Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jon Heath

Billy Van Heusen was the best player to wear No. 42 for the Broncos

Billy Van Heusen was the best player to ever wear jersey No. 42 for the Denver Broncos.

After playing college football at Maryland, Van Heusen joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 1968. He went on to have a nine-year career in Denver playing as a wide receiver and punter.

Van Heusen was an incredibly versatile player, hauling in 82 receptions for 1,684 yards and 11 touchdowns while also adding 13 carries for 171 yards and one touchdown in his career. He also threw for 71 yards and led the NFL with 3,732 punt yards in 1970.

Van Heusen’s 23,936 career punt yards rank No. 2 in franchise history, only trailing Tom Rouen (28,146 yards). Rouen played in 43 more games than Van Heusen and he had 67 more punts.

Van Heusen’s longest punt of 78 yards ranks second in franchise history behind Chris Norman (83 yards). He was one of the best punters in Denver’s history, and a versatile weapon on offense as well.

Shout out to Billy Van Heusen, the best player to ever wear jersey No. 42 for the Broncos.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.