Denver Broncos' Running-Back Turnstile: Rough on Players?

Since my first days in collecting, it always amazed me on how many RBs the Broncos have gone through.

In short order, they had:

Sammy Winder

Tony Dorsett

Bobby Humphery

Gaston Green

Rod Bernstine

Leonard Russell

Terrell Davis

Olandis Gary

Mike Anderson

Clinton Portis

Reuben Droughns

Tatum Bell

Selvin Young

Now, two things should be noted.

First of all, all of these players did remarkably well in their tenures. Some played less (Tony Dorsett due to injury), but the majority was able to get 1,000 yards a season.

What's odd though, is that the average lifespan of their RBs is less than three years. The only RBs they had that lasted longer were Sammy Winder, who led the club in rushing from '83-'87, and Terrell Davis, who had five years in the lead, four in a row, and a last season with only 701 yards rushing.

Last season, the Broncos used both Henry and Young, and the two had over 1,400 yards between the two. Henry is gone now, replaced by Michael Pittman. Pittman, who has made more news off the field than on it, looks like another prototypical RB. He's never had a 1,000-yard season, but he has a good yards per carry average (4.0).

The great question that is being asked is: Is there is something with Denver's style of coaching that destroys RBs after a few seasons?

First of all, it is the style of game they play. With a strong line, the running back is a potent weapon, and is usually able to punch holes. They are able to do this quite often, when the line is healthy. When it isn't, the RB had to do more creating, and they must have a little hope that the home-field advantage, a.k.a. refs, don't call holding penalties.

Secondly, is my favorite...the altitude. Thin air. If you're not used to it, it'll wind you. I can't imagine that this would be any sort of factor. Yes, that's sarcasm.

Lastly, look at the products that has left Denver and tried to play elsewhere. Olandis Gary left Denver, and is now out of football. After a rookie season of 1,100+ yards rushing, he was used rarely, and had one last year in Detroit. His production that last year? 384 yards, and a 3.4 yards per carry average.

Clinton Portis, to his credit, seems to be handling the change just fine. After two seasons of 1,000 yard rushing, he went to Washington. Since the move, has had three 1,000-yards rushing seasons out of four, the only exception coming in an injury-shortened year.

Reuben Droughns, another player plugged into the offense, finished his career in Denver rushing for 1,240 yards, followed by a season where he broke for 1,232 in Cleveland. But since then, he has been on the decline.

Sometimes, it isn't as much the team as it is the injury that makes clubs swap out. For example, Tony Dorsett and Terrell Davis both looked to enjoy playing in Denver, but both watched careers go kaput, for different reasons.

Even before Sammy Winder gave Denver some stability, in the previous five years, five different RBs got used, trying to fill the need.

To one fan's perspective, Denver is a lot like Atlanta's baseball pitching machine of the '90s.

You could play well there...but if you left the happy confines...success was never assured.

But by playing there, there was also no long-term security.