Offseason Notes and Thoughts

It was a great gesture to see Jason Elam sign a one day contract with the Broncos, so he can officially retire as a Denver Bronco. After reading Stefan Fatsis' book, one of the real good guys depicted in the book is Elam. He is a good person and a great kicker. He will also go down as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history. His legacy with the Broncos organization is secure, and he will no doubt be inducted into the Bronco Ring of Fame. He was such a weapon in the Denver offense for so many years, especially in the Elway-Shanny-Terrell Davis Era. Once the Broncos moved the ball into the opposing team's territory, it was like they were already in Elam's range. Here are my favorite kicks and moments from Elam's career:

1) The 63 yard field goal against Jacksonville in 1998. Obviously, this kick was huge because it tied the NFL record for longest field goal, but it also exemplified how powerful Elam's leg was, and how it was such a weapon for those great Bronco teams.

2) The 51 yard field goal against the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. It was one of the longest field goals in Super Bowl history, and it was huge kick because it put Denver up 17-7 in the first half.

3) The back to back field goals against the New York Jets in the 1998 AFC Championship. Down 10-7, Elam hit two field goals on consecutive drives late in the third quarter. The first one tied it a 10, and the second won finally gave Denver a lead at 13-10. Both were huge field goals that changed the momentum of the game, and they were both in the face of a swirling and gusty wind.

4) The 50 yard field goal against New England in the 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff. The Broncos were up 7-3 late in the second quarter, and they had just recovered a fumble. Elam's long field goal gave the Broncos a huge 10-3 lead going into halftime.

5) Elam's game winning field goal in overtime against the Raiders on Monday Night Football in 2000. It was the last Monday Night game ever played at Mile High Stadium. Once Denver got the ball in overtime, you knew all they had to do was move the ball just enough to get it into field goal range for Elam. They did that, and Elam nailed the game winner.