The Zone Scheme

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 truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show.

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.  

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.

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 truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show. 

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 truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show. 

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 truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show. 

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 truthplusmedia.com for more on this Episode and the Show. 

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

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 truthplusmedia.com for more info on this episode and the Show. 

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 truthplusmedia.com for more info on this episode and the Show!