Broncos should keep wearing their throwback uniforms — their record backs it up

The Broncos wore their "Orange Crush" throwback uniforms Thursday and beat the Seahawks in overtime — Denver has not lost in orange since re-debuting it in 2024

BY JAKE SHAPIRO

Oct 15, 2026, 11:15 PM

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DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 15: J.K. Dobbins #27 of the Denver Broncos celebrates with teammates aft...

Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

The Denver Broncos look good in orange, and they win in it too.

Denver wore its “Orange Crush” throwback uniforms Thursday night and beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 in overtime at Empower Field at Mile High. That makes the Broncos 6-0 in the throwbacks since bringing them out in 2024.

Since bringing the uniforms back in 2024, the Broncos are 6-0 in the Orange Crush Vintage threads 🟠#TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/nNRcc0NZqB

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 16, 2026

The uniforms are part of the team’s Mile High Collection and bring back the “Orange Crush” era. That was the nickname of the hard-hitting 1977 defense led by Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Lyle Alzado and Louis Wright. That team went 12-2, won the franchise’s first AFC championship and became the first Broncos team to reach the Super Bowl, where it lost to the Dallas Cowboys. The orange jerseys have oversized white numbers with Legacy Blue trim, and the pants have an orange-and-Legacy-Blue stripe down the side. The Legacy Blue helmet has a white facemask, an orange stripe and the classic “D” logo with a snorting bronco bursting through it. Players also wear orange-and-blue striped socks from that era.

Players loved them right away.

“The light blue goes crazy, so I’m a big fan of it,” then Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele said before the debut in 2024.

Fans loved the look right away, and the results have been just as good.

The six wins:

Oct. 6, 2024: Broncos 34, Raiders 18
Jan. 5, 2025: Broncos 38, Chiefs 0
Oct. 26, 2025: Broncos 44, Cowboys 24
Nov. 6, 2025: Broncos 10, Raiders 7
Jan. 4, 2026: Broncos 19, Chargers 3
Oct. 15, 2026: Broncos 17, Seahawks 14 (OT)

Denver has outscored opponents 162-66 in those games, about 27-11 per game. No opponent has scored more than 24 points. In the second game in the throwbacks, Denver shut out Kansas City 38-0 to clinch its first playoff berth since the 2015 season.

Thursday’s game was the closest call. Denver led 14-3 in the fourth quarter before Seattle tied it with 3 seconds left in regulation. In overtime, Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Sam Darnold, and Wil Lutz made a 53-yard field goal to win it.

The game was also a rare matchup with both teams in color. Seattle wore its royal blue throwbacks, a reminder of the more than 20 years the two teams spent as AFC West rivals.

All six throwback games have been at home, and Denver has been tough to beat there.

“We have a great atmosphere, especially in a situation like this, prime time,” Bo Nix said after Thursday’s win. “The home field advantage is real.”

The catch is how rarely fans get to see the uniforms. Thursday was the first time Denver wore them this season. The next time is scheduled for Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers — just like last season.

NFL rules limit how often teams can wear alternate uniforms. Within those limits, the Broncos have a strong case for wearing these more often. They haven’t lost in them yet.

Players have wanted to wear them more from the start.

“It sucks we can only wear them twice a year. I wish we could wear them more times,” cornerback Patrick Surtain II said in 2024.

Tight end Adam Trautman went further at the time: “Maybe it’ll become the primary at some point. Who knows? That’d be nice.”

The Broncos (4-2) play at the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 25.