2009 Denver Broncos season

2009 Denver Broncos season
Broncos 50th season logo
OwnerPat Bowlen
General managerBrian Xanders
Head coachJosh McDaniels
Home fieldInvesco Field at Mile High
Results
Record8–8
Division place2nd AFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers5
AP All-ProsRyan Clady (1st team)
Elvis Dumervil (1st team)
Brian Dawkins (2nd team)
Uniform

The 2009 Denver Broncos season was their 40th season in the National Football League (NFL) and 50th season overall. The Broncos started 6–0, but lost 8 of their next 10 games after coming off bye week. They matched their 8–8 regular season record from 2008 and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Broncos welcomed many new defensive players signed during free agency, including veteran Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. This was their first season without head coach Mike Shanahan since 1994, as he was fired on December 30, 2008. On January 12, 2009, Denver hired former New England Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. At the time of his hiring, McDaniels was the youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports and the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever, though less than a week later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers named the even-younger Raheem Morris as their head coach.

According to the 2012 Football Outsiders Almanac, the 2009 Broncos had the second-largest improvement in defensive efficiency from the previous season.[1]

  1. ^ Football Outsiders Almanac 2012 (ISBN 978-1-4782-0152-6), p.102