1972 Denver Broncos season

Last updated

1972 Denver Broncos season
Owner Gerald Phipps
General managerJohn Ralston
Head coach John Ralston
Home field Mile High Stadium
Results
Record5–9
Division place3rd AFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1972 Denver Broncos season was the team's 13th season in professional football and third in the National Football League (NFL). Under first-year head coach and general manager John Ralston, the Broncos finished with five wins and nine losses, third in the AFC West Division. [1]

Contents

Hired in early January, Ralston was previously the head coach for nine years at Stanford University; in his final two seasons, he led the Indians to consecutive Pac-8 titles and upset victories in the Rose Bowl. [2] [3]

Offseason

NFL draft

1972 Denver Broncos draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
15 Riley Odoms  *  Tight end Houston
358Bill Phillips  LB Arkansas State
4102 Tom Graham   LB Oregon
5118 Jim Krieg   WR Washington
8186 Ron Estay   DT LSU
9214Floyd Priester  DB Boston University
10239Richard Wilkins  DE Maryland State
11263 Larry Brunson   WR Colorado
12292Randy McDougall  DB Weber State
13317Bob Warner  RB Bloomsburg (PA)
14342Jerome Kundich  G Texas-El Paso
15370Harold Parmenter  DT Massachusetts
16395Tom Bougus  RB Boston College
17420 Lou Harris   RB USC
      Made roster    †    Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff

1972 Denver Broncos staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches



Source [4]

Roster

1972 Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams


Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

The Broncos' last three home games kicked off at noon MST instead of the standard 2 p.m.

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 17 Houston Oilers W 30–171–0 Mile High Stadium 51,656
2September 24at San Diego Chargers L 14–371–1 San Diego Stadium 49,048
3October 1 Kansas City Chiefs L 24–451–2Mile High Stadium51,656
4October 8at Cincinnati Bengals L 10–211–3 Riverfront Stadium 55,812
5October 15 Minnesota Vikings L 20–231–4Mile High Stadium51,656
6October 22at Oakland Raiders W 30–232–4 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,551
7October 29 Cleveland Browns L 20–272–5Mile High Stadium51,656
8November 5at New York Giants L 17–292–6 Yankee Stadium 62,689
9November 12at Los Angeles Rams W 16–103–6 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 65,398
10November 19Oakland RaidersL 20–373–7Mile High Stadium51,656
11November 26at Atlanta Falcons L 20–233–8 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 58,850
12December 3at Kansas City ChiefsL 21–243–9 Arrowhead Stadium 66,725
13December 10San Diego ChargersW 38–134–9Mile High Stadium51,478
14December 17 New England Patriots W 45–215–9Mile High Stadium51,656
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC West
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Oakland Raiders 1031.7503–2–17–3–1365248W6
Kansas City Chiefs 860.5714–26–5287254W3
Denver Broncos 590.3572–44–6325350W2
San Diego Chargers 491.3212–3–14–6–1264344L3

Related Research Articles

John R. Ralston was an American football player, coach, and sports executive. He served as the head football coach at Utah State University (1959–1962), Stanford University (1963–1971), and San Jose State University (1993–1996), compiling a career college football record of 97–81–4. Ralston also coached the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 1976, amassing a record of 34–33–3, and the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1983 and part of the 1984 season, tallying a mark of 9–12. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Crush Defense</span> 1970s Denver Broncos defense

The Orange Crush Defense was the 3–4 defense of the Denver Broncos during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The National Football League (NFL) team adopted the 3–4 defense during the 1976 season, and the nickname "Orange Crush" for the team's defense was popularized early in the 1977 season by sportswriter/broadcaster Woody Paige.

Robert "Red" Miller was an American professional football coach. He served as the head coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1980. In his first year as Denver's head coach, he led the 1977 Broncos to Super Bowl XII, where they lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Miller was also the head coach of the Denver Gold of the United States Football League (USFL) for one season, in 1983.

Haven Christopher Moses is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).

Jim Criner is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Boise State University from 1976 to 1982 and at Iowa State University from 1983 to 1986, compiling a career record of 76–46–3 (.620) as a college football head coach. Criner was also the head coach of the NFL Europe's Scottish Claymores from 1995 to 2000, and the short-lived XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws in 2001. Criner has also been head coach in the French league Ligue Élite de Football Américain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Knap</span> American football player and coach (1914–2011)

Anthony Joseph Knap was an American football coach. He was the head coach at Utah State University (1963–1966), Boise State University (1968–1975), and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1976–1981). He compiled a career college football record of 143–53–4 (.725). Knap also worked as a high school teacher and coach, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Christopher Joseph Tormey is a former American football coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Jackson (defensive back)</span> American football player (1950–1997)

Bernard Frank Jackson was an American football defensive back who played for three National Football League (NFL) teams. He was the 81st pick in the 1972 NFL draft, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals as a defensive back. After five years, he was traded to the Denver Broncos in March 1977, and was a starter, including Super Bowl XII.

The 1969 Denver Broncos season was the team's tenth season as a franchise, and their final season in the American Football League (AFL) before the league merged with the National Football League (NFL). Led by third-year head coach and general manager Lou Saban, the Broncos were 5–8–1, fourth place in the AFL West for the seventh straight season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Vandals football</span> Football team representing the University of Idaho

The Idaho Vandals are the college football team that represents the University of Idaho and plays its home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. Idaho is a member of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Vandals are coached by Jason Eck.

The 1967 Denver Broncos season was the eighth season for the team in the American Football League (AFL). Led by first-year head coach and general manager Lou Saban, the Broncos posted a record of three wins and eleven losses, last in the AFL's Western division. Running back Floyd Little, a first round draft choice, was team captain in his rookie season. After an opening win at home, the Broncos lost nine straight games, then split the last four.

The 1971 Denver Broncos season was the team's 12th season in professional football and second in the National Football League (NFL). Led by fifth-year head coach and general manager Lou Saban, the Broncos finished the season with four wins, nine losses, and one tie, again fourth in the AFC West. Fifth-year running back Floyd Little became the thirteenth in professional football history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season; the future Hall of Famer ran for 1,133 yards, averaging four yards per carry.

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.

The 1972 Rose Bowl was the 58th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Saturday, January 1. The Stanford Indians of the Pacific-8 Conference upset the undefeated and fourth-ranked Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference by a point, 13–12, repeating as Rose Bowl champions. The Player of the Game was Stanford quarterback Don Bunce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Washington Huskies football team</span> American college football season

The 1990 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season.

The 1971 Stanford Indians football team represented Stanford University during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. Led by ninth-year head coach John Ralston, the Indians were 8–3 in the regular season and repeated as Pacific-8 Conference champions at 6–1.

The 1972 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. Following the departure of head coach John Ralston for the Denver Broncos in early January, defensive backs coach Jack Christiansen was promoted to head coach. Stanford finished at 6–5, but were 2–5 in Pacific-8 Conference play, tied for sixth.

Jerome Wayne "Jerry" Hendren was an American football player, a wide receiver who played one season in the National Football League (NFL), with the Denver Broncos in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Boise State Broncos football team</span> American college football season

The 1976 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1976 NCAA Division II football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Led by first-year head coach Jim Criner, the Broncos were 5–5–1 overall and 2–4 in conference.

The 1971 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State College during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season, the fourth season of Bronco football and the second as members of the Big Sky Conference and NCAA. In the College Division, they played their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho.

References

  1. ↑ "Pro football statistics". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 18, 1972. p. 14.
  2. ↑ "Five-year pro deal to Ralston". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 6, 1972. p. 23.
  3. ↑ King, Errol (January 6, 1972). "Ralston's talking Super Bowl". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. p. C1.
  4. ↑ 1972 Denver Broncos Press Guide. p. 4. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.