We’ve reached No. 17 in our series of the best player to wear each jersey number for the Denver Broncos, and this one might be slightly controversial.
Brock Osweiler was the best player to don No. 17 in Denver. Yes, Brock Osweiler.
Some Broncos fans might scoff at the notion, but Osweiler was a key member of the team’s 2015 squad that won Super Bowl 50. When starting quarterback Peyton Manning went down with an injury that season, Osweiler stepped in and went 5-2 as a starter, helping Denver secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC’s playoff race.
That No. 1 seed gave the Broncos home-field advantage in the playoffs, a crucial part of the team’s journey to Super Bowl 50. Osweiler completed 61.8% of his passes for 1,967 yards with 10 touchdowns against six interceptions that season. Not amazing, but good enough to win five important games.
Nov. 29, 2015 — The Denver Broncos beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots 30–24, in OT, on SNF! @cjandersonb22 had 2 TDs, including the game-winner. @MrHillman2U & Bubba Caldwell also scored TDs. Brock Osweiler: 270 pass yards & a TD @VonMiller had a big OT sack! pic.twitter.com/ZzqZSgdQyh
— Mile High Moments (@MileHighMoments) November 29, 2021
Never mind that Osweiler left the club for a big contract the following offseason and never quite lived up to the hype. He played a key role in Denver’s Super Bowl-winning season in 2015, and that’s a more impressive resume than any other player to wear No. 17 for the Broncos.
Steve DeBerg spent three years in Denver wearing No. 17, but he went 5-7 as a starter (including a loss in the playoffs). Osweiler had a shorter tenure with the Broncos, but his time with the team had a much bigger impact.
Shout out to Brock Osweiler, Super Bowl 50 champion.
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