7 Denver Broncos who could be next in the Ring of Fame

4. Gary Kubiak, QB/coach

Kubiak started his career as an 8th round draft pick in 1983 and spent nine seasons as John Elway’s right-hand man as QB2.

Having Kubes with him on the sidelines and in the QB room was important to Elway, and this relationship proved fruitful throughout their long years together in Denver. On the field, he was a solid backup, going 3-2 in his time as a starter, but it was already clear at this point that he was a special football mind.

It was little surprise that he jumped into coaching after his playing career, and after a stint as a running backs coach with his alma mater in Texas A&M, he caught on as Mike Shanahan’s QB coach…in San Francisco.

When Shanahan took over as head coach in Denver, he brought Kubiak with him as an Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach. Now, he was right back in the same room with Elway, scheming up plays just like they used to. In fact, Elway played just 3 seasons (1992-1994) without Kubiak in the lab with him.

As OC/QB Coach, he helped the Broncos win back-to-back titles in 1997-1998, leading one of the NFL’s greatest offenses of the decade.

After eight seasons as head coach with the Houston Texans and a year as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak returned yet again to Denver. He took over for John Fox and galvanized the team, leading them to a Super Bowl 50 win in his first year as head coach.

He masterfully cobbled together a zone-blocking, pistol offense that held the line behind an injured Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, while the legendary 2015 defense took over the NFL.

Gary Kubiak was a key part of every single Broncos Super Bowl win, and I firmly believe that without his leadership and offensive acumen, we would not have a 3rd Lombardi Trophy in Dove Valley. Though his tenure as head coach ended prematurely due to health issues, Kubiak’s legacy in Denver is undeniable, and now that he has officially retired, I hope to see his name in the stands come 2026.