3. Jake Plummer
Record: 39-15
Career stats in Denver: 11,631 yards; 71 touchdowns; 47 interceptions
Playoff Record: 1-3 record; 885 yards; 5 touchdowns; 6 interceptions
I’m in my early 20s, which means I was six years old when John Elway retired. That also means that my childhood quarterback was Jake Plummer.
Now, I’ll admit, maybe that has some affect on my judgement, but I’ll take the criticism. In my eyes, Plummer is absolutely the third best quarterback in franchise history — and his benching for Jay Cutler is still one of the worst moments of my sports fandom.
There are only two quarterbacks in Broncos history who have a winning percentage over .700, and their names are Peyton Manning (.789) and Jake “The Snake” Plummer (.722).
After Elway left, there was a void at quarterback (sorry Griese), and while some say it was never filled until No. 18 stepped into town, I’d argue that the Broncos had their man all the way back in 2003, when Plummer went 9-2 and earned Denver their first playoff birth since 2000.
He’d take them to the playoffs again in 2004 and 2005, getting to the AFC Championship in that final year, before being unceremoniously ousted the next season by Mike Shanahan and Jay “Crybaby” Cutler.
At the age of 32, Plummer would never play another game again, and the Broncos are left asking, “What if?”
