36 years ago today, we had to go 98 yards …
Buy Broncos TicketsAnd the rest is history.#TheDrive pic.twitter.com/Otg41E6SFs
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 11, 2023
Wednesday marked one of the most iconic moments in Denver Broncos franchise history: “The Drive.”
The 1986 AFC championship game pitted the Denver Broncos against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland’s notorious “Dawg Pound.”
Late in the fourth quarter, the Browns went up 20-13, and on the ensuing kickoff, the Broncos mishandled the ball, and eventually recovered it inside their own two-yard line. There were a little over five and a half minutes left in the game, and it was up to John Elway and Co. to come up with a drive.
What happened next is often considered the beginning of Elway’s legend.
In 15 plays, Elway orchestrated one of the guttiest late-game performances in league history. Of the 98 yards on the drive, Elway’s passing and rushing accounted for 93 of them. The final pass of the drive came with 39 seconds remaining, a five-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Mark Jackson. Kicker Rich Karlis booted the extra point to tie the game.
The game went into overtime, where Elway put together a drive that allowed Karlis to kick the game-winning field goal, sending Denver to their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
“The Drive” remains one of the most iconic moments in the Hall of Fame career of John Elway, and one of the most memorable events in NFL history.
To check out more about The Drive, here is the event recounted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and here is the Broncos’ version.
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