Why Gary Kubiak belongs in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

There is no Ring of Fame case quite like that of Gary Kubiak.

As a player alone, he’s not in the conversation. Nine seasons as a backup quarterback is an outstanding run, no doubt. And he had some unforgettable moments: leading the Broncos to a win in relief of an ill John Elway at Washington in 1989 — the “chipped beef on toast” game — and successfully fielding a bad snap and getting down the hold for David Treadwell to kick the game-winning field goal against Houston in the 1991 divisional round.

Being a successful coordinator for 11 seasons wouldn’t be enough, either. After all, former defensive coordinator Joe Collier lasted even longer, developed the “Orange Crush” defense and remains uncommemorated in the Ring of Fame.

And his head-coaching stint? It lasted just two seasons. One of them was extraordinary, yes — the Broncos’ 2015 run to Super Bowl 50. It doesn’t happen without Kubiak pressing the right buttons to delicately massage a quarterback quandary that might have torpedoed other teams without such deft management.

But none of those three legs would be enough on their own.

Put them all together, though? Then, you’ve got something extraordinary.

Kubiak’s career is a unicorn in Broncos history. He can’t be measured against anyone else.

But no history of the team is complete without devoting some length to Kubes.

Every job he was asked to do for the Orange and Blue, he did well. Understudy, support and counsel to Elway as a player. Support, guidance and tactical brilliance as offensive coordinator under Mike Shanahan. He also helped smooth over rough situations time and again as the legendary head coach’s right-hand man.

(Also worth noting: Shanahan’s NFL head-coaching record with Kubiak is 122-67; without him, it’s 56-77. Shanny will make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame … but he was never better than when he worked with Kubiak, which includes their 1994 stint together on the San Francisco 49ers’ staff under George Seifert, when they earned their first Super Bowl rings.)

Will Kubiak be a Ring of Famer someday? As he famously replied when discussing the offensive line in 2015 — and why it was so hard for a team to repeat as Super Bowl winners a few months later — “We’re fixin’ to find out!”

However, there should be no doubt. Someday, Kubiak should don that orange jacket and look up to see his surname on the 500-level façade.

MORE ON THE BRONCOS RING OF FAME:

• Should the Denver Broncos expand their Ring of Fame?
• Why Al Wilson belongs in the Ring of Fame

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