DENVER (KDVR) — It was a historic day both on and off the field for the Broncos on Sunday, with a huge comeback win, scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter.
The team also honored the Super Bowl 50 championship team and posthumously inducted Demaryius Thomas into the Ring of Fame.
Mark Jackson and Kenny Anunike were both at Empower Field for the celebration. Anunike was a member of the Super Bowl 50 team and Jackson was the recipient of John Elway’s touchdown pass to end the legendary “The Drive” back in 1987.
Coming back to Empower Field for Anunike felt like he never left.
“The chemistry, the camaraderie,” Anunike said. “It felt like we were back in the locker room and it’s been 10 years.”
He was honored to be back in town to honor Thomas, a friend of his who he faced off with long before coming to Denver as college opponents in the ACC.
“Demaryius was my brother, man,” Anunike said.
They spent time together volunteering at the Denver Boys and Girls Club. Thomas’s death at 33-years-old was heartbreaking for Anunike.
“Getting to see all the accolades we wish he would be here to receive, it was definitely gut wrenching,” Anunike said.
But the game that followed the ceremony, Anunike says, was a perfect tribute to his friend.
“I never bet against my Broncos, man, that’s one thing I never do because you know us,” Anunike said. “We’re going to fight until the last whistle.”
Fight they did, scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter to win, the first time in NFL history for a team that didn’t score in the first three quarters.
Mark Jackson, a wide receiver for the Broncos in the 80s and 90s who was also at the game, never lost hope.
“I’m the eternal optimist,” Jackson said.
Even if he wished at the start of the fourth quarter that his old teammate was on the field again.
“I mean, of course John Elways not back there. I mean, he’s the fantastic finish guy,” Jackson said.
Jackson, part of the most famous comeback in team history, says this is exactly the kind of game the Broncos need to build momentum.
“I think that’s literally what drove us through The Drive and the big comebacks that we had during the Elway era was you felt like you were always in a game, you always had an opportunity to win,” Jackson said.
As for a name to go along with his famous “The Drive”?
“It was only about eight minutes, so it’s hard to come up with a name for that. The Quickie?” Jackson said.
Anunike never doubted either, saying Thomas was there with the rest of the Super Bowl team, back like he never left.
“That’s why we were able to come up with that 33 points, right? That was for his 33rd year of life,” Anunike said.
The Broncos look to keep that momentum going next week at home against the Dallas Cowboys.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
