A dozen years ago today Tebowmania peaked in Denver
Jan 8, 2024, 12:39 PM | Updated: 12:40 pm
The Denver Broncos 2024 season is over, finishing at 8-9 with an eight-year playoff drought. The last time Denver actually finished with exactly eight wins in the regular season was in 2011; when the Broncos backed into the playoffs and ended a five-season postseason drought.
That was 12 years ago and a lot of Broncos history has happened between then and now. This one’s for Pat, Peyton Manning, Super Bowl 50, No Fly Zone, Super Bowl XLVIII, Russell Wilson, new ownership and so much more. But a dozen years ago to the day, something very odd and special happened.
Two-time national champion and Heisman winner Tim Tebow turned Broncos first-round pick, was thrust into the starting quarterback role in his second season in Denver. His miraculous five fourth-quarter comebacks to give the Broncos just enough juice to host a playoff game resulted in a moment that will never be forgotten.
On the first play of overtime of the Broncos wildcard game against the Steelers on Jan. 8, 2012, Tebow found Demaryius Thomas on a play-action slant route that DT housed for an 80-yard walk-off touchdown.
12 years ago today in the Wild Card…@TimTebow to Demaryius Thomas for the win in overtime! #NFLPlayoffs (Jan. 8, 2012) pic.twitter.com/YDahSPt2Ff
— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2024
The Broncos got killed in New England a week later, ending the absurd run. Funny enough, Tebow was traded a little over two months later despite getting the Broncos to the playoffs. There was no doubt his run-first style which resulted in losses in four of his final five starts in Denver had run its course. Oh and of course, Denver was bringing in Peyton Manning.
In the game 12 years ago, Tebow threw a career-high 316 passing yards and two touchdowns. More impressive than Tebow was his fellow first-rounder from the 2010 class that he threw that ball to. Also in his postseason debut, Thomas broke a tackle and made that play happen. It was one of the many giant plays the late wide receiver made in orange and blue. And when he hung ’em up, the wildcard game against Pittsburg was still his second-best by yardage—a lot of which came on the legendary play.
The moment was the end of Tebow but the beginning of Thomas in Denver, as the pass-catcher went on to have five straight 1,000-yard or more seasons after the moment, becoming one of Manning’s favorite targets.
Tebow lasted only a season with the Jets after his trade, and bounced around NFL teams trying out both as a quarterback and tight end for the following decade, all the while starting a successful broadcasting career and having a strong run of several years in minor league baseball.
