Ed McCaffrey will join 850 KOA color commentator for Denver Broncos radio broadcasts (US PRESSWIRE).

Ed McCaffrey is back with the Denver Broncos as color analyst for the Broncos’ flagship radio station, 850 KOA.  McCaffrey, whose gritty play at the wide receiver position made him a fan favorite from 1995-2003, will join golden-voiced Dave Logan in the broadcast booth season.

McCaffrey will replace Brian Griese who has taken on a larger role with ESPN’s college football coverage.  Griese, the former Broncos quarterback, had been Logan’s partner for the better part of two seasons has engrained himself in the Denver community through his continued work with them team and for establishing Judi’s House, a non-profit that teaches coping for children and care-givers who have experienced the death of a loved one.

For McCaffrey, this announcement means moving beyond Ed McCaffrey’s Rocky Mountain Horseradish Sauce and Good Feet Arch Support and into a role that will allow him to use his repertoire of professional football knowledge on over 60 stations across the Rocky Mountain Region on the Denver Broncos Radio Network.

Fans will get their first listen of the new broadcast team when they are simulcast during preseason games versus Chicago on August 9th, Seattle on August 18th, and Arizona on August 30th.

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June 12, 2012; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) during Minicamp at the Denver Broncos training facility. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

It seems fitting that the person responsible for finally bringing John Elway’s successor to the Denver Broncos was John Elway himself.

The Broncos have had some success after Elway, including some great seasons with Jake Plummer, but for the most part they’ve had trouble finding Elway’s heir apparent. The list of those who have come and gone also consists of Bubby Brister, Brian Griese, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, and Tim Tebow. The Broncos have won only two playoff games over the past 13 seasons with these quarterbacks at the helm. Now it seems like the organization has found the guy who can take them to the next level.

When Peyton Manning signed with Denver this offseason, the franchise had their first truly elite quarterback since Elway hung up his cleats after the 1998 season. Now, two of the best to ever play the quarterback position have worn a Broncos jersey. It’s going to be a fun year in Denver to say the least. The national media will be all over this team once again in 2012, although for a totally different reason than in 2011. Tim Tebow may have been a fan favorite during his time in Colorado, but there is no doubting who is a better quarterback.

The decision to sign Manning was a no brainer. He is an all-time great, a consummate leader, and a guy who can take the Denver Broncos back to where we all want to see them go; competing for world championships. He’s going to make every player on the field better immediately. Guys like Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Joel Dreessen are all likely to have breakout seasons, and the running backs and the defense are going to all benefit from having a technician like Manning at quarterback. It may take a little while for everyone to get on the same page, but when that happens I expect the Broncos are going to win a whole lot of football games.

Part of the reason Manning decided to sign with the Broncos was his connection to Elway and the fact that he has accomplished exactly what Manning wants to during the final years of his career. Not many people have gotten a chance to go out on top with back-to-back Super Bowl victories and a Super Bowl MVP trophy like Elway, but many in Broncos Country are hoping history can repeat itself in the Rocky Mountains.

Elway finished his career with 300 touchdown passes, 51,475 yards, and 148 wins in 231 regular season starts. It’s rare to come across someone who can measure up to him statistically, but Manning has been a stat machine during his career and has some ridiculous numbers himself. He currently has 399 touchdown passes, 54,828 yards, and 141 wins in 208 starts. Everyone in Denver, including Elway, is hoping that Manning adds so much to those numbers over the next few years that he will be the greatest quarterback in the history of the league when all is said and done.

One final statistic, however, suggests that Manning is right on track in regards to writing his own Elway-like fairy tale ending.

Manning turned 36 years old this offseason and has played for 13 seasons (he sat out year 14 due to injury). He will start playing for the Broncos in his 14th season. In comparison, Elway turned 36 just prior to the 1996 campaign after he had played for 13 years. Starting in Elway’s 14th year, Denver would win 13, 12, and 14 games over his final 3 seasons, not to mention seven playoff wins that included two Super Bowls. Over the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons, the Denver Broncos won more total games over a three year stretch than any other team in NFL history.

If the similarities keep on coming, the future with Peyton Manning at quarterback looks very bright indeed. Go Broncos!

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Tim Tebow brings everything that Elway brought and then some in his first couple of seasons. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Eric Mergens is one of Predominantly Orange’s newest staff writers. He brings enthusiasm, a great knowledge base, and unwavering fandom to the PO team. Below is his sample piece. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think. Welcome to PO, Eric!

Since calling it a career after winning Super Bowl XXXIII following the 1998 season, John Elway has left a quarterback shaped hole in the collective hearts of Denver Broncos fans. Every few years, a new player would be drafted, brought in through free agency, or traded for, and every few years Broncos fans would loudly clamor, “Is this guy the next John Elway?!?”

Is Brian Griese the next John Elway? He just couldn’t stay healthy for long enough.

Jake Plummer? His flashes of brilliance were dulled by erratic decision making and a middle finger that didn’t exactly woo the Mile High faithful.

Jay Cutler? He couldn’t leave Denver quickly enough after demanding a trade.

Kyle Orton? Serviceable, but crumbled under the pressure of having entire stadiums chant the name of a polarizing first-round draft pick sitting on the Broncos sideline.

That brings us to that 25th-overall pick in the 2010 draft, Tim Tebow.
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