Atwater's election, COVID challenges and an unprecedented season: Photos that defined 2020 for the Broncos

Courtland Sutton and Von Miller pose for a photo during player introductions before the 2020 Pro Bowl on January 26, 2020. It was Sutton's first Pro Bowl and Miller's eighth. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Von Miller and other members of the AFC defense take a moment to remember NBA star Kobe Bryant during a break in the game during the 2020 Pro Bowl on January 26, 2020. News of Bryant's death in a helicopter crash broke just before the start of the game. Miller was particularly inspired by the way Bryant approached basketball, and he would model his offseason training on Bryant's dedication. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Steve Atwater, his wife Letha and their son DiAndre arrive at a staging area after receiving the news that he was elected to be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2020 on February 1, 2020. Atwater had waited for the knock on the door for about 20 years. (Photo by Ben Swanson/DenverBroncos.com)

With the outbreak of COVID-19 throughout the country, the NFL held the draft virtually and could not permit front office staffs to gather together at team facilities. Instead, teams set up operations in their own homes with the necessary technology. President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway's setup had a few special flourishes on an extra table.

In this still image from video, Jerry Jeudy pulls on a Denver Broncos hat after being selected by the team as his family watches the 2020 NFL Draft on April 23, 2020. Normally, Jeudy would have been on site for the draft, but COVID-19 restrictions forced prospects to all watch from home. (NFL via AP)

Food Bank of the Rockies volunteers distribute food to families from a mobile pantry at Empower Field at Mile High amid the COVID-19 pandemic on April 27, 2020. With mounting unemployment, there was a severe need for supplies, and the line of cars stretched through the streets around the stadium.

Justin Simmons speaks to the crowd during a protest for racial justice on June 6, 2020 at Civic Center Park in Denver. Broncos players and coaches came out to give their support after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked nationwide protests. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Von Miller leads the start of the march during a protest for racial justice on June 6, 2020 at Civic Center Park in Denver. Miller's vocal support for the cause also included an op-ed for TIME Magazine.
Photo by Gabriel Christus

Peyton Manning and John Elway pose for a photo after conducting a film session of "The Drive" from the 1986 AFC Championship during the taping of an episode of Peyton's Places at Empower Field at Mile High on June 26, 2020. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Head Coach Vic Fangio receives COVID-19 testing at UCHealth Training Center on July 17, 2020. Coaches and players would receive daily tests for the entire season. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Strength and Conditioning Coach Loren Landow sprays down equipment with an electrostatic cleaning agent after a weightlifting session with other early reports at UCHealth Training Center on July 30, 2020. The cleaning routine was just one of many new procedures in the effort to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Jerry Jeudy poses for a photo during his media session in uniform at UCHealth Training Center on July 31, 2020. The highly anticipated first-round draft pick arrived in Denver with big expectations and dreams. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Drew Lock poses for a portrait on July 31, 2020. Lock entered his second season as the starting quarterback after an exciting finish to his rookie season in which he led Denver to a 4-1 record. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Von Miller strides during strength and conditioning workout at UCHealth Training Center on August 3, 2020. Miller arrived for training camp with a renewed focus on his craft, in part inspired by Kobe Bryant. That also resulted in a remarkable physique as Miller tried to prep his body for his 10th NFL season. Photo by Gabriel Christus

With a shortened and partially virtual offseason, there was a lot riding on the Broncos' progress in training camp, especially on offense. Drew Lock and Co. did their best to learn the new offense under Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur and incorporate new key players throughout the summer. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Drew Lock and Jeff Driskel talk to fans (including some of Driskel's family) over Zoom during training camp on August 18, 2020. Because of the pandemic, no fans or family members were allowed at training camp in 2020. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Dalton Risner waves to the empty stands before a training camp practice at Empower Field at Mile High on August 29, 2020. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Media availability looked a bit different for players, too. Von Miller, like all players, conducted his press conference over Zoom. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton smile after a training camp practice on September 2, 2020. After drafting Jeudy in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Broncos hoped that the receiver tandem would become one of the league's most dangerous. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Though a limited number of fans would be allowed to attend most home games, the Broncos offered a program for fans to buy cutouts that were placed in the stands. Photo by Gabriel Christus

The fan cutout program also included a place for former Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen and the three Lombardi Trophies the team won during his time leading the team. His cutout was placed in the eye of the Broncos logo in the upper deck of the north stands. Photo by Gabriel Christus

The team lines up for a moment of unity during the singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" before Broncos' Week 1 game against the Tennessee Titans on September 14, 2020. Melvin Gordon III, who is holding up his fist, spoke out after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gordon's hometown. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

There was no love lost for former Tennessee Titan Jurrell Casey and his former teammates after Casey was traded to Denver in the offseason. Unfortunately, Casey would suffer a season-ending injury not long into the season and would be placed on injured reserve before the end of September. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

The hurt just kept on coming for the Broncos. During the Week 2 game against Pittsburgh, Denver lost Drew Lock to a painful shoulder injury and Courtland Sutton to a torn ACL. Sutton was done for the year, but Lock was able to return a few weeks later. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

Tom Brady returned to Denver for the first time since 2017, but this time it wasn't with the Patriots. In the biggest free-agent decision since Peyton Manning became a Bronco, Brady departed New England to join the Buccaneers. With several key player hurt, the Broncos could not keep up with Brady and the Buccaneers' firepower. Photo by Gabriel Christus

After a few solid outings to begin his career, Jerry Jeudy caught his first touchdown during the game against the New York Jets on October 1, 2020. He did so in spectacular fashion, taking away what could have been an interception and then backpedaling into the end zone. Photo by Gabriel Christus

After an offseason of recovery and combatting self-doubt, Bradley Chubb proved he was truly back after suffering a torn ACL in 2019 with a 2.5-sack performance against the Jets on "Thursday Night Football." Photo by Gabriel Christus

Resting on his scooter and with his foot in a boot, Von Miller observes practice from off to the side on October 16, 2020. Miller's injury was a crushing blow to the team and to Miller, who had trained extremely hard over the offseason to ready himself for the season. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

After maybe not the most statistically impressive performance, Drew Lock walked off the field after the Broncos' Week 6 game against the New England Patriots as the youngest opposing quarterback to win at Gillette Stadium. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

It was pandemonium on the field after KJ Hamler caught a last-second game-winning touchdown to beat the Chargers on November 1, 2020. The Broncos rallied from a 24-3 deficit in the third quarter to win. (Photo: Eric Lars Bakke)

The Broncos won another game in thrilling fashion in Week 11 as safety Justin Simmons halted Miami's comeback attempt with an interception in the end zone to seal the win. It was perhaps the biggest moment of Simmons' season as he mounted his first Pro Bowl campaign. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Head Coach Vic Fangio gathers quarterbacks Brett Rypien, Drew Lock and Blake Bortles to tell them that the Broncos are being required to place them on the Reserve/COVID-19 just a day before Denver's game vs. the Saints, leaving them without a true quarterback on the roster. Fangio and the team would have to turn to practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton, who played the position in college before transitioning to wideout. (Photo by Ben Swanson)

After placing all their quarterbacks on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the Denver Broncos were forced to play practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at the position. The team alternated between wildcat offensive schemes and more traditional formations with Hinton at quarterback against the New Orleans Saints on November 29, 2020. Though he completed just one pass, it was an unquestionably impressive feat. Photo by Gabriel Christus

With Courtland Sutton on injured reserve, Tim Patrick emerged as perhaps the Broncos' most reliable receiver. Patrick leads the team in receiving touchdowns with six, including two caught against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 6, 2020. Photo by Gabriel Christus

Though his season has been uneven, quarterback Drew Lock had a game for the ages against the Carolina Panthers on December 13, 2020, as he threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions. The performance earned him FedEx Air Player of the Week honors and his 149.5 passer rating was the third-best in franchise history. Photo by Gabriel Christus