Broncos’ RB coach Eric Studesville promoted to assistant HC; John Elway allows top scout to interview with SF By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post January 31, 2017 Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville received a promotion and an new title Monday. Studesville, a 21-year coaching veteran, will also serve as assistant head coach under head coach Vance Joseph, an NFL source confirmed. 9News first reported Studesville’s promotion. Studesville joined the Broncos in 2010 after stints with the Chicago Bears (1997-2000), New York Giants (2001-03) and Buffalo Bills (2004-09) and was elevated to interim head coach when Josh McDaniels was fired later that season. Since 2010, the Broncos rank 13th in the league with 114.9 rushing yards per game and 21st with 4.09 average yards per carry, while Studesville has worked under four head coaches, including the most recent hire, Joseph. Amid the coaching changes this year, Studesville interviewed for the Jets’ offensive coordinator job, but decided to stay in Denver as head of the running backs, his 17th NFL season coaching running backs. In the year ahead, Studesville is tasked with revamping a run game that has lagged the previous two years in Gary Kubiak‘s offense and features a group of young, but promising backs. Veteran C.J. Anderson, returning from a knee injury that ended his 2016 campaign early, was selected to a Pro Bowl in 2014 under Studesville’s watch and will pair with Devontae Booker, a 2016 fourth-round draft pick. Booker led the Broncos with 612 rushing yards (3.52 average) and four touchdowns on 174 carries. The team finished with 92.8 rushing yards per game (27th in NFL). Another possible promotion? Broncos general manager John Elway gave his director of college scouting Adam Peters permission to interview for the San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel position. Peters, who is under contract with the Broncos, just finished his eighth season with Denver, rising from a regional scout to the Broncos’ lead scout and one of the top talent evaluators. January, February and March are the biggest months for scouts to evaluate college players leading into April’s draft. The 49ers hired Broncos Ring of Fame safety John Lynch as their general manager Sunday. Welker to Houston. The Texans hired former Broncos receiver Wes Welker as an offensive/special teams assistant. Welker played two seasons in Denver (2013-14) and totaled 1,242 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Welker played eight games with the Rams in 2015 and had 102 receiving yards.

Building Broncos: Special teams, It’s time to find a consistent yet explosive returner By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post January 31, 2017 Broncos fans braced for a disaster every time Jordan Norwood dropped back to field a punt last season. Norwood muffed two punts that contributed to a devastating overtime loss to Kansas City in November. Denver defended return units well, outside of Tyreek Hill’s 86-yard free kick touchdown return in that same game against Kansas City, but its struggling punt return game defined the season. This offseason, the Broncos are expected to make it a priority to find a talented player in the draft or free agency to own the return game. Denver’s kicking game appears to be solid for the foreseeable future with Brandon McManus and punter Riley Dixon being young, successful options. The Broncos hope to create a little bit of Kansas City’s special teams magic by adding Brock Olivo, a former Chiefs special teams assistant, as their special teams coordinator. A few free agent decisions will determine how much turnover the Broncos will have on special teams. McManus, 25, is a restricted free agent. He’s made more than 85 percent of his field goals over the past two seasons. The Broncos are expected to tender an offer or secure a long-term deal with McManus. Two other core special teams players, Kayvon Webster and Dekoda Watson, are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. Norwood is also a free agent. Webster, the Broncos special teams captain, may chase a more lucrative contract with a team that’ll give him a bigger defensive role than what he’ll get in Denver. The Broncos can use his special teams prowess if he’s willing to return on a contract that works for both sides. Watson is also worth re-signing. Regardless of who returns, the Broncos need to add at least one or two core contributors to their special teams units, most likely through the draft. Dixon, a 2016 seventh-round pick, appears to be the Broncos punter of the future. Will Parks, Justin Simmons and fullback Andy Janovich are also key special teams contributors from that 2016 draft. Kalif Raymond, an undrafted free agent, showed explosion and promise in his four games replacing Norwood as the primary returner. Raymond also fumbled a punt return. He’ll likely compete for the role again in 2017. In the draft, the high-impact players in the return game are Michigan safety/linebacker Jabril Peppers, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, USC cornerback Adoree Jackson, Texas A&M safety Justin Evans and North Carolina receiver Ryan Switzer. Peppers, McCaffrey, Jackson and Evans all are likely to be selected in the first two rounds.

Switzer, along with San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey, could be a diminutive middle- to late-round option. Teams will hope Switzer can be a player who does some of the things that Patriots receiver Julian Edelman does. If the Broncos do seek a free-agent returner, Carolina’s Ted Ginn may make sense. Ginn is 31 but he’s had seven career punt- and kick-return touchdowns. He would also provide a deep threat on offense. The Broncos have much bigger needs that filling holes on their special teams, but it’s an area they can’t ignore.

Von Miller love from Falcons, Kordell Stewart talks Vance Joseph By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post January 31, 2017 Last season Broncos linebacker Von Miller said he gives Falcons defensive end Dwight Freeney “65 percent” credit for his spin move — the one he’s used to get to multiple quarterbacks, including Cam Newton and Matt Ryan. Miller said received advice from Freeney “like two or three years ago” following an offseason workout in California. “We were working out one day, and just to be able to pick his mind and him not holding back information,” Miller said in October. “Him telling me all about it, the type of looks, the types of approaches. He didn’t just tell me, ‘You’ve got to go up to him and spin’ — he really broke it down from a footwork standpoint, from a momentum standpoint. I don’t know how many sacks I’ve gotten off the spin move, but I think it’s a lot. “I’ve got to credit like 65 percent, the other percentage is me, just me doing what I’m doing. But 65 percent has to go Dwight.” During Super Bowl LI Opening Night, Freeney spoke about the advice he gave Miller, and others, during his time in the league. “Slash” talks V.J Kordell Stewart, the former University of Colorado and Steelers quarterback said the Broncos chose well in hiring his former teammate and friend, Vance Joseph, as their new head coach. “He’s a players’ coach,” Stewart said while roaming the floor on Opening Night. “The guys all respect him. He gets the game because he played the game. I don’t think he’s going to be a dictator in how he approaches things. He’s more or less going to approach things to make guys understand to have fun and just play the game for the reasons you’re in the National Football League, and that’s to try to win. I think his passion and, most importantly, the unselfishness that he brings to the table — it’s beyond. “I know this is his first time (as head coach) and everyone is wondering, but when you’re a leader, you’re a leader.” Joseph was Stewart’s backup at CU but the two have known each other since they were 7 years old in Louisiana. “We grew up together. My dad knew his dad. Our families knew one another pretty well,” Stewart said. “He was a year older than me, but Vance was always excellent. He was ‘Mr. Biddy (World)’ in basketball (the Biddy Basketball international tournament). He went to Archbishop Shaw and won state championships. So he was always the top man in our area and played well wherever he went. And everyone was always respectful toward Vance.

“Same thing when we went to Colorado. Even though he was recruited the year before me, when I came in the next year, he knew the process and he was my host. If it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have gone to Colorado. He was that avenue to leave Marrero and get to the University of Colorado, so I’ll forever be thankful for that and am really happy for him. I’m going to harass the heck out of him at some point, but I’ll give him a chance to work and do his thing right now.”

Who is the greatest NFL QB of all-time? A fifth ring for Tom Brady could change things. By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post January 31, 2017 The debate never ends and it may never truly be decided. Who is the greatest quarterback of all-time? There’s no set formula or defining statistic to make the decision easier. Some cite Super Bowl wins as the best measurement. Others say the abundance of touchdowns or lack of interceptions gives the winner. There’s a crowd that believe only the eye test and a quarterback’s ability to make magic happen in the most unlikely times. And a few will note passing yards or a newer statistic, quarterback rating, to decide greatness. Regardless of your personal opinion, there are a number of quarterbacks who have a legitimate argument for the title of greatest of all-time. The debate will heat up again over the next couple of weeks as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is playing in Super Bowl 51 with the chance to become the first quarterback in NFL history with five Super Bowl rings. Brady is known for his ability to make almost any receiver look like an all-pro. Chris Hogan — a college lacrosse player who had 12 career catches at Monmouth — led the Patriots with nine catches, 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots’ blowout win over the Steelers in the AFC Championship. And Hogan isn’t the first and likely won’t be the last. Brady has taken the Patriots to 10 AFC Championships and now seven Super Bowls in his 17 seasons. Plus, he’s showing little signs of slowing down at 39. He probably would be the lead candidate to win his third league MVP this season if he hadn’t been suspended for the first four games because of Deflategate. Scandals like Deflategate and Spygate will be the biggest opposition to Brady as the greatest. The Patriots and Brady have been the NFL’s closest thing to a dynasty, but there’s always going to be doubt about how much they toed or crossed the line to get there. San Francisco 49ers fans, and some pure NFL fans, will argue Joe Montana is the greatest of all-time over Brady regardless of what happens in Houston on Feb. 5. Montana also holds four Super Bowl rings, but he never lost one. Brady lost two of his six Super Bowls trips, both to the Giants. Montana’s masterful play in his Super Bowls set him apart more than great regular season numbers like Peyton Manning or amazing longevity like Brady. He was known for his comebacks, accuracy and mobility. He may have even got more championships if injuries didn’t cost him a significant portion of his career. Montana, however, doesn’t rank in the top-15 in career passing yards and may soon be surpassed by Brady in Super Bowl rings.

Some Broncos fans and a good portion of Colts fans will point to Peyton Manning as the greatest of all-time. Manning, who won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis in the middle of his career and with Denver in his final season, is either the NFL’s all-time leader or tied for the all-time lead in career yards passing, career passing touchdowns, career wins, yards passing in a season, passing touchdowns in a season, and passing touchdowns in a game. There hasn’t been a better student of the game at quarterback than Manning. He redefined the audible and how quarterbacks ran the offense. Manning was always in command and his work ethic rubbed off on his teammates. Another former Bronco also deserves to be highly ranked in this discussion, John Elway. He’ll always be known for “The Drive,” which was one of the defining moments of his playing career, and finishing his final two seasons with championships. Elway also passes the eye test with his fierce comebacks and knack for toughness. He played in five Super Bowls. Elway was a true dual-threat quarterback before it became popular to be one. His passing numbers aren’t as lofty as some of the other contenders, but Elway is widely considered the greatest Broncos quarterback ever. Some long-time NFL buffs will mention Johnny Unitas or Otto Graham. It’s tough to discount either, but it’s also difficult to judge the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s eras of football compared to the modern one. Others, particularly in the Miami era, may opine Dan Marino deserves serious consideration, too. It’s hard, however, to get over the fact that Marino never won a ring. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw is tied with Brady and Montana in Super Bowl rings. Like Montana, Bradshaw was also undefeated in his four trips. But Bradshaw’s career completion percentage (51.9%) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (212 to 210) makes it hard to place him in the top contender group. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers may even have an outside argument eventually if he can win another Super Bowl or two. He has the highest quarterback rating of all-time at 104.1. No other quarterback has a 100+ rating. Rodgers also has the lowest interception percentage in NFL history. Who do you believe is the greatest quarterback of all-time? Continue the debate in the comments section.

Joseph promotes Studesville to assistant head coach By Mike Klis 9News January 31, 2017 Vance Joseph hasn’t been a boss for a month and already he’s shown compassion for the deserving. The Denver Broncos’ freshly hired head coach, Joseph is promoting long-time running backs coach Eric Studesville to Assistant Head Coach. Studesville will continue to be in charge of coaching C.J. Anderson, Devontae Booker and the Broncos’ running backs. It’s a task Statesville has handled for going on 21 NFL seasons, including eight with the Broncos. But now that Studesville has added assistant head coach to his title, he will assist Joseph on a more wide-ranging coaching basis. Studesville, 49, was a candidate for the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator position this offseason, a job that went to former New Orleans’ receivers coach John Morton. Studesville served as the Broncos’ interim head coach for the final four games of the 2010 season, replacing the fired Josh McDaniels. Although the Broncos were already in the tank with a 3-9 record when Studesville took over, he did get a win out of rookie quarterback Tim Tebow against Gary Kubiak’s Houston Texans.

A handful of Broncos need quality marks on offseason progress report By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 31, 2017 At a training complex just a few miles from the Denver Broncos' facility, a few of the team's players are already getting a head start on 2017 with a week still to go until Super Bowl LI ends the 2016 season. The Broncos can't report to the team's official offseason program for weeks, but defensive end Derek Wolfe and linebacker Brandon Marshall are among players already putting in work. After all, a new coaching staff always brings the potential for change. And the Broncos do find themselves in a bit of a transition with their five-year playoff run snapped, a new coach in Vance Joseph and an edict from football boss John Elway to get back in the postseason conversation far sooner rather than later. That means that as the new coaching staff gets to work together for the first time this week -- the group will gather at the Broncos' complex Monday -- the expectation will be that all players need to raise their games. That's a given at quarterback -- Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch don't get the luxury of an offseason if winning the starting job is on their agenda -- but a significant part of the Broncos' fortunes will depend on how big a step others make in these weeks when they're on their own. Here's a look at some of those players: LB Shane Ray: He leads the way, by a long shot, among Broncos needing to step up. Ray finished second on the team with eight sacks and played 58.1 percent of the defensive snaps this past season, a total that included eight starts. He's been a luxury item in the pass-rush to this point behind Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. But with Ware an unrestricted free agent and coming off back surgery, the expectation is Ray will be a starter in '17. That means he has to be up to that challenge. Miller didn't have a sack in the Broncos' last four games or in five of the last seven overall. That's because down the stretch, no other Broncos player made opposing offenses pay a big-enough price consistently for ganging up on Miller snap after snap. Ray has to be that guy. LB Brandon Marshall: The 2016 season was one frustrating affair for Marshall, largely because of a hamstring injury. Wven when healthy, Marshall didn't reach his expected level of play and he is the first to say so: "I didn't, I didn't make enough plays." Marshall was signed to a four-year contract extension last year as the player who was the sideline-to-sideline, do-it-all linebacker in the league's No. 1 defense in 2015. He wasn't that guy last season. He missed five games, and it showed in how often opposing running backs caught passes that mattered and how the Broncos' run defense was just never quite right. The unit checked in at 28th by season's end, having allowed 130.3 rushing yards per game. RB Devontae Booker: Booker looked gassed by season's end. Even with C.J. Anderson and Kapri Bibbs on injured reserve down the stretch, Booker did not have a 60-yard rushing game over the season's last five weeks despite ample opportunities. He had seven games over the last nine in which he didn't average 3.5 yards per carry, and five in which he didn't reach 3 yards per carry. Some of that was to be expected

for a rookie back who had two knee surgeries in the calendar year leading up to his first NFL season, but Booker needs to be stronger and has to finish runs with more pop. The position will be wide open with the new offensive staff, and the lead back will be the guy who shows he can consistently produce and close out runs. TE Jeff Heuerman: A third-round pick in 2015, Heuerman missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. His second season had a long wind-up given he missed almost all of the offseason work and most of training camp with hamstring and ankle injuries. He was a game-day inactive three times, dressed but did not play in another game and played in seven games in which he did not catch a pass. That has to change for Heuerman, who had seven catches combined over the last three games of the season. Former coach Gary Kubiak was frustrated at times with Heuerman but was also patient with him. The new offensive staff may not give him that luxury.

Josh McDaniels says he has learned from failures in leading Broncos By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 31, 2017 For the most part, as Josh McDaniels volleyed questions on any and all topics in the Super Bowl LI media night frenzy, the New England Patriots offensive coordinator kept a rather nice poker face. Whether it was a question about the Atlanta Falcons' pass-rushers, or the pressure of a title game, or what it’s like to work for Patriots coach Bill Belichick, McDaniels simply kept things low-key. And then came: “How do you know when you’re ready to be a head coach?" With that, McDaniels quickly broke into what was easily his biggest smile Monday night, followed by the heartiest of laughs. “Well, I wasn’t the last time," McDaniels said as he tipped his head back to laugh. McDaniels, who is now in his 13th season with the Patriots, is preparing for his sixth Super Bowl with the team, which is looking for its fifth title in that span. But the Denver Broncos' faithful know all too well about “the last time" that McDaniels was talking about. He was a 33-year-old, first-time NFL head coach when the Broncos hired him in 2009, with plenty of fanfare. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was clearly smitten with the playcaller who was just two seasons removed from the Patriots' 16-0 regular-season finish in 2007. However, McDaniels' tenure in Denver lasted just 28 games. He was fired with four games remaining in the 2010 season, one the Broncos finished at 4-12, leading Bowlen to ask John Elway to return to the team to be its chief football decision-maker. The Broncos have won five division titles since, they signed Peyton Manning in what just might be the greatest free-agency coup in league history, went to two Super Bowls and won Super Bowl 50 last February. McDaniels, though, is still waiting for his second chance to lead an NFL team. He interviewed with the Los Angeles Rams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the San Francisco 49ers in recent weeks, but those teams each passed on him. McDaniels was asked Monday night if he thought his experiences with the Broncos actually helped him as he moves toward another head coaching gig. “Sure. All the experiences I’ve had in coaching I hope have made me a better person, better coach," McDaniels said. “I think so much about this game, this business, is about people and trying to put together the right group of people and allow them to have their responsibilities, trust them to do their job and be a great resource for them and help them in any way that you can.

And then McDaniels added: “Some of the things I failed at before, I think I learned from and am better for it. I think I am." Though Bowlen had said, after he fired Mike Shanahan to close out the 2008 season, that no Broncos coach would have personnel power again, McDaniels ended up making plenty of the team’s personnel decisions. He traded quarterback Jay Cutler before he had coached his first game with the Broncos and made an assortment of deals in those two seasons that didn’t pan out. Some players, at the time, often said they had a difficult time connecting with McDaniels. Hindsight is certainly 20-20 now, and McDaniels is now a 40-year-old coach who has put himself in position to try again. “Hopefully I’ll continue to grow from it, moving forward," he said.

Clayton's GOAT quarterback ranking: Tom Brady is No. 1 By John Clayton ESPN.com January 31, 2017 When Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came away with a last-second victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, I was ready to proclaim Brady the greatest quarterback of all time. That win made him 4-2 in Super Bowls. Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw are the only quarterbacks to win four Super Bowl titles. Though Montana and Bradshaw both went undefeated in Super Bowls, I'm still giving Brady the No. 1 spot. The fact that Brady is about to play in Super Bowl LI -- his seventh Super Bowl appearance -- is remarkable, especially after missing the first four games of the season because of his Deflategate suspension. On Sunday, Brady has a great chance to get his fifth Lombardi trophy and fourth Super Bowl MVP award. He's 183-52 as a starter in the regular season. His 24 playoff wins are the most ever. And the amazing part is that no one can guess when he will stop. Brady, who will turn 40 before next season, would like to play four or five more years if his body can hold up. There is nothing in his game that shows a decline. He came out of the four-game suspension rested and focused. He threw 28 touchdowns passes and only two interceptions in 12 games. And he did it mostly without injured tight end Rob Gronkowski, who played only eight games and had just three touchdown catches. Brady is 39, and his numbers are getting better, not worse. Over the past four years, his yards per attempt have increased from 6.9 in 2013 to 7.1 to 7.6 to 8.2 this season. His interceptions have dropped from 11 in 2013 to nine to seven to two. His passer rating has improved each year, and he's staying healthy. So Brady is my pick for the GOAT. Here's the rest of my list of the top 15 quarterbacks in pro football history: Note: An asterisk after a Super Bowl title denotes a Super Bowl MVP award, and I'm going by The Associated Press for the tally of regular-season MVPs. 2. Joe Montana Regular-season record: 117-47 | Regular-season MVPs: 1989, 1990 Super Bowl titles: XVI*, XIX*, XXIII, XXIV* San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh was ahead of his time. He helped turn a game fixed on running the football and playing stout defense into a sophisticated chess match in which receivers and pass-catching running backs ruled the day. Montana was the perfect quarterback to move the pieces. Montana won four Super Bowl rings -- and never threw an interception in those games -- and showed the NFL you can win championships through the air. 3. Peyton Manning

Regular-season record: 186-79 | Regular-season MVPs: 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013 Super Bowl titles: XLI*, 50 Manning was the Johnny Unitas of his era. He mastered the fourth-quarter comeback, and the two-minute drive was his specialty. More than anything else, however, he came into the NFL in the late 1990s when quarterback play was down and turned the NFL into a quarterback-driven league. Though he didn't look great in his final year in 2015, Manning did enough in Super Bowl 50 to get his second Super Bowl ring in four trips and slip past Unitas into third place. 4. Johnny Unitas Regular-season record: 118-63-4 | Regular-season MVPs: 1959, 1964, 1967 Super Bowl titles: V (also won NFL titles in 1958, 1959) What Brady and Manning were doing in the 2000s, Unitas was doing in the 1950s and 1960s. Unitas mastered the fourth-quarter drive, marching his Baltimore Colts offenses up and down the field to mount comebacks and pick up great wins. With his crew cut and funny-looking shoes, Unitas was the ultimate field general. 5. Otto Graham Regular-season record: 57-13-1 | Regular-season MVPs: 1951, 1953, 1955 NFL titles: 1950, 1954, 1955 A former running back in a wing-T offense, Graham was a great passer in the 1940s and 1950s when everyone else was running the ball. He guided the Cleveland Browns to four AAFC championships before they joined the NFL in 1950. 6. John Elway Regular-season record: 148-82-1 | Regular-season MVPs: 1987 Super Bowl titles: XXXII, XXXIII* Elway was perhaps the most talented of the great class of quarterbacks in the 1983 draft. He was so good that he would take above-average Denver Broncos teams to Super Bowls, even though it took him 15 years to get his first Super Bowl title. He closed his career in the best way -- back-to-back titles. 7. Brett Favre Regular-season record: 186-112 | Regular-season MVPs: 1995, 1996, 1997 Super Bowl titles: XXXI

A Green Bay Packers team doctor failed Favre on a physical when the Packers traded for him, and then he became the iron man of the sport, starting an NFL-record 297 straight regular-season games. He was a gunslinger who was willing to take chances -- but they didn't always turn out well, as he's the NFL's career leader in interceptions (336). 8. Dan Marino Regular-season record: 147-93 | Regular-season MVPs: 1984 Marino had one of the best arms in the history of the league. His release was so fast that defenses had trouble sacking him. Unfortunately, Marino didn't have enough of a running game behind him to get to more than one Super Bowl. For 17 years, though, he wowed the NFL. 9. Terry Bradshaw Regular-season record: 107-51 | Regular-season MVPs: 1978 Super Bowl titles: IX, X, XIII*, XIV* The Steelers had the Steel Curtain defense, but Bradshaw was the closer for their dynasty. He always came through in the playoffs, helping Pittsburgh win four titles in six years. As the Curtain started slowing down in its final years, Bradshaw got stronger and helped win games with the offense. 10. Aaron Rodgers Regular-season record: 90-45 | Regular-season MVPs: 2011, 2014 Super Bowl titles: XLV* Rodgers has a rifle for an arm. Over the past year, he hit on three Hail Mary throws. Incredible. His third-and-20 pass to Jared Cook in the fourth quarter of the 2016 NFC divisional-round game against Dallas was one of the greatest throws in playoff history. It's a shame he has only one Super Bowl ring, but he's only 33 years old. 11. Bart Starr Regular-season record: 94-57-6 | Regular-season MVPs: 1966 Super Bowl titles: I*, II* (also won NFL titles in 1961, 1962, 1965) Starr was the perfect leader and quarterback for Vince Lombardi's dynasty with the Packers. Lombardi was a no-nonsense coach who won with a running offense and great execution. Starr was the field general who made plays down the stretch in big games. 12. Steve Young Regular-season record: 94-49 | Regular-season MVPs: 1992, 1994

Super Bowl titles: XXIII, XXIV, XXIX* (Young backed up Montana in the first two) The 49ers made the move from Montana to Young and stayed at the dynasty level. Young was much different from Montana -- he was more of a running quarterback who evolved into one of the most efficient QBs in NFL history. His quarterback rating was well over 100 in six of his final nine seasons. 13. Jim Kelly Regular-season record: 101-59 Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno wanted Kelly to play linebacker for the Nittany Lions. It's a good thing Kelly went to Miami (Florida) to play quarterback. Kelly, who never won a regular-season MVP, was one of the league's toughest signal-callers. His brain moved much faster than his legs. He ran the Bills' no-huddle K-Gun offense, which was several years ahead of the rest of the NFL, and went to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993. 14. Roger Staubach Regular-season record: 85-29 | Super Bowl titles: VI*, XII After Staubach took over the Cowboys' job in 1971, they were annual championship contenders. He led the league in passer rating four times. He makes this list over fellow Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, whom I have just outside the top 15. 15. Fran Tarkenton Regular-season record: 124-109-6 | Regular-season MVPs: 1975 Tarkenton was the ultimate running quarterback. He rushed for 3,674 yards in his 18-year career, and his scrambling ability made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks to ever play the game. He was only 6-0 and 190 pounds, but his escapability made him stand tall among the league's best signal-callers.

Woody Paige: Broncos, 49ers game could be reunion of all reunions By Woody Paige KMGH January 31, 2017 You read it here first. Guess who and where the Broncos play in a 2018 regular-season game? A hint: The location is where the Broncos won their last Big Game, and the opponent will be a team with a daunting, dazzling Denver connection. Santa Clara, Calif., and the 49ers. Did I just get your attention? This could be The Game of Thrones and the Game of Thorns! Can you say Broncos, 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, John Elway, Stanford, Vance Joseph, 55-10 Super Bowl, 24-10 Super Bowl and perhaps – y’all ready for this? – Mike Shanahan? How about Gary Kubiak, too? Be still your heart! I’d tell you to mark the game in bold on your 2018 calendar, but the exact date won’t be released until next spring. It has all the possibilities of a “War Of The Worlds Apocalypse Now Larger Than Life Its Ownself’’ kind of matchup. Because of the NFL division and conference rotation schedule, the 2018 season will have AFC West division teams – the Denver Broncos, the Kansas Chiefs, the then Los Angeles Chargers and the soon-to-Las Vegas Raiders – playing against the NFC West, composed of the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals, the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. The last time teams from these two divisions collided in the regular season was in 2014 -- back when the Rams were in St. Louis; the Chargers were in San Diego, and Mike McCoy was the head coach; John Fox was the coach in Denver, Peyton Manning was the Broncos’ quarterback, and the Broncos were coming off a Super Bowl defeat; the Raiders were awful and strategizing for a new stadium in Oakland, and Derek Carr was their rookie quarterback; Colin Kaepernick was the rising young quarterback for the 49ers and stood for the National Anthem, and San Francisco had a new coach in Jim Tomsula, and the Seahawks were defending Super Bowl champions.And the Broncos and the 49ers opened the new Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in an exhibition game, with a 34-0 shutout by the Broncos. In the regular season in Denver the Broncos again blew out the 49ers, 42-17.

That year Vance Joseph was the secondary coach in Cincinnati, and Kyle Shanahan also was in Ohio as the offensive coordinator of the Browns. My, my, the times they do change. Today, Joseph is the head coach in Denver, and Kyle Shanahan is a week away from taking over officially as head coach of the 49ers. John Lynch could have monumental week, becoming general manager of the 49ers and being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s presumed that Joseph and Shanahan will for the first time as head coaches, with Elway and Lynch as general managers of the two teams still, when the Broncos-49ers game is played sometime in ’18. Oh, Mike Shanahan is expected to join the 49ers in an advisory or front-office capacity, and who knows who will be the quarterbacks for the franchises? Here’s a bold prediction: Kubiak returns to the NFL as the offensive coordinator for San Francisco – rejoining his former offensive coordinator, the younger Shanahan, and his former head coach and boss – the elder Shanahan? The brain freezes over with thoughts of the prospects. Remember, of course, that the 49ers once beat the Broncos – who had Mike Shanahan as an assistant coach and Elway as the quarterback – in the Super Bowl, 55-10. But the Broncos have won three Super Bowls since – the first two with Elway as the quarterback, Shanahan as the head coach of the Broncos and Gary Kubiak as the offensive coordinator, and the third a year ago at this time (in Santa Clara, of all places) with Elway as the executive vice president in charge of all he surveys and Kubiak as his head coach. It is well to recall that Mike Shanahan was the offensive coordinator of the 49ers from 1992-94, with San Francisco winning the Super Bowl in that final season. Kubiak was San Fran’s quarterbacks coach. The quarterback was Steve Young, who came thisclose to joining Shanahan and Kubiak in Denver before he ultimately decided to retire. Kyle Shanahan was a teenager in ’94. Joseph was a backup quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes. Elway and Lynch both graduated from Stanford, and both had Shanahan as their head coach in Denver – but not at the same time. Keeping up? So, the Shanahans could be reunited with the 49ers, with Lynch on their side, and they would go against the Elway Broncos and a franchise that still belongs to Pat Bowlen, who was over all of these people at one time or two or several. And which will have the better team and coach and general manager in ’18 – the Broncos or the 49ers? You should start planning to travel to the game in Santa Clara.

Broncos' top players, biggest surprises, disappointments in 2016 season By Troy Renck KMGH January 31, 2017 Multiple factors conspired against the Broncos reaching the playoffs. Their coach Gary Kubiak fell ill, disrupting the staff, which was already struggling to field a productive offense. Their quarterbacks boasted a single NFL snap prior to last season, and it showed. And their terrific defense revealed two weaknesses, alarming ineffectiveness against opponents' first drives and an inability to stop the run. It proved too much to overcome. The Broncos finished 9-7 with their nosed pushed up against the postseason window pane. As Vance Joseph and his new coaching staff return to work this week, let's look back for a second. The NFL passes out its top awards on the eve of the Super Bowl. I can't wait until then. A look at those receiving my Broncos' (virtual) hardware, some of which is more coveted than others: Defensive MVP Let's take the hardest first. This could have gone in multiple directions. Outside linebacker Von Miller remains a strong candidate to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Thus, it makes little sense to believe he's not the Broncos' top defender. His 13.5 sacks ranked second in the league as he received first-team All-Pro honors for a third time. He provided relentless pressure, even while double-teamed. He posted a career-high 78 tackles. Can't go wrong with Von. He's the choice. But cornerback Aqib Talib provided a compelling case as the NFL's best coverage defender. All he did was take names and chains. And Chris Harris' versatility and knowledge provide the back bone of the No Fly Zone, which helped Denver lead the league in pass defense for a second straight year. Offensive MVP Take a few deep breathes. Squeeze a racquetball. Visualize a unicorn. Anything to reduce stress. Despite the angst and frustration it caused fans, the offense featured a few strong performers. No one was more consistent than Emmanuel Sanders. He made his second Pro Bowl. He plays tough, delivers in big moments and avoids injuries. Demaryius Thomas finished strong, but inconsistency again hurt him. Had C.J. Anderson stayed healthy, he was poised to win the award, but a knee injury cost him the final nine games. For durability and reliability, center Matt Paradis deserves a mention. He was the team's best linemen and enjoyed a terrific season. Sanders needs better body language at times when the quarterback misses him wide open (see at Kansas City) -- but his statistics are solid: 79 catches, 1,032 yards, five touchdowns.

Biggest surprise I admit my choice, at a glance, looks contradictory. The offense provided reason to hike, ski or build a puzzle during too many games. At one point, the Broncos went through their worst scoring drought since 1966. But as a seventh-round pick, Siemian, who nearly left football after college to pursue a career in commercial real estate, beat out veteran Mark Sanchez and first-round pick Paxton Lynch for the starting job. In 14 starts, Siemian completed 289 of 486 passes for 3,401 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. There's no guarantee he keeps his spot. The uptempo attack should help Lynch, but he will not be guaranteed anything. And obviously if the Broncos pursue Tony Romo -- if he's cut and the Broncos improve their offensive line, it increases the likelihood they will express interest in the veteran -- then Siemian's situation changes. Nonetheless, Siemian showed promise in his first season, and met expectations as a complementary piece to a running game that, um, never reached its potential. Those deserving honorable mentions include: safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks, punter Riley Dixon and linebackers Corey Nelson and Todd Davis. Biggest disappointment When a Super Bowl defending champion misses the playoffs, there is a line for this unfortunate achievement. Pick among the offensive tackles -- Russell Okung, Donald Stephenson and Ty Sambrailo. The tight end position remained a mystery of lacking production with Virgil Green, Jeff Heuerman and A.J Derby unable to sustain success. Defensively, the Broncos had no run stopper to help Derek Wolfe. Sly Williams could not build on his breakthrough 2015 season as the team sorely missed Vance Walker. Lynch also didn't appear ready to capitalize on his start at Jacksonville, given an ultra conservative game plan that produced zero third-down conversions in the second half.

49ers can thank John Elway, who 'challenged' John Lynch to be a GM By Michael McCarthy Sporting News January 31, 2017 The mystery of how John Lynch suddenly went from Fox Sports NFL TV analyst to 49ers general manager is starting to clear up. During his last FS1 appearance Monday night, Lynch said his former Broncos boss John Elway planted the seed of him running an NFL front office. That idea germinated for eight years, while Lynch teamed with on-air Fox partners such as play-by-play-announcer Kevin Burkhardt and sideline reporter Pam Oliver. Fast forward to the present. Lynch said he called incoming 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to express his interest in the job. The next thing he knew, he was in negotiations with 49ers CEO Jed York. The 49ers stunned the league on Monday by announcing they were giving Lynch a six-year contract despite the former NFL defensive back having zero front-office experience. Lynch said Elway toted him along to business meetings and the NFL Combine during his last NFL stop in Denver. Said Lynch about Elway on Monday: "He always challenged me. This is something you need to do. You can do this — and you can do it well . "I think I was able to compartmentalize. But that was always kind of out there. I thought, if the right situation ever came up, this would be something I’m interested in." As a parent, Lynch said he tells his kids to go after what they want in life. So he took his own advice, went after the 49ers job and got it. Now, let's see what he does with it.

John Lynch’s reasonable introduction as 49ers GM: It all points to Kyle Shanahan, and Lynch didn’t mess that up By Tim Kawakami San Jose Mercury News January 31, 2017 John Lynch stressed several things in his introductory conference-call just now as the 49ers surprising new GM, and they were all very sensible things: -He only started thinking about this a few weeks ago, in the days after calling the Falcons-Seahawks playoff game and chatting with Kyle Shanahan, and from there this situation took off; if he hadn’t called that game, I think there’s no doubt he’d never have chased an interview with the 49ers; -He didn’t have to take this job, he was happy at Fox, and he had some specific questions for Jed York and Paraag Marathe before he accepted the gig; -He understands he’s coming in as a total NFL executive neophyte and wasn’t about to start dictating philosophies or roster changes–Lynch said he repeatedly told York during the process that “I know what I don’t know” about being a GM; -He sees his role as expressing his vision of what he wants the team to play like and act like, and leading the group to get there, and that sounds very, very gauzy and non-distinct, but again, there’s no reason for Lynch to draw it up more definitively than that right now. These, again, are all very reasonable things, and this certainly was a smart way to enter this very uncertain situation–and I think Lynch especially was being clear that Shanahan is going to be the man to deal with most of the specifics, starting with his big intro presser soon after the Super Bowl. Lynch was vague, he sounded a little scattered, he was bound by NFL rules not even to confirm that Shanahan is indeed about to become the 49ers coach, and all of that was wholly understandable. Shanahan is the central focus—he’s the one who obviously pointed Lynch towards York and Marathe, he’s the one who believes that Lynch fits in with his blueprint for the 49ers, and he’s the one who will control the 53-man roster, while Lynch and his staff gathers up players to meet Shanahan’s standards. Shanahan and Lynch are going to be the team here, they’re first-timers in these jobs, but it would’ve been much sillier if Lynch tried to over-sell his qualifications or map out some exaggerated picture of a 49ers franchise that he clearly doesn’t really know yet. Under-promise and over-deliver, and if that’s Lynch and Shanahan at the outset, that’s not a terrible way to go after the last several years at Levi’s Stadium. Also, one specific thing: I asked Lynch if Marathe is his boss, and Lynch said Marathe is there in a supporting role, to do the contracts, and Lynch said the GM reports to Jed York and only Jed York.

So we’ll see how this all unfolds, but Lynch and Shanahan getting 6-year deals (seems extreme for Lynch, but I’m sure York wanted both guys to get the same length), and Lynch being clear that he’s not reporting to Marathe… again, not a bad start, given the conditions, at all. Some highlights from the conference-call… -Lynch intro: I can tell you that two weeks ago I never thought that I’d be doing this. And things change sometimes. I’m also very fortunate and thankful to Jed York and to everybody else with the 49ers that found it fit and had enough confidence in me to ask me to take on this role. So I’m very humbled and as I said excited. I can’t wait to get going. –Q: How did this start? “It was a couple weeks ago. I broadcast, our crew broadcast the Seattle-Atlanta playoff game. And somewhere in that week after Kyle and I caught up as we often do after a game I broadcast of his. “Just told him how impressed I was. You know at that time… I knew that he was interviewing for a lot of jobs and we just started a conversation and at some point I indicated to him that hey you know Kyle, three-four years ago I had a conversation with the Denver Broncos about getting into management and in recent months I’ve had a couple situations… “There was a side of me that said you know some day. John Elway is one of my good friends. I was living in Denver when he was going through that process. He was kind enough to invite me into the building for offseason meetings and such. That was kind of out there. “Kyle and i had a conversation; he seemed to get excited; he turned it over to Jed and Paraag and the rest moved fairly quickly.” –Q: What do you say to those who wonder about hiring a GM with no previous executive experience? “I would say I’m eager to earn their trust. I think the feelings that some might have there are natural. “I was thinking earlier today, it wasn’t really conventional when I was playing at Stanford, I went as a quarterback and I was off playing minor league baseball and Bill Walsh called me… begged me to move over to safety… that wasn’t conventional. “It wasn’t conventional when early in my career I struggled to get on the field and here I am this weekend as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and knocking on that door. “So there’s a lot of things in my life that haven’t been conventional. “I appreciate that Jed was wiling to think outside the box and we just had a number of great conversations. and you could feel momentum building each time that we got together and finally when we actually got together in person and it just felt right. “We asked a lot of tough questions… I didn’t need the job. I had a really good job at Fox that I was really happy with. “But every time we got together, I could check another box and i presume that Jed could check another box.

“I would say I understand (the questions about lack of experience) and I’m fully aware that myself, the team I put around me, we’re going to have to earn the respect and the only way you do that is through your actions. For us, that’s showing it on the field. “We’ve got a big task in front of us but I can’t tell you how excited I am to attack it.” –Q: What are your priorities? “There’s so much to attack. There’s a lot going on. Are we behind? Sure we are because I just got here, I just accepted this job last night. Can we overcome that? Absolutely we can. “We’re really fortunate there’s some really good people, talented people from the staffs that preceded this one. They’re doing a lot of really good work… “I think the most important thing that I can do, I think it’s really important that I articulate the vision I have for this team to everybody in the building. That’s the most important you can do, is articulate here’s what we want to be… -Q: It has been reported that Denver executive Adam Peters is somebody you want to talk to. What’s the state of your staff right now? “I’ve had a phone married to my ear all day long. I didn’t know that was part of this job, but it certainly is. So I’ve had a phone to my ear all day. Some of the people, like I said, they’re there in the building. I don’t want to get into specifics too much… “But someone like Tom Gamble, he’s got a ton of experience in this business and I’d be a fool not to sit down and soak that up.” -Q: What are your specific duties with the salary cap and contract negotiations and do you have control of the 53-man roster? “I think a lot of those things are specifics that we’ve got to get to the point where.. the final strokes I guess would say as we get our head coach in order and all of those things. “I can tell you from the outset what has been communicated to me is we really want this to be a true partnership. Jed has communicated that, Paraag has communicated that. That’s my wish. “I can tell you one thing from being a broadcaster, you get invited into people’s buildings. And like I said, this wasn’t like I’m sitting in there taking notes, stealing institutional knowledge. “But you sit down with head coaches (and others)… the one common denominator that I’ve seen, in places where they have successful cultures and results, everyone’s working in the same direction. i “In places that are inconsistent or consistently poor franchises you can see it, you can feel it. People from one side are coming up, hey if I had any players we can get this thing going… or management is saying hey if we could coach these guys…

“Everybody has to be working together.. I’ve had an ability to bring people together. I’ve been out front… I think that’s a strength of mine. Whoever this head coach is going to be, that will be something that we all understand.” -Q: Did you insist on a 6-year deal? That’s pretty unique. “I think when everything’s wrapped up we can confirm things. But what I can tell you is the commitment that Jed and the 49er organization have shown to me to make this come to fruition has been incredible. “I’m also incredibly fortunate in this world that things stayed quiet. … That let me ask the tough questions to just kind of get with people that I’m going to work with– any elephant in the room, just get rid of it. “I didn’t need the job, which gave me a great position just to be very forward. I asked those questions and I’m proud of the way that that happened; I’m proud of the way they responded. “Why was it so important to be secretive? I’ve had people ask me that. i wanted to evaluate this situation as it developed. I thought it’d be much easier if I didn’t have the world breathing down my throat…” –Q: What kind of questions did you ask of the 49ers? “I think i can do it in broad strokes. A lot it was the commitment, the commitment of resources. I can tell you that i spoke to the genesis of this, starting with a conversation with Kyle Shanahan and I. Kyle must’ve been real fired up to call Jed and put Jed in touch with me. “I felt it was really important that I was vetted like any other GM candidate was. I didn’t want to be, just because someone liked me that I all of a sudden was put to the front of the line. “I don’t want to get into the specifics… But I can tell you we were very productive, we forced ourselves to find out a lot about each other in a very short period of time and frankly that needed to happen.” –Q: Is Paraag Marathe your boss? “Paraag’s a guy that I’m really excited to work with in a number of roles, supporting me and this organization. “But I report to Jed York and that’s what I’ve been instructed. That’s who i report to. “But like I said, I think… during this interview process I was very up front and I’m smart enough to know what I don’t know. I’ve negotiated my own contract, but (negotiating a whole team’s salaries)…I have not done that. “I feel real blessed that someone in our building in Paraag, you have what numerous people have told me is one of the most skilled contract negotiators in the business. I’m excited about that.” –Q: Can you say why you want to work with Kyle Shanahan? “I think we all are aware of the rules and we need to pump the brakes on that. Whoever our head coach is….” (Checks with PR chief Bob Lange about how he can phrase this.)

“I was very public in the broadcast that I did… i thought he was the catch and this was long before I was ever thinking (about) this role… it was in my job as an analyst. “I thought he was the catch of this head-coaching cycle, I really did. It’s one of the best years I’ve seen a coordinator have. When I talked to Matt Ryan and the players on this team, they talked about the leadership and presence that Kyle had in front of the room. “He has impressed me fora long time–this year he put it all together.” –Q: Who is your model for how you want to approach this? “I thin the best case is John Elway. We’re friendly, we both went to Stanford, there’s a lot of parallels. When I came to Denver he looked out for me. He’s one of my closest friends. I got to see a snapshot of what the role was like… “I’m not into making comparisons but I can tell you I strive to attack this job in the way that he has. He’s excellent at it. He’s given me the confidence in many ways that although we haven’t done it… one thing I told Jed over and over, I know what I don’t know. “I can’t profess that I’ve had 20 years in front offices… but I’ll put my football acumen up with most in this league. I know people and I know how to lead. As I’ve watched John, those are things I think he’s done extremely well and what I strive to do in this role.”

49ers to interview Adam Peters By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk January 31, 2017 As 49ers G.M. John Lynch begins to compile key employees in San Francisco, one of them may be coming from Denver. Per multiple league sources, Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters will interview to become the director of player personnel with the 49ers. The move could have been blocked by the Broncos, since Peters isn’t getting full control over the roster. The Broncos, however, ultimately decided not to stand in Peters’ way in order to foster a sense that upward mobility will be rewarded — even if that means losing someone they’d otherwise prefer to keep. (The decision from Broncos G.M. John Elway also may have been fueled by respect for Lynch, along with a realization that Peters will be a hot candidate for General Manager openings sooner than later.) The hiring of Peters wouldn’t alter the possibility that the 49ers will hire former Bucs G.M. Mark Dominik. Obviously, however, Dominik wouldn’t be the director of player personnel.

Broncos’ running backs coach gets a promotion By Zac Jackson Pro Football Talk January 31, 2017 The Broncos have made running backs coach Eric Studesville their new assistant head coach, News9 in Denver reported Monday. The promotion for Studesville comes a few weeks after Vance Joseph took over as the Broncos’ head coach. Studesville has spent the last seven years with the Broncos and was the interim head coach in 2010, his first year with the team, following the firing of Josh McDaniels. Studesville will still coach the team’s running backs next season, which will be his 21st as an NFL coach.

John Lynch's life-changing week deserves to end with Hall of Fame nod By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com January 31, 2017 Hiring a Pro Football Hall of Famer to be your general manager has been a successful recent trend. Two of the last four Super Bowls were won by teams with Hall of Fame players making the personnel calls -- Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore and, of course, John Elway in Denver. For the San Francisco 49ers and John Lynch, one key part of that equation is missing -- that Lynch isn't a Hall of Famer. That's something that everyone associated with the nine-time Pro Bowler hopes to see change on Saturday when the Hall of Fame selection committee meets in Houston. It's already been a life-changing week for Lynch, with word breaking Sunday night that he agreed to a six-year contract with the 49ers to become their general manager. Now, as he begins the process of rebuilding the 49ers from the ashes of a 2-14 season, he hopes he will tackle that job with a gold jacket in his closet. For the fourth consecutive year, Lynch is among the 15 finalists for up to five spots from the primary selection pool. And even though he played most of his career (10 seasons) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lynch's perennial finalist status and potential Hall selection likely would not be as viable without closing his career with four consecutive Pro Bowl selections after joining the Broncos in 2004. This year, he heads into the process as one of just a handful of players to earn induction into two individual teams' commemoration of their greatest players. Just a week and a half after the Broncos inducted Lynch into their Ring of Fame, the Buccaneers made him the newest member of their Ring of Honor. That put Lynch alongside Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Charles Haley, Paul Warfield, Vince Lombardi, Jim Ringo, Sonny Jurgensen, Reggie White, Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk. If Lynch is inducted, he will become the first pure safety to have played since 1981 to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. All of the other safeties to play in the last 36 years and join the Hall of Fame were also cornerbacks for a substantial portion of their careers. "I think that's the sentiment that I feel most strongly about, and I've communicated [it] when asked by the Hall of Fame writers, that, hey, I certainly would like if it was me, but I think this is something that needs to change," Lynch said last year after being named a finalist for the third time. "That argument really doesn't hold water with me. "Maybe at one point that position was one that wasn't of great import in football and on defenses, but I think as anyone has seen the position evolve -- and that's where I feel fairly good about being a part of that position changing, because early in football, they were just kind of a last line of defense." Lynch is also one of two players at any position with at least nine Pro Bowl selections and two or more years in which he was a first-team All-Pro. The other, Brian Dawkins, is a first-time Hall finalist this year. For three consecutive years, Lynch has come close. Now it should be his time.