Victory: Broncos 38, 49ers 9 Finale: One last salute New digs: Owens, Bowlen join ceremony to 'top out' new Broncos stadium Stories: Broncos past and present share memories Chronology: Mile High's last day Souvenirs: Fans make a play for seats Good seats: Workers, kin watch game on big TV in new stadium Voices: Qutoes from Mile High's last day Passion: Family still has first season-ticket seats Tales: 76,000 tickets — 76,000 stories Farewell cry: Tough South Stands fans say goodbye with tears
Video & audio: Broncos, fans remember Mile High Destruction: Video montage of the stadium's demolition Interactive timelines: Game day | Through the years Slideshow: Orange-and-blue memories
Proud reign: A day at Mile High Q&A: What'll happen to Mile High landmarks Gene Amole: When Bill Redd, Bears Stadium ruled Denver's sporting world Dave Krieger: Frigid night of football frozen in time, mind Bernie Lincicome: The burning question: How to say goodbye The stars: Rating the best Broncos team ever
Forums: Reminisce with other Broncos fans Vote: What Mile High moment is your favorite? Thinking back: Readers remember Mile High Stadium
Panel selects top-10 most dramatic games in the storied history of Mile High Stadium
By Clay LatimerDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer The envelope, please. An expert panel assembed by the Denver Rocky Mountain News has selected the 10 biggest, best, most memorable sports moments in Mile High Stadium's storied history. Former Broncos' play-by-play announcer Larry Zimmer, Broncos' media director Jim Saccomano and veteran talk-show hosts Irv Brown, Sandy Clough and Thierry Smith met recently to vote on Mile High's ultimate days. Here are their choices: 1. Date: Jan. 1, 1978 Score: Broncos 20, Oakland Raiders 17. The Broncos were still known mostly for their pumpkin-colored jerseys, vertically striped socks, a cheapskate general manager who wrestled kids in the stands for loose footballs, and 14 losing seasons in their first 14 years. But on this warm New Year's Day, the Broncos faced the Oakland Raiders in the AFC championship game. In the third quarter, running back Rob Lytle fumbled, the Raiders' Mike McCoy recovered, and Raiders coach John Madden breathed easier. Only one thing: the head linesman had blown the play dead. On TV, it was clear Lytle had fumbled, a glitch that ultimately triggered the inception of instant replay. But the Broncos kept the ball and a few moments later Jon Keyworth rumbled into the end zone. The Broncos were on the way to their first Super Bowl. As time wound down, thousands of fans flooded the field, ripping up turf, swinging on goal posts, and dancing in the dusk as Broncomania reached full pitch. "I was driving home that night on the highway, and people were honking at me," said former Broncos safety Billy Thompson. "And everybody in the neighborhood was celebrating. When I came home, there was an orange stripe painted all the way up the street and all the way to my house." 2. Date: April 9, 1992 Score: Colorado Rockies 11, Montreal Expos 4 Montreal lead-off hitter Mike Lansing grounded out to Eric Young in the Rockies' first home game, before a crowd of 80,227. The next hitter, Moises Alou, also grounded out to Young. Two singles and then John Vander Wal grounded out to, yes, Young. Moments later, Young walked to the plate, the first Rockies batter at Mile High. On a 3-2 count, he drove a pitch from Kent Bottenfield over the fence in left-center. "You've waited all your life for major league baseball, and then ...," said Irv Brown, reliving the moment. "That was the tops." 3. Date: Jan. 17, 1988 Score: Broncos 38, Cleveland Browns 33 Denver had a 38-31 lead on a 20-yard scoring pass from John Elway to Sammy Winder in the AFC Championship game. Bring on the Super Bowl. Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar had other ideas. Starting from deep in Cleveland territory, he drove the Browns to the Broncos' 8-yard line with 1:12 left. Kosar handed off to Earnest Byner, who ran around the left side, turned upfield and was a couple of strides from the end zone. But journeyman cornerback Jeremiah Castille emerged from the shadows, lunging and stripping the ball from Byner. The Fumble. "It was like divine intervention," said Thierry Smith. 4. Date: Jan. 17, 1999 Score: Broncos 23, New York Jets 10 John Elway had just played his last game at Mile High Stadium. No, it wasn't official. That would come three months later. But few thought that Elway would be back for a 17th season. Broncos fans were convinced they were watching history, the last home game for the quarterback who had produced so many Mile High miracles. After beating the Jets, Elway strode to a podium in the middle of the field. He hoisted the AFC Championship trophy. He told his fans that he loved them. And then he took a victory lap. He was serenaded with deafening chants of "El-Way, El-Way." Then, in unison, another message: "One More Year. One More Year." But it was too late. The Elway Era was over. 5. Date: Jan. 4, 1992 Score: Broncos 26, Houston Oilers 24 Time was running out in the playoff game against Houston. The Broncos were on their own 2-yard line. The Oilers led by a point. With 2:07 and no time-outs, it was deja vu all over again for Elway, the same predicament that had led to The Drive in the 1986 AFC Championship game in Cleveland. Except: he had three fewer minutes and three fewer timeouts. "I remember running onto the field and saying, 'Well, we're going to see if the first one was a fluke or not,"' Elway says. On the first play Elway flipped a 22-yard pass to Michael Young. On fourth-and-6 at the 28, Elway ran for seven yards. Three incompletions later, with 59 seconds remaining, Elway rolled left on fourth-and-10 and passed to Vance Johnson at Houston's 48. Johnson sprinted down the left sideline until safety Bubba McDowell knocked him out of bounds at the Houston 21. Steve Atwater ran for 10 yards to the 11. And then David Treadwell kicked the winning field goal. 6. Date: Oct. 15, 1984 Score: Broncos 17, Green Bay 14 Monday Night Football, and it was hard for the TV audience to see the field; it was hard for players to see the field. A blizzard had swept into town, burying the Green Bay Packers in the process. Steve Foley ran a fumble back 22 yards for a score on Green Bay's first offensive play. Louis Wright ran a fumble back 27 yards for a score on Green Bay's second play. The Broncos took their first center snap a few minutes later, leading 14-0. They never trailed. 7. Date: Dec. 24, 1977 Score: Broncos 34, Pittsburgh 21 In Mile High Stadium's playoff debut, the Broncos pulled ahead for good on Jim Turner's 44-yard field goal in the final quarter. Linebacker Tom Jackson clinched the win with two fourth-quarter interceptions. The second set up Craig Morton's 34-yard, game-clinching TD pass to Jack Dolbin. "Enjoy this," Steelers' quarterback Terry Bradshaw advised Broncos fans. "It's never the same the second time." 8. Date: Oct. 22, 1973 Score: Broncos 23, Oakland Raiders 23 Mile High Stadium's Monday night debut, and the Broncos finally proved they could run with the Raiders. As ABC cameras settled on analyst Don Meredith, he yelled to the nation's viewers: "Welcome to the Mile High City — and I really am!" Oakland had won 15 of the previous 16 games against Denver, but when Jim Turner kicked the tying field goal in the final seconds, the old AFC order was crumbling. "Without question, this game was the turning point for the franchise," Turner said. 9. Date: Sept. 5, 1998 Score: Colorado 42, Colorado State 14 This one was special because it was the first major college football game played in Denver since 1960. The long-awaited showdown attracted 76,036 — the largest crowd to witness a collegiate sporting event in Colorado. "A great electric atmosphere: it was everything that it was cracked up to be," said CU's coach, Rick Neuheisel. 10. Date: Oct. 17, 1994 Score: Kansas City Chiefs 31, Broncos 28 In a dramatic Monday night duel that turned into a classic showdown between two of football's most fabled QBs, John Elway apparently shot down Joe Montana when he ran for a four-yard TD in the fading minutes. But wait. Montana took the Chiefs 75 yards in 1:21 and hit Willie Davis with a 5-yard scoring pass with eight seconds left. Contact Clay Latimer at (303) 892-2596 or sports@RockyMountainNews.com.
The envelope, please. An expert panel assembed by the Denver Rocky Mountain News has selected the 10 biggest, best, most memorable sports moments in Mile High Stadium's storied history. Former Broncos' play-by-play announcer Larry Zimmer, Broncos' media director Jim Saccomano and veteran talk-show hosts Irv Brown, Sandy Clough and Thierry Smith met recently to vote on Mile High's ultimate days. Here are their choices: 1. Date: Jan. 1, 1978 Score: Broncos 20, Oakland Raiders 17. The Broncos were still known mostly for their pumpkin-colored jerseys, vertically striped socks, a cheapskate general manager who wrestled kids in the stands for loose footballs, and 14 losing seasons in their first 14 years. But on this warm New Year's Day, the Broncos faced the Oakland Raiders in the AFC championship game. In the third quarter, running back Rob Lytle fumbled, the Raiders' Mike McCoy recovered, and Raiders coach John Madden breathed easier. Only one thing: the head linesman had blown the play dead. On TV, it was clear Lytle had fumbled, a glitch that ultimately triggered the inception of instant replay. But the Broncos kept the ball and a few moments later Jon Keyworth rumbled into the end zone. The Broncos were on the way to their first Super Bowl. As time wound down, thousands of fans flooded the field, ripping up turf, swinging on goal posts, and dancing in the dusk as Broncomania reached full pitch. "I was driving home that night on the highway, and people were honking at me," said former Broncos safety Billy Thompson. "And everybody in the neighborhood was celebrating. When I came home, there was an orange stripe painted all the way up the street and all the way to my house." 2. Date: April 9, 1992 Score: Colorado Rockies 11, Montreal Expos 4 Montreal lead-off hitter Mike Lansing grounded out to Eric Young in the Rockies' first home game, before a crowd of 80,227. The next hitter, Moises Alou, also grounded out to Young. Two singles and then John Vander Wal grounded out to, yes, Young. Moments later, Young walked to the plate, the first Rockies batter at Mile High. On a 3-2 count, he drove a pitch from Kent Bottenfield over the fence in left-center. "You've waited all your life for major league baseball, and then ...," said Irv Brown, reliving the moment. "That was the tops." 3. Date: Jan. 17, 1988 Score: Broncos 38, Cleveland Browns 33 Denver had a 38-31 lead on a 20-yard scoring pass from John Elway to Sammy Winder in the AFC Championship game. Bring on the Super Bowl. Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar had other ideas. Starting from deep in Cleveland territory, he drove the Browns to the Broncos' 8-yard line with 1:12 left. Kosar handed off to Earnest Byner, who ran around the left side, turned upfield and was a couple of strides from the end zone. But journeyman cornerback Jeremiah Castille emerged from the shadows, lunging and stripping the ball from Byner. The Fumble. "It was like divine intervention," said Thierry Smith. 4. Date: Jan. 17, 1999 Score: Broncos 23, New York Jets 10 John Elway had just played his last game at Mile High Stadium. No, it wasn't official. That would come three months later. But few thought that Elway would be back for a 17th season. Broncos fans were convinced they were watching history, the last home game for the quarterback who had produced so many Mile High miracles. After beating the Jets, Elway strode to a podium in the middle of the field. He hoisted the AFC Championship trophy. He told his fans that he loved them. And then he took a victory lap. He was serenaded with deafening chants of "El-Way, El-Way." Then, in unison, another message: "One More Year. One More Year." But it was too late. The Elway Era was over. 5. Date: Jan. 4, 1992 Score: Broncos 26, Houston Oilers 24 Time was running out in the playoff game against Houston. The Broncos were on their own 2-yard line. The Oilers led by a point. With 2:07 and no time-outs, it was deja vu all over again for Elway, the same predicament that had led to The Drive in the 1986 AFC Championship game in Cleveland. Except: he had three fewer minutes and three fewer timeouts. "I remember running onto the field and saying, 'Well, we're going to see if the first one was a fluke or not,"' Elway says. On the first play Elway flipped a 22-yard pass to Michael Young. On fourth-and-6 at the 28, Elway ran for seven yards. Three incompletions later, with 59 seconds remaining, Elway rolled left on fourth-and-10 and passed to Vance Johnson at Houston's 48. Johnson sprinted down the left sideline until safety Bubba McDowell knocked him out of bounds at the Houston 21. Steve Atwater ran for 10 yards to the 11. And then David Treadwell kicked the winning field goal. 6. Date: Oct. 15, 1984 Score: Broncos 17, Green Bay 14 Monday Night Football, and it was hard for the TV audience to see the field; it was hard for players to see the field. A blizzard had swept into town, burying the Green Bay Packers in the process. Steve Foley ran a fumble back 22 yards for a score on Green Bay's first offensive play. Louis Wright ran a fumble back 27 yards for a score on Green Bay's second play. The Broncos took their first center snap a few minutes later, leading 14-0. They never trailed. 7. Date: Dec. 24, 1977 Score: Broncos 34, Pittsburgh 21 In Mile High Stadium's playoff debut, the Broncos pulled ahead for good on Jim Turner's 44-yard field goal in the final quarter. Linebacker Tom Jackson clinched the win with two fourth-quarter interceptions. The second set up Craig Morton's 34-yard, game-clinching TD pass to Jack Dolbin. "Enjoy this," Steelers' quarterback Terry Bradshaw advised Broncos fans. "It's never the same the second time." 8. Date: Oct. 22, 1973 Score: Broncos 23, Oakland Raiders 23 Mile High Stadium's Monday night debut, and the Broncos finally proved they could run with the Raiders. As ABC cameras settled on analyst Don Meredith, he yelled to the nation's viewers: "Welcome to the Mile High City — and I really am!" Oakland had won 15 of the previous 16 games against Denver, but when Jim Turner kicked the tying field goal in the final seconds, the old AFC order was crumbling. "Without question, this game was the turning point for the franchise," Turner said. 9. Date: Sept. 5, 1998 Score: Colorado 42, Colorado State 14 This one was special because it was the first major college football game played in Denver since 1960. The long-awaited showdown attracted 76,036 — the largest crowd to witness a collegiate sporting event in Colorado. "A great electric atmosphere: it was everything that it was cracked up to be," said CU's coach, Rick Neuheisel. 10. Date: Oct. 17, 1994 Score: Kansas City Chiefs 31, Broncos 28 In a dramatic Monday night duel that turned into a classic showdown between two of football's most fabled QBs, John Elway apparently shot down Joe Montana when he ran for a four-yard TD in the fading minutes. But wait. Montana took the Chiefs 75 yards in 1:21 and hit Willie Davis with a 5-yard scoring pass with eight seconds left. Contact Clay Latimer at (303) 892-2596 or sports@RockyMountainNews.com.
The envelope, please.
An expert panel assembed by the Denver Rocky Mountain News has selected the 10 biggest, best, most memorable sports moments in Mile High Stadium's storied history.
Former Broncos' play-by-play announcer Larry Zimmer, Broncos' media director Jim Saccomano and veteran talk-show hosts Irv Brown, Sandy Clough and Thierry Smith met recently to vote on Mile High's ultimate days.
Here are their choices:
Date: Jan. 1, 1978 Score: Broncos 20, Oakland Raiders 17.
The Broncos were still known mostly for their pumpkin-colored jerseys, vertically striped socks, a cheapskate general manager who wrestled kids in the stands for loose footballs, and 14 losing seasons in their first 14 years.
But on this warm New Year's Day, the Broncos faced the Oakland Raiders in the AFC championship game.
In the third quarter, running back Rob Lytle fumbled, the Raiders' Mike McCoy recovered, and Raiders coach John Madden breathed easier. Only one thing: the head linesman had blown the play dead. On TV, it was clear Lytle had fumbled, a glitch that ultimately triggered the inception of instant replay.
But the Broncos kept the ball and a few moments later Jon Keyworth rumbled into the end zone. The Broncos were on the way to their first Super Bowl.
As time wound down, thousands of fans flooded the field, ripping up turf, swinging on goal posts, and dancing in the dusk as Broncomania reached full pitch.
"I was driving home that night on the highway, and people were honking at me," said former Broncos safety Billy Thompson.
"And everybody in the neighborhood was celebrating. When I came home, there was an orange stripe painted all the way up the street and all the way to my house."
Date: April 9, 1992 Score: Colorado Rockies 11, Montreal Expos 4
Montreal lead-off hitter Mike Lansing grounded out to Eric Young in the Rockies' first home game, before a crowd of 80,227. The next hitter, Moises Alou, also grounded out to Young. Two singles and then John Vander Wal grounded out to, yes, Young.
Moments later, Young walked to the plate, the first Rockies batter at Mile High. On a 3-2 count, he drove a pitch from Kent Bottenfield over the fence in left-center.
"You've waited all your life for major league baseball, and then ...," said Irv Brown, reliving the moment. "That was the tops."
Date: Jan. 17, 1988 Score: Broncos 38, Cleveland Browns 33
Denver had a 38-31 lead on a 20-yard scoring pass from John Elway to Sammy Winder in the AFC Championship game. Bring on the Super Bowl.
Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar had other ideas.
Starting from deep in Cleveland territory, he drove the Browns to the Broncos' 8-yard line with 1:12 left.
Kosar handed off to Earnest Byner, who ran around the left side, turned upfield and was a couple of strides from the end zone. But journeyman cornerback Jeremiah Castille emerged from the shadows, lunging and stripping the ball from Byner.
The Fumble.
"It was like divine intervention," said Thierry Smith.
Date: Jan. 17, 1999 Score: Broncos 23, New York Jets 10
John Elway had just played his last game at Mile High Stadium.
No, it wasn't official. That would come three months later.
But few thought that Elway would be back for a 17th season. Broncos fans were convinced they were watching history, the last home game for the quarterback who had produced so many Mile High miracles.
After beating the Jets, Elway strode to a podium in the middle of the field. He hoisted the AFC Championship trophy. He told his fans that he loved them. And then he took a victory lap.
He was serenaded with deafening chants of "El-Way, El-Way." Then, in unison, another message: "One More Year. One More Year."
But it was too late. The Elway Era was over.
Date: Jan. 4, 1992 Score: Broncos 26, Houston Oilers 24
Time was running out in the playoff game against Houston. The Broncos were on their own 2-yard line. The Oilers led by a point.
With 2:07 and no time-outs, it was deja vu all over again for Elway, the same predicament that had led to The Drive in the 1986 AFC Championship game in Cleveland.
Except: he had three fewer minutes and three fewer timeouts.
"I remember running onto the field and saying, 'Well, we're going to see if the first one was a fluke or not,"' Elway says.
On the first play Elway flipped a 22-yard pass to Michael Young. On fourth-and-6 at the 28, Elway ran for seven yards. Three incompletions later, with 59 seconds remaining, Elway rolled left on fourth-and-10 and passed to Vance Johnson at Houston's 48. Johnson sprinted down the left sideline until safety Bubba McDowell knocked him out of bounds at the Houston 21.
Steve Atwater ran for 10 yards to the 11. And then David Treadwell kicked the winning field goal.
Date: Oct. 15, 1984 Score: Broncos 17, Green Bay 14
Monday Night Football, and it was hard for the TV audience to see the field; it was hard for players to see the field.
A blizzard had swept into town, burying the Green Bay Packers in the process.
Steve Foley ran a fumble back 22 yards for a score on Green Bay's first offensive play.
Louis Wright ran a fumble back 27 yards for a score on Green Bay's second play.
The Broncos took their first center snap a few minutes later, leading 14-0. They never trailed.
Date: Dec. 24, 1977 Score: Broncos 34, Pittsburgh 21
In Mile High Stadium's playoff debut, the Broncos pulled ahead for good on Jim Turner's 44-yard field goal in the final quarter.
Linebacker Tom Jackson clinched the win with two fourth-quarter interceptions. The second set up Craig Morton's 34-yard, game-clinching TD pass to Jack Dolbin.
"Enjoy this," Steelers' quarterback Terry Bradshaw advised Broncos fans. "It's never the same the second time."
Date: Oct. 22, 1973 Score: Broncos 23, Oakland Raiders 23
Mile High Stadium's Monday night debut, and the Broncos finally proved they could run with the Raiders.
As ABC cameras settled on analyst Don Meredith, he yelled to the nation's viewers: "Welcome to the Mile High City — and I really am!"
Oakland had won 15 of the previous 16 games against Denver, but when Jim Turner kicked the tying field goal in the final seconds, the old AFC order was crumbling.
"Without question, this game was the turning point for the franchise," Turner said.
Date: Sept. 5, 1998 Score: Colorado 42, Colorado State 14
This one was special because it was the first major college football game played in Denver since 1960.
The long-awaited showdown attracted 76,036 — the largest crowd to witness a collegiate sporting event in Colorado.
"A great electric atmosphere: it was everything that it was cracked up to be," said CU's coach, Rick Neuheisel.
Date: Oct. 17, 1994 Score: Kansas City Chiefs 31, Broncos 28
In a dramatic Monday night duel that turned into a classic showdown between two of football's most fabled QBs, John Elway apparently shot down Joe Montana when he ran for a four-yard TD in the fading minutes.
But wait. Montana took the Chiefs 75 yards in 1:21 and hit Willie Davis with a 5-yard scoring pass with eight seconds left.
Contact Clay Latimer at (303) 892-2596 or sports@RockyMountainNews.com.
