1976 Denver Broncos season

American football team season December 2013 February 2026 Denver Broncos 1976 9–5 2nd AFC West John Ralston John Ralston Gerald Phipps Mile High Stadium Did not qualify Broncos seasons The 1976 Denver Broncos season was the team's 17th year in professional football and its seventh with the National Football League (NFL). The team finished the season with a winning record for the third time in the last four seasons. It was John Ralston's fifth and final season as the Broncos' head coach and general manager.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tztOAAAAIBAJ&pg=6837%2C82211 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Following best year, Ralston quits Denver February 1, 1977 17https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZNweAAAAIBAJ&pg=2526%2C83661 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Associated Press Ralston resigns: Miller slated for post February 1, 1977 4B Denver was looking to improve on its 6–8 record from 1975 and finished 9–5, second in the AFC West;https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kiFOAAAAIBAJ&pg=6669%2C5778935 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Pro grid stats: final standings December 13, 1976 14 despite the winning record, the team again missed the playoffs, which included only eight teams. Oakland won the division at 13–1 and New England was the sole wild card team in the AFC at 11–3.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rdBSAAAAIBAJ&pg=6782%2C4163262 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Associated Press 'Skins in, Cards out of playoffs December 13, 1976 D1 Since their inception as an original AFL team in 1960, the Broncos had yet to play in the postseason. Ralston was relieved of his duties as general manager in mid-December, succeeded by assistant GM Fred Gehrke.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dKVSAAAAIBAJ&pg=4791%2C1328917 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Associated Press Ralston ponders Denver shakeup December 20, 1976 4Dhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=is8vAAAAIBAJ&pg=2018%2C1048722 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Ralston duties are trimmed December 20, 1976 36 After several weeks in the restructured organization, Ralston resigned as head coach in late January 1977. Red Miller, the offensive line coach at New England under Chuck Fairbanks, was hired as head coach in early February.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0k9OAAAAIBAJ&pg=5958%2C117795 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Broncs select Miller to succeed Ralston February 1, 1977 24https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UHwRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6598%2C278277 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services Broncos pick Miller February 2, 1977 5B Miller had a previous stint with the Broncos as offensive line coach for three seasons (1963–65). Offseason NFL draft 1976 NFL draft 1976 Denver Broncos 1 15 Tom Glassic G Virginia yes 2 43 Kurt Knoff S Kansas yes 4 107 Craig Penrose QB San Diego State yes 5 139 Lonnie Perrin RB Illinois yes 8 224 James Betterson RB North Carolina 9 252 Jim Czirr C Michigan 9 260 Jim Lisko LB Arkansas State 10 278 Art Gilliam DE Grambling State 11 306 Greg Pittman LB Iowa State 12 334 Randy Moore DT Arizona State 13 362 Donnie McGraw DB Houston 14 390 Larry Evans LB Mississippi College yes 15 418 Wilbur Summers P Louisville 16 446 John Huddleston LB Utah 17 474 Randy Cozens DE Pittsburgh Undrafted free agents + 1976 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeMike DunafonWide receiverNorthern ColoradoSteve GallowayWide ReceiverVirginia TechHarvey GoodmanGuardColoradoSteve ManniGuardBoston CollegeMark SeymourTight endWyoming Personnel Staff 1976 Denver Broncos Chairman of the Board – Gerald Phipps President – Allan Phipps Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Personnel – Fred Gehrke Director of Scouting – Carroll Hardy Vice President/General Manager/Head Coach – John Ralston Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Backfield – Max Coley Quarterbacks – Charley Johnson Wide Receivers – Kay Dalton Offensive Line – Doc Urich Assistant Offensive Line/Director of Pro Scouting – Mike Giddings Defensive Coordinator – Joe Collier Defensive Line – Stan Jones Linebackers – Myrel Moore Defensive Backs – Bob Gambold Roster 1976 Denver Broncos 44 12 0 12 Craig Penrose y 10 Steve Ramsey American football 14 Norris Weese P 24 Otis Armstrong 31 Mike Franckowiak 32 Jon Keyworth 33 Jim Kiick 35 Lonnie Perrin y 82 Jack Dolbin 25 Haven Moses 86 John Schultz American football y 80 Rick Upchurch 87 Boyd Brown American football 88 Riley Odoms 75 Bill Bain American football T 62 Tom Glassic y G 64 Harvey Goodman American football G 65 Glenn Hyde G/T 61 Tommy Lyons American football G 50 Bobby Maples C 71 Claudie Minor T 58 Phil Olsen American football C 74 Scott Parrish y T 68 Rubin Carter American football DT 79 Barney Chavous DE 63 John Grant American football DT 72 Wayne Hammond American football DT 73 Marty Imhof DE 78 Jim White defensive end DE 54 Rich Baska OLB 56 Larry Evans American football y OLB 53 Randy Gradishar MLB 57 Tom Jackson American football, born 1951 OLB 51 Bob Swenson OLB 55 Godwin Turk OLB 43 Steve Foley defensive back CB 23 Billy Hardee y CB 26 Calvin Jones cornerback CB 21 Randy Poltl FS 46 John Rowser FS 36 Bill Thompson American football SS 20 Louis Wright American football CB 15 Jim Turner placekicker K 77 Lyle Alzado DE IR -- Randy Cozens y DE IR 60 Paul Howard American football G IR -- John Huddleston American football y LB IR -- Kurt Knoff y SS IR 66 Brison Manor DE IR 76 Randy Moore American football y DT IR 23 Chris Pane S IR 59 Joe Rizzo American football LB IR 67 Carl Schaukowitch G PUP 70 Paul Smith defensive end DE IR 42 Billy Van Heusen P IR Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 12 at Cincinnati Bengals L 7–17 0–1 Riverfront Stadium 53,464 2 September 19 New York Jets W 46–3 1–1 Mile High Stadium 62,669 3 September 26 Cleveland Browns W 44–13 2–1 Mile High Stadium 62,975 4 October 3 San Diego Chargers W 26–0 3–1 Mile High Stadium 63,369 5 October 10 at Houston Oilers L 3–17 3–2 Astrodome 45,298 6 October 17 Oakland Raiders L 10–17 3–3 Mile High Stadium 63,431 7 October 24 at Kansas City Chiefs W 35–26 4–3 Arrowhead Stadium 57,961 8 October 31 at Oakland Raiders L 6–19 4–4 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 52,169 9 November 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 48–13 5–4 Mile High Stadium 62,703 10 November 14 at San Diego Chargers W 17–0 6–4 San Diego Stadium 32,017 11 November 21 New York Giants W 14–13 7–4 Mile High Stadium 63,151 12 November 28 at New England Patriots L 14–38 7–5 Schaefer Stadium 61,128 13 December 5 Kansas City Chiefs W 17–16 8–5 Mile High Stadium 58,170 14 December 12 at Chicago Bears W 28–14 9–5 Soldier Field 44,459 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings References 2 External links Denver Broncos – 1976 media guide 1976 Denver Broncos season at jt-sw.com 1976 Denver Broncos on Pro-Football-Reference.com Denver Broncos Category:Denver Broncos seasons Denver Broncos Category:Long stubs with short prose