Denver Broncos 5 best one-year wonders in team history

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There have been a lot of players through the years that have had one incredible season in Denver Broncos orange and blue. We rank the top five.

The Denver Broncos have had some really fascinating players pass through town with only one great season to their names.

Some of these players had success before or after they played for the Broncos, while others really just had one great ride in orange and blue, and that was it.

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane with some of the best one-year wonders in Denver Broncos history, at least over the last few decades.

DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Shaun Phillips #90 of the Denver Broncos defends against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 13, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Jaguars 35-19. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Denver Broncos one-year wonder no. 5: Shaun Phillips, EDGE (2013)

Key stats

36 total tackles
10 sacks
10 tackles for loss
2 forced fumbles
5 passes defended
1 interception

A longtime member of the San Diego Chargers, Shaun Phillips joined the orange and blue as a pretty under-the-radar free agent during the 2013 NFL Draft.

His presence on the roster was certainly a necessity given the fact that Elvis Dumervil’s contract wasn’t faxed to the NFL in time that offseason and Von Miller had to serve a six-game suspension to open the year.

Phillips added another pair of sacks in the 2013 postseason as the Broncos put together some gutty defensive performances (given all their injuries on that side of the ball) leading up to the disappointing Super Bowl loss against the Seahawks.

Before that disappointing loss, though, Phillips was a key piece of a patchwork defensive unit that had some stretches of really impressive play, specifically against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the playoffs.

For Phillips, it was a bit poetic as the Broncos bounced his former team out of the playoffs in the second round and Phillips sacked Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers twice in that contest.

After his tremendous 2013 season in Denver, Phillips only played one more year in the NFL.

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