There's always something to be thankful for each year, and for us Denver Broncos fans, this year has turned into an encouraging one that can help propel the team back into relevancy. Even during the team's 1-5 start, there was still a lot to be thankful for. But now, after four straight wins, the team truly feels like a playoff contender.
The four-game winning streak has injected new life into the 2023 NFL Season for Denver, and the team now sits just one game out of the seventh and final Wild Card spot in the AFC. With a winnable game coming up in Week 12, the Broncos have a chance to be in great shape for a playoff berth. I think I can speak for a lot of us when I say there's a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
As Broncos fans, what are the top-five things we should be most thankful for?
5 things Denver Broncos fans should be thankful for this Thanksgiving
1. A competent ownership group
The Walton-Penner ownership group has already made a huge mark with the Denver Broncos. The playing surface has been replaced multiple times to promote the best possible field conditions. Rumors began swirling that the team is preparing to change their primary jerseys at some point in the near future, and most recently, the team announced plans for a brand-new training facility to enhance the organization's operation.
This doesn't happen with your regular ownership group. Having this ownership group in place is awesome, especially when there are a plethora of incompetent owners across the NFL, and some that even meddle with the team's roster building. This is a huge part of the Denver Broncos that fans should be thankful for.
2. John Elway
Former franchise QB, Super Bowl champion and General Manager John Elway is still seeing his success play a part in the Denver Broncos, even if he's not involved with the team. Elway has had a hand in every Super Bowl that the Broncos have won; two as a player and one as the GM of the team.
Many people bashed Elway for his poor drafting, but we're seeing many of his players play crucial roles for the Denver Broncos this year, including left tackle Garett Bolles, center Lloyd Cushenberry, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, (sometimes) wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, inside linebacker Josey Jewell, and safety Justin Simmons.
All of those players were brought to the Denver Broncos via the NFL Draft while Elway was the GM. He definitely made some questionable draft decisions as GM, but hasn't everyone else? George Paton, when he was originally hired, called this team a "sleeping giant" and a large reason for that was because of the core that John Elway and his associates had assembled.
It's definitely taken some time to get off the ground, but now we are beginning to see just how good this team can be, and without Elway hitting on some of his draft picks, the Denver Broncos are not where they stand now, riding a four-game winning streak. I could even go as far as to say his Bradley Chubb draft pick helped the team land Sean Payton, so Elway deserves credit for that as well.
3. Sean Payton
I think this one is pretty obvious. Many people didn't want the Broncos to make this move, as it required a hefty trade to make it happen. It seemed like many fans wanted the team to pry Jim Harbaugh from Michigan. Well, the team ended up trading two high picks to acquire Payton, as he was still under contract with the New Orleans Saints.
After the Denver Broncos 1-5 start, the conversation shifted to something like "Sean Payton is an overrated head coach who was propped up by Drew Brees," and that could not have been more false. Now after four straight wins, the Denver Broncos are clearly showing the grit and an additional gear that they didn't have for years.
Payton is an old-school coach from the Bill Parcells' tree, and it's beginning to show. The Broncos have won multiple ugly games this year, and winning ugly is one of the truest indicators of a good football team. Payton has brought stability to the coaching staff and was the single best HC on the market last year.
The Broncos literally could not have hired a more qualified person to be the team's next head coach. Payton has won over 150 games over his career and won a Super Bowl in 2019 as well.
4. Core Denver Broncos players
I'm specifically talking about a handful of players who have been with this team through the bad times. The players who haven't pouted, given up, or created unnecessary drama. Players like Courtland Sutton, Garett Bolles, Lloyd Cushenberry, Josey Jewell, and Justin Simmons have all been with the organization for at least four years.
Bolles has been with the Denver Broncos since 2017, and Simmons has been here since 2016, making him the longest-tenured Bronco. They have never experienced consistent winning with the team, and after this long, it seems like the Broncos are trending upward. Honestly, I would not have blamed guys like Bolles and Simmons if they had requested a trade at any point during their careers.
And not only have they been with the team through all of the suck, but they're also becoming crucial pieces to the success the Broncos have recently had. The Broncos' OL is gaining more chemistry together, and the defense is finally hitting their stride. The hope is that the team can win their fifth game in a row in Week 12, putting them at 6-5 and potentially in a playoff spot.
The core players of the Denver Broncos who have been here for a while are players we all need to be thankful for.
5. Russell Carrington Wilson
The franchise QB. The leader of the team. A captain. The man who has brought stability to the position after years of instability is someone we need to be thankful for. Objectively speaking, Russell Wilson has been very good for the Broncos this year. He leads the league in TD:INT ratio and ranks above guys like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, among others, in major statistical QB categories.
Last year, many people thought Russell Wilson was totally washed up, and some misguided fans even called for the Broncos to cut him after just one year. Well, they could not have been more wrong. Sean Payton has been able to get Wilson back on the right track, but it's not Payton out there on the field.
Russell Wilson has made good decisions and has limited his turnovers. He's thrown just four picks and during the team's four-game winning streak, has thrown 0 interceptions. He's led back-to-back game-winning touchdown drives to beat the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings.
Wilson is also very experienced with the late-season playoff pushes. He possesses a 9-7 playoff record and has won a Super Bowl back in 2013. Without Russell Wilson putting in the work in the offseason to get better, the Denver Broncos are not where they are right now. And I think Wilson has done plenty to warrant being brought back again in 2024.
Don't overthink this; Wilson has not been perfect, but he's been darn good for the Denver Broncos in 2023.