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Denver Broncos top 5 head coaches in franchise history

By Sayre Bedinger

07 Oct 2001: Head coach Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos observes during the game against the kansas City Chiefs at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos beat the Chiefs 20-6. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/Allsport
07 Oct 2001: Head coach Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos observes during the game against the kansas City Chiefs at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos beat the Chiefs 20-6. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/Allsport /
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Denver Broncos
Dec 14, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Denver Broncos head coach John Fox greets Denver Broncos tackle Chris Clark (75) and Denver Broncos guard Louis Vasquez (65) after the Broncos second quarter field goal against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

Denver Broncos head coach no. 4: John Fox

45. . . . John Fox. 4. player

2011-2014 (four seasons)

  • 4 postseason appearances
  • 4 division titles
  • 1 conference championship/1 Super Bowl appearance
  • 49 regular season wins (3rd most)

How do you remember the John Fox era for the Denver Broncos?

I think it’s easy to forget just how critical Fox was for the Denver Broncos at the time he was hired.

Following the debacle that was the Josh McDaniels “era” in Denver, the Broncos turned to John Elway to come and save the team once again. Elway was hired in a front office role in the 2011 offseason and his first move was hiring John Fox as the team’s head coach.

Fox had taken the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl once before and was the ideal veteran coach to bring the Broncos some stability at a time when they desperately needed it.

Fox’s Broncos went 8-8 in his first year as head coach, but that was good enough to win the division. The defense immediately took a leap forward with him as the head coach.

In 2012, the Broncos signed Peyton Manning and Fox sort of drifted into the background at that point, didn’t he?

It wasn’t until 2014 when the tension seemed to grow between Broncos fans and John Fox, who had become notorious for his conservative decision-making and lack of aggressiveness. It was that lack of aggression that seemingly cost the Broncos dearly in the 2014 season, leading to Fox and the Broncos mutually parting ways (we all know what that really means) after the 2014 season.

He was hired on by the Chicago Bears, a job that was apparently a dream job for him, and the Broncos moved on.

Still, it’s impossible to ignore a handful of facts about Fox’s tenure as head coach. Even though Peyton Manning probably had more to do with the team’s success than anything else, Fox’s job in the 2011 season was outstanding. The team was four-for-four with division titles under his reign, and his 49 regular season wins are 3rd-most in team history.

His winning percentage of .690 is the highest in team history as well.

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