The Franchise: Denver Broncos
Forty years after the formation of the National Football League, pro football finally came to Denver, Colorado in the early 1960s. Since then, the team has established itself as one of the greatest franchises in the NFL and has produced some of the greatest moments and most legendary players the game has ever seen. Join host Ryan Harris, 10 year offensive lineman in the NFL and member of the Super Bowl 50 Champion Denver Broncos, as we look into the history and storied past of the Denver Broncos.
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The Mountain Top
10/25/2022
The Mountain Top
During his 14 seasons as the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos, Mike Shanahan led the team to two Super Bowl victories and 138 total wins. His time in Denver included 46 wins from ‘96 to ‘98, an NFL record for the most victories over a three year period. He is, by all measures, the GOAT of head coaches for the Denver Broncos and he was the leader that finally got the franchise to the Mountain Top 25 years ago. In this episode of the Franchise, Host Ryan Harris sits down with Coach Shanahan to discuss his time with the Broncos, players including John Elway, Steve Atwater and Shannon Sharpe and what he's up to these days. Visit for more on this Episode and the Show.
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Broncos Country (Part 1)
10/04/2022
Broncos Country (Part 1)
423 games! That's how many consecutive games the Denver Broncos have sold out, a streak which began in Week 1 of the 1970 season, over 52 years ago. It's an NFL record for a single city and includes over 400 regular season games and 22 playoff battles. The Dallas Cowboys may be referred to as “America's team” but the Denver Broncos are proudly owned by the Rocky Mountain region and have been the crown jewel of entertainment here for the majority of the organization's existence.
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Mark Schlereth One on One (Special Episode)
09/20/2022
Mark Schlereth One on One (Special Episode)
In this Special Episode of the Franchise: Denver Broncos, we share our full, recent interview with Fox Sports analyst and former Broncos offensive lineman Mark "Stink" Schlereth. The 2x Pro Bowler and 3x Super Bowl Champion discusses his motivations, his outlook on what it means to live a good life, and what his years since retiring from the NFL have been like. Visit truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show.
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Karl Mecklenburg One on One (Special Episode)
09/06/2022
Karl Mecklenburg One on One (Special Episode)
In this Special Episode of the Franchise: Denver Broncos, we share our full, recent interview with former Broncos linebacker, Karl Mecklenburg. The 6x Pro Bowler and Ring of Fame member goes in depth about overcoming three Super Bowl losses in the 80s, celebrating the team's success after his retirement and what he's been up to lately. Visit for more on this Episode and the Show.
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The Zone Scheme
08/30/2022
The Zone Scheme
Building on the success of offenses including the Cincinnati Bengals from earlier in the decade, the Broncos implemented the Zone Scheme in the mid 90s behind Coaches Shanahan and Gibbs. With John Elway at the helm, an experienced and capable offensive line and the downfield running style of Terrell Davis, the Broncos rode the Zone Scheme to tremendous success and, ultimately, back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1990s. In this Episode of The Franchise, Host Ryan Harris is joined by former Bronco and 3x Super Bowl champ Mark “Stink” Schlereth for a detailed conversation about the Zone Scheme and the team’s success in the 90s. Visit for more on this Episode and the Show.
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Coach Phillips
08/16/2022
Coach Phillips
Coach Wade Phillips had two tenures with the Denver Broncos, with his first as the Defensive Coordinator before becoming the Head Coach in 1993. Despite a short tenure as the main man, Phillips remained widely loved in Denver amongst former players, coaches and personnel. As a result, he would be hired a second time as Defensive Coordinator twenty years later and helped lead the No Fly Zone and Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50. In this Episode of The Franchise, Host Ryan Harris and Hall of Famer Jim Saccomano visit with Coach Phillips to discuss his two tours of duty in Denver. Visit for more on this Episode and the Show.
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Super Sadness
08/02/2022
Super Sadness
As John Elway's career gained momentum, the Broncos rose to the top of the AFC and, by the late 80s, were making regular appearances in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, Denver would lose Super Bowls 21, 22 and 24 by a combined 96 points, allowing 136 total points to the Giants, Redskins and Niners. In this Episode of the Franchise, Host Ryan Harris is joined by Guest Host Sandy Clough and Broncos legend Karl Mecklenburg. The three discuss those Super Bowl appearances and that challenging era in team history. Visit for more on this Episode and the Show.
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Mr.B
07/13/2022
Mr.B
For more than thirty years, Pat Bowlen brought something to the Denver Broncos and the NFL that helped shape the game and team ownership, into what we know today. Bowlen, or “Mr. B’ as he was known, was the type of owner who put football first and truly cared about his players and the team. A philanthropist as well, Bowlen chaired the board at the Denver Broncos charities and has left a lasting legacy helping with the fight against Alzheimers. Visit truthplusmedia.com for more info on this episode and the Show. *Thanks @ 9news for audio clips
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The Three Amigos
06/28/2022
The Three Amigos
Inspired by a popular 80's film, the Denver receiving crew of Vance Johnson, Mark Jackson and Ricky Nattiel became their own version of "The Three Amigos" for John Elway and the Broncos. From the late 80s to the early 90s, these small but speedy receivers sparked Denver's offense, helping lead to AFC domination and three Super Bowl appearances. In this episode of The Franchise: Denver Broncos, Host Ryan Harris and Guest Host Sandy Clough discuss the Three Amigos and their impact on the team and city during that era. They're joined again by Vance Johnson to provide stories and history from those teams. Visit for more info on this episode and the Show.
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Young Elway
06/14/2022
Young Elway
Part of the famous 1983 NFL Draft Class, John Elway came to the Broncos with the highest expectations of any athlete in Denver sports history. But, it took a few seasons for Elway to find success in the NFL and with the Broncos. In this Episode of The Franchise: Denver Broncos, Host Ryan Harris is joined by Guest Host Jim Saccomano and former Broncos Wide Receiver Vance Johnson to discuss the beginning of Elway's career including how he arrived in Denver, his first seasons and The Drive in Cleveland. Visit for more info on this episode and the Show!
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Orange Crush
05/31/2022
Orange Crush
From 1976 to 1982, the Denver Broncos featured a 3-4 defense, nicknamed the Orange Crush, that was as good a defensive unit as the NFL has ever experienced. A hard hitting, fearless crew from front to back, the Orange Crush starred football legends including Lyle Alzado, Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Louis Wright and Billy Thompson. They were led by Defensive Coordinator, Joe Collier, one of the great coordinators in NFL history and became the driving force behind the Broncos first trip to the Super Bowl, Super Bowl 12 in early 1978 against the Dallas Cowboys in New Orleans. Visit for more info!
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The Beginning
05/13/2022
The Beginning
In this first Episode of The Franchise: Denver Broncos, join host Ryan Harris, member of the Super Bowl 50 Champion Broncos, as we explore the team's early years in the AFL, NFL and the key characters and storylines that formed the team and organization we now know today over half a century later. We dive into that history with Jim Saccomano, 30 year Communications Director for the Denver Broncos and a new 2022 Hall of Famer. Visit for more info!
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