Broncos repeat as Super Bowl champs in John Elway’s final game | Jan. 31, 1999 | Colorado’s Top 150 Sports Moments
Happy birthday, Colorado — and Colorado sports.
Leading into the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of Colorado’s top 150 sports moments.
For Nos. 50 to 1, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian Dave Plati coordinated a 19-member committee to rank in order what they considered the top moments. The No. 1 moment will be revealed July 31. Plati and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame podcast at coloradosports.org/podcast/.
No. 8 — Jan. 31, 1999
The Broncos repeated as Super Bowl champions, defeating the Atlanta Falcons (and their former head coach Dan Reeves), 34-19, in Super Bowl XXXIII. John Elway earned MVP honors, as he passed for 336 yards and a touchdown in what would be the final game of his career. He connected with Rod Smith for an 80-yard touchdown that gave Denver a two-score lead, 17-3, in the second quarter. His 3-yard touchdown run put the Broncos up 31-6 early in the fourth quarter, securing back-to-back titles under owner Pat Bowlen. At the Lombardi Trophy ceremony, Bowlen exclaimed, “This one’s for John!”. The win capped a three-year Broncos run with a 46-10 record (39-9 regular season), which at one time included 18 straight wins.
—Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian