Editing Super Bowl XXI (section)

===Denver Broncos===
{{main|1986 Denver Broncos season}}

The Broncos won the [[AFC West]] with an 11–5 regular season record, largely through the play of quarterback [[John Elway]]. In just his fourth season in the league, Elway made an impact to the team with his ad-libbing skills. During the regular season, he had thrown for 3,480 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also rushing for 257 yards, the third-leading rusher on the team.

Elway did not really have a particular receiver who caught most of his passes during the regular season, but wide receivers Mark Jackson, [[Vance Johnson]], [[Steve Watson (wide receiver)|Steve Watson]], and tight end Orson Mobley all combined for 136 receptions and 2,132 yards. Pro Bowl running back [[Sammy Winder]] was the Broncos' top rusher with 789 yards and 9 touchdowns, while also catching 26 passes for another 171 yards and 5 touchdowns. Halfback [[Gerald Willhite]] rushed for 365 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also leading the team in receptions with 64 (for 529 yards and three touchdowns), and ranking third in the NFL in both punt return yards (468) and yards per return average (11.1). The Broncos also had a powerful offensive line, led by Pro Bowl guard [[Keith Bishop (American football)|Keith Bishop]].

The Broncos' defense led the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] in fewest rushing yards allowed (1,651). The defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive end [[Rulon Jones]], who recorded 13.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Denver's linebacking corps, led by three-time Pro Bowler [[Tom Jackson (American football, born 1951)|Tom Jackson]] and [[Karl Mecklenburg]], who recorded 9.5 sacks, was viewed as comparable to the Giants' Pro Bowl linebackers. Their secondary was led by Pro Bowl cornerbacks [[Dennis Smith (American football)|Dennis Smith]] and [[Louis Wright (American football)|Louis Wright]], along with [[Mike Harden]], who intercepted 6 passes and returned them for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wright, Steve Foley, and Jackson, the last remnants of Denver's Orange Crush defense of the 1970s, all retired after this Super Bowl.