With the Broncos' 2020 season opener vs. the Titans on "Monday Night Football," Denver will continue its illustrious history on the prime-time series, including a league-leading 29-year streak making at least one MNF appearance each season.
Chicago Bears Alan Page reaches out for Denver Bronco Lonnie Perrin during first-half action in Denver, Oct. 16, 1978. The Broncos beat the Bears 16-7. (AP Photo)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Ahmad Rashad (28) is wrapped up by the Denver Broncos defender Tom Jackson (57) after Rashad pulled in a pass from his quarterback during first-half action in their game at Denver's Mile High Stadium, Nov. 2, 1981. (AP Photo)
Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway (7) turns to pitch the football to running back Sammy Winder during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in Denver, Colo., Oct. 15, 1984. The Broncos defeated the Packers 17-14 in a snowstorm. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Denver Broncos kicker Rich Karlis (3) kicks a field goal barefooted during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in Denver, Oct. 15, 1984. The Broncos defeated the Packers 17-14. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway gets off a pass during first-quarter NFL action, as he is pressured by Steelers defender Darryl Sims who is guarded by Bronco Ken Lanier, Monday, Sept. 15, 1986, Pittsburgh, Pa. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway tips his hat to fans after the Broncos' 27-0 victory over the Oakland Raiders in Denver on Monday, Oct. 16, 1995. (AP Photo/Bryan Kelsen)
Broncos quarterback John Elway passes in front of Oakland Raiders defense end Russell Maryland (97) and Broncos' guard Mark Schlereth (69) in the first quarter on Monday, Nov. 4, 1996 at the Oakland, Calif., Coliseum. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
John Elway salutes Terrell Davis after scoring a touchdown against the New England Patriots at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on October 6, 1997.
Terrell Davis scores a touchdown in action against the Oakland Raiders at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on November 24, 1997.
Terrell Davis breaks free from the defense en route to the end zone for a Broncos touchdown against the New England Patriots at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 7, 1998.
Quarterback Bubby Brister spikes the ball after a first-quarter bootleg touchdown run against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on November 16, 1998.
Olandis Gary rushes the ball the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Oakland Raiders at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on November 22, 1999.
Jason Elam celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal as time expires against the Oakland Raiders at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on November 13, 2000.
A halftime fireworks show lights up Invesco Field against the New York Giants at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, CO on September 10, 2001. It was the Broncos' first regular-season game at the stadium after construction was completed.
Jake Plummer scrambles out of the pocket for a 44-yard gain. This broke the Broncos' record for a longest run by a quarterback (previously held by Bubby Brister) against the Oakland Raiders at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, CO on September 22, 2003.
The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 30-10 at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on Sept. 26, 2005. Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Rich Clarkson and Associates
Champ Bailey intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver Clarence Moore in the end zone at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 9, 2006 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Ravens 13-3. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stockley, left, celebrates his 48-yard reception for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans with teammate Brandon Marshall.
Jay Cutler passes during second-quarter action against the Oakland Raiders at McAfee Coliseum on September 8, 2008
Eddie Royal acknowledges Denver Broncos fans as he leave the field headed toward the locker room in the NFL game against the San Diego Chargers October 19, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium. Royal had a pair of touchdowns, one on a kickoff return and one on a punt return.
Wide receiver Brandon Stokley (14) hauls in a 21-yard pass for a touchdown during fourth-quarter action on October 15, 2012 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) signals at the line of scrimmage during first-quarter action against the Oakland Raiders in the NFL game at Sports Authority Field in Denver, CO on September 23, 2013.
DeMarcus Ware (94) recovers a fumble by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron (5) to end the game during overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, CO, December 28, 2015. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) hauls in a 4-yard pass for a second-quarter touchdown against the Houston Texans in the NFL game at Sports Authority Field in Denver, Colo. October 24, 2016.
Broncos inside linebacker Todd Davis (51) celebrates his fourth-down stop against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
"Monday Night Football" has become an American institution.
As television goes, just the words "Monday Night Football" are almost as big as the National Football League itself, a television institution practically since its beginnings.
The NFL first announced a three-year agreement with ABC to televise "Monday Night Football" in 1969, when the marriage of television and the NFL was just beginning to explode.
The announcement came on May 26, and the new series made the NFL the first league with a regular series of national telecasts in prime time.
If you can believe it, owners were not too keen on the concept, as it disrupted the normal Monday-through-Sunday schedule that every team was wedded to at that time.
But it became an instant hit.
And this year, when the Denver Broncos kick off their 61st season of professional football, they will do so in a "Monday Night Football" game at Empower Field at Mile High on opening night vs. the Tennessee Titans. That game will mark the 29th consecutive season in which the Broncos will have appeared on Monday Night Football, and that will be a new NFL record.
Right now the Broncos are tied with the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders at 28.
Considering that streak, it may not feel like such a big deal for the Broncos, but unless you were there at the beginning of the Broncos' history on the program, you cannot help but have no idea.
The first appearance by the Broncos on MNF did not come until 1973 against the Raiders, and that was also the first winning season for Denver.
To put things more in perspective, you likely have no idea how easterners looked at our quaint little team in the Mountain Time Zone that "wears orange and plays in the mountains," to quote Pat Bowlen on the national view of his team before it reached dominance.
Not only was Denver ignored on the MNF schedule up to that point, but the Broncos were ignored in the all-important (to the egos of Denver residents) halftime highlights.
At halftime, Howard Cosell of ABC would narrate highlights of the previous day's games. There were only three networks then, no cable or satellite, so the viewing audience was enormous.
And we Bronco fans sat on the edge of our collective seats with fingers crossed, thinking, "They have GOT to have us on this week! We played such a great game."
But alas, it was not to be. We were never on, just another blow to our collective psyche.
They used every excuse imaginable, such as Denver is so far away from the East Coast that the film cannot get back in time. Of course, they seemed to get film from San Diego and the Los Angeles Rams in time for the show.
It turned out, among other things, that Cosell thought that Denver was a cow town, as I learned a few years later when my Broncos employment put me in close proximity.
There was a bar in the Denver area named Sweetwater, and every Monday night they hauled in an old television set and had a contest among the patrons, with the winner selected to throw a brick through the TV set after the Broncos' highlights did not appear on MNF.
I wonder what that MNF crew would think now, with the Broncos set to become the all-time record-holders for consecutive seasons on MNF?
Of course, John Elway, Peyton Manning and eight Super Bowl appearances made the Broncos must-see TV, and now we are clawing our way back to national prominence with Drew Lock, Von Miller and a cast of talented, young players.
As an example of the coming season and the thought patterns attached, the Houston Texans have the very captivating Deshaun Watson at quarterback.
But the Texans have just one prime-time appearance.
And in addition to our opening the season on MNF, the Broncos have Thursday-night and Sunday-night games as well.
Of course, besides the talent of our team, the view of the mountains at sunset is captivating — made for TV.
So things have changed a lot for the Denver Broncos, who this year are set to have the longest streak of appearances on MNF in NFL history.
Fans now put their names on the waiting list for highly desirable tickets, as opposed to in a drawing to throw a brick through a television set at halftime of "Monday Night Football."
