Former Broncos defensive lineman Darren Drozdov passes away

Darren Drozdov, a defensive lineman for the Denver Broncos in the early 1990s, passed away on Friday morning. He was 54 years old.

Former Denver Broncos’ defensive lineman and WWE star Darren Drozdov — who was involved in a tragic ring accident while wrestling for the WWE in 1999 that rendered him a quadriplegic — passed away this morning, his family announced. Drozdov was 54 years old. pic.twitter.com/1mYRaHW7Pv

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 30, 2023

Drozdov played in just six games with the Broncos, all coming in the 1993 season. His most-notable appearance came on “Monday Night Football,” when cameras caught the nose tackle vomiting on the football before the snap. This earned him the nickname “Puke” with his teammates and led to a bit of notoriety.

After his playing days came to an end, Drozdov parlayed that football fame into a professional wrestling career. He was part of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1998-99. On October 5, 1999, however, he broke his neck during a match, which left him a quadriplegic.

He would continue to work for WWF, however. Drozdov wrote articles for their web site and magazine.

His stint with the Broncos wasn’t lengthy, but the defensive tackle made an impression. Darren Drozdov was one of the most-colorful figures in franchise history.

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