform, helmet and all, for Christmas a year or two later, lol!
Broncos Country has seen a lot of highs and lows over the years but we are very loyal and passionate fans! Every season we're full of hope and this year is no different. There are substantial reasons to expect a turnaround this year, so put me down for nine wins plus or minus one.
I'm relatively new to Mile High Report as I started following last year. I follow a couple other outlets also but like MHR the best. The whole crew there is great so keep up the good work and GO BRONCOS!!!
SwissBroncosFan
Born and raised in Switzerland. We founded the first football team in our area back in 1991 and named it the Broncos. That's how the addiction got started. Back then, football wasn't even on TV in my country. Went to Berlin in the early 90s to watch the Denver Broncos live for the first time, when they played (and lost) the Miami Dolphins in a preseason game called The American Bowl.
The 2nd time to watch the team live was at Wembley in London in 2010, when they lost to the 49ers. The 3rd time was last October, also at Wembley, when we were able to actually watch them win a game for our first time. We were absolutely thrilled last year when the schedule came out, and thankfully got tickets to the game in London.
Watching all possible games live on TV via the NFL Gamepass. Prime time games is a different story, because of the 8-hour time difference to Denver. Prime time games start at 2.20 am my time.
Proudly wearing the team logo tattooed on my chest.
Looking forward to better days ahead, there's only one direction from what we had to watch last year...
GO BRONCOS!!
Mad Mel
Being from Denmark, in the beginning of the 90s we only had a weekly NFL show, and the only game being broadcasted live was the Super Bowl. During the 1992 season some teams piqued my interested, mainly the Broncos, Packers, Oilers and Dolphins. I finally chose the Broncos before the 1993 season, as I really liked the style of play of John Elway, plus I felt sorry for them never having won the big one. The Packers probably were next in line for what it's worth.
I have been a member of MHR since 2008 (according to my member details). I remember the chaotic offseason in 2009 during the start of the McDIpshit area, but appreciated the discussions on this forum compared to other Broncos fan sites.
Denverkewl
Back in day - when dinosaurs roamed the earth - before internet - it was really hard to stay connected with a team if you lived outside the broadcast area. But Packers and Steelers fan bases [maybe others] were very committed no matter where they lived. I grew up with Dan Fouts and then Joe Montana...moved to Denver in 1994 and the rest is history. John Elway was da man...its hard to live in Denver and not be a Broncos fan! Later in life I had a chance and good fortune to meet and chat with Mr. B. One owner we all rooted for! The Broncos helped me support Flight for Life with a fundraiser that drew six figures and was presented at mid field at the olde Mile High during a football game. Anyway its Broncos for Life now and though I now live out of state, I can stay in touch here and on other sites, global podcasts etc and now you can even watch the games! If Kubes can do it - so can Payton...it will be fun to watch - unlike last year. We now have the very best ownership group and its nice not to have the drama other clubs have,,,Go Broncos!
PS: You know why we dont have to worry about Russ' performance? Coz Payton will never let it get that bad...a leader not afraid to bench someone who isn't getting the job done...
since61
Born and raised in the City and County of Denver. Since 61 I've been a Bronco fan. Dad took me to the team's first official Broncos practice at DU after which he bought season tickets that we've never sold to scalpers.
We sat in the second to last of the top row at Bear's Stadium and one my favorite parts of every game was to watch the old drunks pee off the last row. Fights every game and snow balls at the opposing team. When my dad didn't take us to a game, my brother and I would ride our bikes and sneak in to games thru a broken piece of the fence around the stadium. Can you imagine any of this today?
Worked for the Phipps Brothers the year of our first Super Bowl and met one of my very best buddies Craig Morton and thru that association I've had wonderful opportunities to meet so many terrific players and the fortune to attend some reunions and team events.
OrangeAndBlueFan
Been a Broncos fan since 2004
I grew up in the Dallas area in the 80s and 90s as a Cowboys fan. I moved to Denver in 1999 to go to Regis University. I didn't follow football much at all in those days, as I was on a golf scholarship so my Sundays were filled either practicing or traveling to tournaments. Then after I graduated, though, in 2004, I joined a fantasy football league at my job, so I started following football again. Since I was in Colorado and hadn't followed football for about 6 years, I rooted equally for the Broncos and Cowboys (not a problem since they only play each other once every four years). Then, the first NFL game I ever went to in person was the divisional round playoff win over the Patriots after the 2005 season. How crazy that stadium got when we jumped out to the big early lead. How nervous that stadium got as we withstood the inevitable comeback. Champ's 100 yard interception return for a TD. The excitement in that stadium over beating Brady and the dynasty Pats. The Broncos officially overtook the Cowboys as my clear-cut #1 team that night. Then I also got to go to the AFC championship game against Pittsburg the following week. We don't have to talk about that game......but it was cool to go to a game of that magnitude. Now I'm a season ticket holder, and proudly don the orange and blue every game day, no matter how great or terrible our beloved team might be that year.
I found MHR in 2015. My wife and I actually moved back to Dallas (thankfully only ended up being there for 5 years before being able to move back) that year, and I stumbled across the site looking for some Broncos news to follow during the season.
Mahonz
My father and two of my uncles bought season tickets in 1965. I was 7 years old and the rest is history.
Fun Fact. They all went to SB XII in New Orleans in 1977. They paid $30 per seat.
The halftime show was some dude riding around in a white convertible playing the trumpet.
Michaellaughs1
The year was 1981. The Broncos QB was …… (anybody?)……… yep, Craig Morton! I was 13 years old and far away from my home and family back in Jersey as I was staying in a hospital in Denver. The “activities” department scored tickets to a Broncos vs Detroit Lions game at the “old” Mile High. I was sitting in the North end zone and eating a soft pretzel with mustard.
The Broncos were holding on to a slim lead late in the 4th quarter. The Lions had the ball and were moving it well into Denver’s territory. It was 4th and inches. They decided to go for it because they had arguably the league’s best RB, a certain #20. No, not THAT #20, it was Billy Simms. He took the handoff and WHAM! Stopped in his tracks 4 yards behind the line.
The stadium erupted, shook, and swayed. High fives and hugs. Grown men crying. Someone lifted me up and I raised both arms in the air.
After the Broncos eventually held on to win, I wasn’t missing my family. I wasn’t alone. I had found a new family. I left that stadium a Broncos for life.
Horsepower1
I believe, it was the 1970 season and i was 7 years old. The Broncos won their first four games and pretty much lost out the remainder of the season. Floyd Little was the leading rusher for a team in last place in the division. I remember wanting a #44 jersey and going out to play football with my friend next door. It was throw the ball and the other guy try and score a TD.
We then moved to south Denver and had enough from the surrounding neighbor hoods to have 4-5 on a team. I think mom was one of the first tailgaters and would have nachos, popcorn & sodas for all the neighbor hood boys. We would watch the games until half time then play football in the backyard. Come back watch more Broncos game and have more snacks. We combined my back yard with the neighbors back yard for the extended, dog leg to the right football field. We would play backyard football till we couldn't see anymore. This became a tradition all throughout High School. The Orange Crush was alive and well! Good memories, except for the SBXII loss. Lol
ProfDenver
I lived in South Bend, Indiana from 1992 until 2006. I was a Colts fan, especially from 1998 onwards after Peyton Manning was drafted.
In 2006, I moved to the Denver metro area for job reasons. For the next 6 years, I casually watched both the Colts and Broncos and waited.
Then Peyton Manning began to wonder what had happened to me, his most important fan. When he found out that I had moved to Denver, he knew what he had to do.
MOBroncofan
I was born and grew up in Boulder. In 1965 the Coca Cola bottling company in Boulder, and maybe Denver, had a promotion where kids could get at Bronco team poster, a mini-football, and a pennant by pasting pictures of the 22 Bronco starts on a sheet and turning it in. The pictures were on the inside of the bottle caps. My friend an I took teacher in-service training day with no school, went to the UMC (CU student center) found two Coke machines, and used a magnet to fish out all of the bottle caps. That started my love of the Broncos because I had a poster, a little white football with blue and orange lettering, and a poster with the football player riding the horse logo. My favorite player was Lionel Taylor. Home games were blacked out on local TV so I listened to Bob Martin and Larry Zimmer on KOA radio and watched Broncos Replay on Channel 9 on Monday nights.
I went to college away from Colorado and have lived in Missouri the past 34 years. My all time favorite Bronco memory was watching Denver score at the end of the game to tie Oakland on Monday night football. It was during John Ralston's first year as coach, and that game was the sign that things for the Broncos would be different.
RetiredLC
Grew up being a Packers fan.....Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Herb Adderley, Willie Wood, et al. Plus they were winning all the time, I'm sure that was a big part of it. But when I got to my teenage years and I picked the teams I would root for going forward I picked the Broncos, because I was born in Colorado even though I didn't live there long. Floyd Little, Haven Moses, Riley Odoms, Lyle Alzado, Barney Chavous, Tom Jackson....those were my guys. Then Gradishar, Wright, Upchurch, Foley and Craig Morton show up and we went to the Super Bowl. Been a fan ever since. Suffered through all the blowout SB losses and then exulted at the back to back SB's with Elway.

So I've seen the best and some of the absolute worst Broncos football has had to offer. Looking forward to seeing what this season brings!
Ddawg4689
Grew up a football fan from a young age, never really a specific team but in 1997, during the golf classic, my father was a car driver transporting players to and from the local airport. He’s told me a few stories during that event, but the one that stands out the most, which was the day my life changed….the one where he asked John Elway if he wouldn’t mind stopping by our house as it’s only 5 minutes from the airport. Now my father says Elway said yes if you drive me through Burger King, which I’m sure happened, maybe, idk, but I did meet John Elway, standing in our front yard as a kid. That day changed my life. He won the Super Bowl the following year. My mother lost the roll of film, but I’m sure Elway will remember that, as I do! And ironically fast forward years later I had the chance to meet Manning, and the next year he won the Super Bowl for us…so the joke remains between my father and I, should I meet Russell so maybe next year he wins? Lol

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