You Are Here > Pro-Football-Reference.com > Teams > Denver Broncos > 1986 Starters, Roster, & Players
1986 Denver Broncos
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 11-5-0, Finished 1st in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary
1986 AFC Champions
Scored 378 points (23.6/g), 6th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 327 points (20.4/g), 15th.
Differential of 51 points (3.2/g), 9th.
Expected W-L: 9.4-6.6.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +6 (0.4/g), 9th.
Coached by Dan Reeves (11-5-0)
USC Football Tickets available now. sponsor(s) this page.
All tickets are shipped free. You can order Outback Bowl Tickets, 2007 Rose bowl tickets are all guaranteed. USC Trojans Basketball Tickets and USC Trojans Football tickets are in stock now. We have tickets to the biggest bowl games including NCAA Orange Bowl Tickets as well as Fiesta Bowl Tickets
1986 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | John Elway* | 26 | 3 | 16 | 280 for 504, 3,485 yards, 19 td, 13 int, & 52 rushes for 257 yards and 1 td | Baltimore Colts / 1st / 1st pick / 1983 |
| RB | Sammy Winder* | 27 | 4 | 15 | 240 rushes for 789 yards, 9 td, & 26 catches for 171 yards and 5 td | Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1982 |
| FB | Gerald Willhite | 27 | 4 | 12 | 85 rushes for 365 yards, 5 td, & 64 catches for 529 yards and 3 td | Denver Broncos / 1st / 21st pick / 1982 |
| WR | Vance Johnson | 23 | 1 | 7 | 31 catches for 363 yards, 2 td, & 5 rushes for 15 yards and 0 td | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 31st pick / 1985 |
| WR | Steve Watson | 29 | 7 | 16 | 45 catches for 699 yards, 3 td | |
| WR | Clint Sampson | 25 | 3 | 5 | 21 catches for 259 yards, 0 td | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 60th pick / 1983 |
| TE | Clarence Kay | 25 | 2 | 12 | 15 catches for 195 yards, 1 td | Denver Broncos / 7th / 186th pick / 1984 |
| LT | Dave Studdard | 31 | 7 | 15 | 1 fumble recovered | Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978 |
| LG | Keith Bishop* | 29 | 6 | 14 | 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 6th / 157th pick / 1980 |
| C | Bill Bryan | 31 | 9 | 16 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977 |
|
| RG | Paul Howard | 36 | 13 | 13 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973 |
|
| RT | Ken Lanier | 27 | 5 | 16 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 125th pick / 1981 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Andre Townsend | 24 | 2 | 16 | 2.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 46th pick / 1984 |
| NT | Greg Kragen | 24 | 1 | 14 | 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | |
| RDE | Rulon Jones*+ | 28 | 6 | 16 | 13.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1980 |
| LOLB | Jim Ryan | 29 | 7 | 14 | 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| LILB | Karl Mecklenburg*+ | 26 | 3 | 16 | 9.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 12th / 310th pick / 1983 |
| RILB | Ricky Hunley | 25 | 2 | 15 | 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 7th pick / 1984 |
| ROLB | Tom Jackson | 35 | 13 | 14 | 0.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973 |
| LCB | Louis Wright | 33 | 11 | 16 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975 |
| RCB | Mike Harden | 28 | 6 | 16 | 0.0 sacks, 6 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1980 |
| SS | Dennis Smith* | 27 | 5 | 14 | 1.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1981 |
| FS | Steve Foley | 33 | 10 | 15 | 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Rich Karlis | 27 | 4 | 0 | 20 of 28 field goals & 44 of 45 extra points | |
| P | Jack Weil | 24 | Rook | 0 | 34 punts for a 39.5 average, 0 blocked | |
| PR | Gerald Willhite | 27 | 4 | 12 | 42 punt returns for a 11.1 average and 1 td | Denver Broncos / 1st / 21st pick / 1982 |
| KR | Ken Bell | 22 | Rook | 0 | 23 kick returns for a 23.1 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Bell | 22 | RB-WR | 16 | 0 | 190 | 5-10 | Boston College | 11/16/1964 | Rook | |
| Keith Bishop* | 29 | G-C | 16 | 14 | 260 | 6-3 | Baylor,Nebraska | 3/10/1957 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 6th / 157th pick / 1980 |
| Tony Boddie | 26 | RB | 1 | 0 | 195 | 5-11 | Montana State | 11/11/1960 | Rook | |
| Bill Bryan | 31 | C-G | 16 | 16 | 251 | 6-2 | Duke | 6/21/1955 | 9 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977 |
| Rubin Carter | 34 | NT-DT | 5 | 2 | 256 | 6-0 | Miami (FL) | 12/12/1952 | 11 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 121st pick / 1975 |
| Tony Colorito | 22 | NT | 15 | 0 | 260 | 6-5 | USC | 9/8/1964 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 5th / 134th pick / 1986 |
| Darren Comeaux | 26 | LB | 16 | 0 | 227 | 6-1 | Arizona State | 4/15/1960 | 4 | |
| Mark Cooper | 26 | G-T | 8 | 4 | 270 | 6-5 | Miami (FL) | 2/14/1960 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 31st pick / 1983 |
| Rick Dennison | 28 | LB | 16 | 2 | 220 | 6-3 | Colorado State | 6/22/1958 | 4 | |
| John Elway* | 26 | QB | 16 | 16 | 215 | 6-3 | Stanford | 6/28/1960 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 1st / 1st pick / 1983 |
| Simon Fletcher | 24 | LB-DE | 16 | 2 | 240 | 6-5 | Houston | 2/18/1962 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 54th pick / 1985 |
| Steve Foley | 33 | DB | 16 | 15 | 189 | 6-2 | Tulane | 11/11/1953 | 10 | Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975 |
| Mike Freeman | 25 | C-G | 4 | 0 | 256 | 6-3 | Arizona | 10/13/1961 | 2 | |
| Freddie Gilbert | 24 | DE | 15 | 0 | 275 | 6-4 | Georgia | 4/8/1962 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 1st / 19th pick / 1984 Supp |
| Joey Hackett | 28 | TE | 16 | 4 | 267 | 6-5 | Elon | 9/29/1958 | Rook | |
| Mike Harden | 28 | DB | 16 | 16 | 192 | 6-1 | Michigan | 2/16/1958 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1980 |
| Mark Haynes | 28 | DB | 11 | 0 | 194 | 5-11 | Colorado | 11/6/1958 | 6 | New York Giants / 1st / 8th pick / 1980 |
| Winford Hood | 24 | G-T | 9 | 2 | 262 | 6-3 | Georgia | 3/29/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 8th / 207th pick / 1984 |
| Mike Horan | 27 | P | 4 | 0 | 192 | 5-11 | Long Beach State | 2/1/1959 | 2 | Atlanta Falcons / 9th / 235th pick / 1982 |
| Paul Howard | 36 | G | 15 | 13 | 260 | 6-3 | BYU | 9/12/1950 | 13 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973 |
| Ricky Hunley | 25 | LB | 16 | 15 | 242 | 6-2 | Arizona | 11/11/1961 | 2 | Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 7th pick / 1984 |
| Daniel Hunter | 24 | DB | 10 | 0 | 178 | 5-11 | Henderson State | 9/1/1962 | 1 | |
| Mark Jackson | 23 | WR | 16 | 1 | 180 | 5-9 | Purdue | 7/23/1963 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 6th / 161st pick / 1986 |
| Tom Jackson | 35 | LB | 16 | 14 | 220 | 5-11 | Louisville | 4/4/1951 | 13 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973 |
| Vance Johnson | 23 | WR | 12 | 7 | 185 | 5-11 | Arizona | 3/13/1963 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 31st pick / 1985 |
| Rulon Jones*+ | 28 | DE | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-6 | Utah State | 3/25/1958 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1980 |
| Rich Karlis | 27 | K | 16 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | Cincinnati | 5/23/1959 | 4 | |
| Clarence Kay | 25 | TE | 13 | 12 | 237 | 6-2 | Georgia | 7/30/1961 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 7th / 186th pick / 1984 |
| Greg Kragen | 24 | NT-DT | 16 | 14 | 263 | 6-3 | Utah State | 3/4/1962 | 1 | |
| Gary Kubiak | 25 | QB | 16 | 0 | 192 | 6-0 | Texas A&M | 8/15/1961 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 8th / 197th pick / 1983 |
| Gene Lang | 24 | RB | 15 | 2 | 196 | 5-10 | LSU | 3/15/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 11th / 298th pick / 1984 |
| Ken Lanier | 27 | T | 16 | 16 | 281 | 6-3 | Florida State | 7/8/1959 | 5 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 125th pick / 1981 |
| Tony Lilly | 24 | DB | 16 | 1 | 199 | 6-0 | Florida | 2/16/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 78th pick / 1984 |
| Karl Mecklenburg*+ | 26 | LB-DE | 16 | 16 | 240 | 6-3 | Augustana (SD),Minnesota | 9/1/1960 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 12th / 310th pick / 1983 |
| Bobby Micho | 24 | TE-FB | 5 | 0 | 236 | 6-3 | Texas | 3/7/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 10th / 272nd pick / 1984 |
| Orson Mobley | 23 | TE | 14 | 3 | 256 | 6-5 | Florida State,Salem | 3/4/1963 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 6th / 151st pick / 1986 |
| Chris Norman | 24 | P | 6 | 0 | 198 | 6-2 | South Carolina | 5/25/1962 | 2 | |
| Dan Remsberg | 24 | T | 16 | 1 | 275 | 6-6 | Abilene Christian | 4/7/1962 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 9th / 252nd pick / 1985 |
| Randy Robbins | 24 | DB | 16 | 2 | 189 | 6-2 | Arizona | 9/14/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 89th pick / 1984 |
| Jim Ryan | 29 | LB | 16 | 14 | 217 | 6-1 | William & Mary | 5/18/1957 | 7 | |
| Clint Sampson | 25 | WR | 15 | 5 | 183 | 5-11 | San Diego State | 1/4/1961 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 60th pick / 1983 |
| Steve Sewell | 23 | RB-WR | 11 | 2 | 210 | 6-3 | Oklahoma | 4/2/1963 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 26th pick / 1985 |
| Dennis Smith* | 27 | DB | 14 | 14 | 200 | 6-3 | USC | 2/3/1959 | 5 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1981 |
| Dave Studdard | 31 | T-G-TE | 15 | 15 | 260 | 6-4 | Texas | 11/22/1955 | 7 | Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978 |
| Andre Townsend | 24 | DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-3 | Mississippi | 10/8/1962 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 46th pick / 1984 |
| Steve Watson | 29 | WR | 16 | 16 | 195 | 6-4 | Temple | 5/28/1957 | 7 | |
| Jack Weil | 24 | P | 6 | 0 | 175 | 5-11 | Wyoming | 3/16/1962 | Rook | |
| Gerald Willhite | 27 | RB | 16 | 12 | 200 | 5-10 | San Jose State | 5/30/1959 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 21st pick / 1982 |
| Steve Wilson | 29 | DB-WR | 16 | 0 | 195 | 5-10 | Howard | 8/24/1957 | 7 | |
| Sammy Winder* | 27 | RB | 16 | 15 | 203 | 5-11 | Southern Miss | 7/15/1959 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1982 |
| Ken Woodard | 26 | LB | 16 | 1 | 218 | 6-1 | Tuskegee | 1/22/1960 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 10th / 274th pick / 1982 |
| Louis Wright | 33 | DB | 16 | 16 | 200 | 6-2 | Arizona State,San Jose State | 1/31/1953 | 11 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975 |
| Team Total | 26.5 | 16 | 223.1 | 6-1.7 | 3.8 |