Report: Broncos' 29-Year Monday Night Football Streak Coming to an End
The Denver Broncos are set to learn what their 2021 regular-season schedule will look like. The Broncos have known what slate of opponents they'll face next fall, just not the order.
The full 17-game schedule will be released later Wednesday. In the meantime, little nuggets have been leaked foreshadowing the full release.
We know the Broncos will open the season on the road at the New York Giants. And we learned later on Wednesday that Denver's 29-year streak of having at least one Monday Night Football game is coming to a close.
Indeed, the Broncos own the record for the most consecutive seasons with an appearance on MNF but all good things come to an end. In the wake of becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to win a World Championship only to miss the playoffs in each of the five following seasons, it should come as no surprise.
MNF used to be the NFL's marquee primetime slot. That has since shifted to Sunday Night Football on NBC but when it comes to primetime matchups, the league is zealous about ensuring the product on the field is competitive at the least and entertaining at worst.
With the QB carousel post-Peyton Manning and season after season of offensive ineptitude, the NFL is opting to pull the Broncos off of MNF. It is what it is.
The Broncos remain hopeful that Drew Lock will turn the corner in a big way in 2021 and if not, the team has hedged its bet with Teddy Bridgewater. But even if the mantle gets passed to Bridgewater, as competent as the veteran is, he's not exactly known for offensive fireworks of any sort.
The silver lining? The Broncos are flying under the radar. If this team turns out to be as good as it looks on paper (dependent on the QB situation), the Broncos are set up as a darkhorse to surprise some people and some opponents.
The other blessing in disguise? Unlike last year, Broncos fans won't have to wait for the late game in a Monday Night Football doubleheader to see their team's season-opening performance. That'll come Sunday at 2:25 MDT vs. the Giants.
The Broncos are hoping to revamp the team's culture by hiring GM George Paton. Time will tell how it all shakes out.
If the Aaron Rodgers rumors bear fruit for the Broncos and he lands in Denver, the NFL will rue this decision.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
