Denver Broncos Award winners: NFL Coach of the Year
Red Miller, 1977
When you look at the coaches who have won the NFL Coach of the Year award, it's surprising that you don't see the likes of Mike Shanahan or Gary Kubiak. Dan Reeves won the award with both the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, but never in Denver.
But 1977, his first season as Broncos head coach, Red Miller took the team to its first ever postseason appearance following a 12-2 regular-season record. The Broncos rattled off two impressive playoff wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders on their way to Super Bowl XII.
Though they lost that game to the Dallas Cowboys, the Broncos were certainly onto something under Miller. They made the playoffs in both 1978 and 1979 but after an 8-8 season in 1980, Miller was fired by brand new owner Edgar Kaiser Jr. and replaced by Reeves.
Miller finished his run in Denver with a 40-22 overall record. His .645 winning percentage ranks third in team history behind only Kubiak (.656) and John Fox (.719).