Each year, the NFL hands out some hardware with some individual awards to the best players, coaches and executives in the league. The number of awards seems to get bigger all of the time and now, just before the Super Bowl each season, the league hosts an awards show called NFL Honors.
With the league recently honoring the class of 2023 being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it's a good time to look back at some of the great accomplishments by players wearing orange and blue.
Going all the way back in history, here is a look at every player or coach from the Broncos that has won a major award.
Denver Broncos award winners
Alan Page Award- Floyd Little, 1974
The Alan Page Award has been given out annually since 1967 and it is awarded to the player who goes above and beyond to serve the community. Some of the more notable winners have been Peyton Manning (with the Colts), Brian Dawkins (with the Eagles), Drew Brees and the most recent winner, Damar Hamlin.
The Broncos have had three players earn this award, starting with running back Floyd Little in 1974. But back then, it was known as the Byron "Whizzer" White award. The award was renamed for Page in 2018.
Little is one of the greatest players in team history and really, the first Broncos player who was ever the face of the franchise. He won this award in his second-to-last year in the league.
Lyle Alzado, 1977
While you likely weren't surprised to see that Little won this award, it may come as a surprise that Lyle Alzado did.
Alzado did not have the best reputation on the field and the abuse of steroids that largely contributed to his untimely death may be what people most remember about him.
But off the field, Alzado showed a great side quite often and in 1977, which happened to be his best as a professional on the field, he was given this award for his generosity toward those less fortunate, mostly children.
This article touches on Alzado's commitment to that effort and the reason he won the award and though negativity is often brought up alongside his name, these kinds of things must absolutely be remembered.
Alzado would go on to win the league's Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1982 as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders.
John Lynch, 2007
30 years after Alzado won the award, John Lynch won the award in his final year with the Broncos. Now the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, Lynch was one of the most likable players in the league for many years.
His off-field efforts helped him become recognized with this award in 2007, one of several honors in his storied football career.
Bart Starr Award
Similar to the Alan Page Award, the Bart Starr Award is given to the player who displays outstanding character and leadership at home, on the field and in the community.
John Lynch, 2007
You can definitely start to see the qualities that made Lynch such an easy choice for the 49ers as their general manager and to this point, those qualities have made him very successful in that position.
Lynch took home both of these awards in 2007. He is one of only four players to ever do that, the others are Reggie White (1992), Derrick Brooks (2004) and Thomas Davis (2016).
Peyton Manning, 2015
Like Lynch, Manning won this award in his final season in the league. Peyton's leadership qualities are second to none, so it's no surprise to see that he was given this honor.
His brother, Eli Manning, won the award as well in 2020.