Denver Broncos

Although the Denver Broncos' 39-97-4 record was the worst of any of the original eight American Football League teams', the franchise had many proud moments and several AFL superstars, including Lionel Taylor and Floyd Little. The Broncos won the first-ever American Football League game, over the Boston Patriots (13-10) on September 9, 1960.

Al Carmichael

In that first game, halfback Al Carmichael was involved in the first play, as Bob McNamara took the Patriots' opening kickoff and reversed it to Carmichael, who ran it to the Broncos' 17-yardline. Then Carmichael ran the AFL's first play from scrimmage, on a handoff from Bronco quarterback Frank Tripucka, for a five-yard gain.
And on the first play of the second quarter, Carmichael took a short pass from Tripucka and scampered for a 59-yard score, the first-ever touchdown in the American Football League.

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Denver had the first black place-kicker in American professional football, Gene Mingo. In the league's first season, they had the leading quarterback, Frank Tripucka (248/478, 3,038 yds, 24 td); receiver, Lionel Taylor (92 for 1,235 yds, 12 td); interceptor, Goose Gonsoulin (11 for 98 yds); and scorer, Gene Mingo (123 total points on PAT, FG, td rushes, td receptions, and kick returns for td). The Broncos were the first AFL team ever to defeat an NFL team, on August 5, 1967 when they beat the Lions 13-7. They were the first pro football team to wear vertically-striped socks (and the first to burn their socks in a public ceremony!).

The Denver Broncos were also the first modern pro football team to have a black quarterback as a starter. Marlin Briscoe set rookie quarterback records when he took over the starting job in 1968.

Despite their relative lack of early success in the win-loss column, the Broncos produced some memorable games, like one in 1960 against the Buffalo Bills. Willmer Fowler, the first Buffalo back to top 100 yards rushing in a game with 120, broke a 61-yard run to set up Billy Atkins' early field goal. Then Jim Wagstaff's interception and 23-yard return to the Denver 31 set up a short TD plunge by Wray Carlton for a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, Elbert Dubenion (6 for 134) took a flat pass and turned it into a 76-yard TD; but before the half ended, Denver's Gene Mingo scored, shortly after Ted Wegert ran a Bronco fumble 38 yards to the Bills 17. In a 5:16 span in the third, Atkins kicked a field goal, Mack Yoho returned a Frank Tripucka interception 15 yards for a score, Fowler ran 19 yards for a TD, and Atkins made another field goal to make it 38-7. The Bills seemed headed for an easy victory.

But the Broncos then made their move. On the first play after the kickoff, Lionel Taylor (9 for199) caught a short pass and sped 80 yards for a score, and in the first 6:39 of the fourth, he caught two more TD passes from Tripucka covering 24 and 35 yards to make it 38-28. With the Bills suddenly stagnant on offense and defense, the Broncos' Don Allen scored on a one-yard run with 4:25 left. Denver's last drive started at their 33 with 1:14 to go. Tripucka (19 for 41, 5 TD, 328 yds) completed three passes, and Bills linebacker Archie Matsos was flagged for pass interference. The Broncos moved to the 12, and Mingo came in to kick a 19-yard tying field goal with 12 seconds remaining to cap the comeback.

Early AFL game ball. Reputed in Al Carmichael's book 106 Yards to be the ball from the first regular season AFL game, but from the score on the ball and the signatures of players like Chuck McMahon and Pat O'Donnell, who were never on an active Broncos roster, the ball appears to be from one of the first AFL exhibition games in 1960. It does carry the autographs of Broncos star receiver Lionel Taylor, Al Carmichael and Eldon Danenhauer, among others. (Click here to see other American Football League balls.)

Denver Broncos in the American Football League Hall of Fame

Miller Farr
Cookie Gilchrist
Goose Gonsoulin
Abner Haynes
Rich Jackson

Floyd Little
Wahoo McDaniel
Gene Mingo
Lionel Taylor
Jim Turner

Lou Saban

Image of Broncos pennant by Trench, Inc. courtesy of Greg Stearns

FLOYD LITTLE	(click here for more)
	A three-time All-American at Syracuse University and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Floyd Little was known simply as "The Franchise" in Denver, where he was the first No. 1 draft pick to sign with the Broncos. He was the sixth selection of the 1967 draft. Legend has it that he was "fired" by coach Lou Saban after a fumble that led to a a late-game lead for the Buffalo Bills' in 1968. Little, after refusing to leave the huddle, asked QB Marlon Brisco to "throw the ball as far as you can and I'll catch it." Brisco threw it, Little caught it, and the Broncos kicked a winning field goal. Little was an AFL All-Star in 1968 and 1969. A charter member of the Broncos' Ring of Fame, in his fifth season, Little was the first Bronco to lead the conference in rushing with 901 yds, and the next year was the first Bronco to eclipse 1,000 yds, gaining 1,133, the most in pro football. He retired with 6,323 yds rushing and 43 tds.
		A member of the American Football League Hall of Fame

GENE MINGO	(click here for more)
(click here for even more)	The first black field goal kicker in American professional football, Mingo was a very versatile player: he played several positions including halfback, kicker, and kickoff/punt returner. In 1960 he had the first punt return for a touchdown in the American Football League. That touchdown won the first-ever American Football League game, as the Broncos defeated the Patriots. Mingo also scored the first points in Mile High Stadium, then called Bears Stadium, with an 18-yard field goal. In the 1961 season opener at War Memorial Stadium against the Buffalo Bills, Mingo threw two touchdown passes from the halfback position, to help the Broncos win 22-10: a 50-yarder to Lionel Taylor in the first quarter, and a 52-yarder to Taylor in the third. Mingo kicked the PATs after each score. Gene Mingo led the American Football League in scoring in 1960 with 123 points and in 1962 with 137 points, and was an American Football League All-Star both years. He also holds the franchise record for the longest touchdown run, an 82-yarder against the Raiders in 1961.

	A member of the American Football League Hall of Fame

LIONEL TAYLOR	For the first six years of existence of the American Football League, one man led the league in receptions each year: Lionel Taylor from New Mexico Highlands University, where he had starred in basketball and track, and made all-conference wide receiver in 1956 and 1957. Taylor is second in all-time receptions (543) for the Denver Broncos, and is their all-time leading receiver in yardage (6,872). Taylor was the Broncos' team Most Valuable Player in 1963, 1964 and 1965, and an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1962 and 1965. Taylor was the first professional football receiver ever to make one hundred receptions in a single season (1961), and he accomplished that feat in only 14 games. He had four seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving, and averaged 84.7 catches from 1960 to 1965, at the time the highest six-year total in professional football history. He finished his career with the Houston Oilers, as the AFL's all-time reception leader with 567.
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		A member of the American Football League Hall of Fame

AUSTIN "GOOSE" GONSOULIN	*Austin Gonsoulin of Baylor University* was one of the original Broncos from the 1960 season.**
	By the end of his Bronco career, he was the all-time American Football League interception leader with 43. His 11 pickoffs in 1960 are still a Denver club record, and he shares the team record for interceptions in a game with four, a feat he accomplished Sept. 18, 1960 at Buffalo. Gonsoulin was an All-American Football League choice in 1960, 1962 and 1963. His amazing durablity and toughness enabled him to start 61 consecutive games at one point in his career. He was selected to the second team, All-Time All-AFL. Gonsoulin was also the captain of his college team at Baylor.

	A member of the American Football League Hall of Fame

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�2003 American Football League Hall of Fame All rights reserved. Duplicate in any form you like, if you're an AFL fan. You have the permission of the American Football League Hall of Fame. Please credit/link to: http://www.remembertheafl.com Last revision: 18 January 2008 ~ Angelo F. Coniglio, nospam.RemembertheAFL@aol.com

	Gene Mingo takes a handoff from Frank Tripucka during a 1962 win over Houston.
		OCTOBER 2005