Several former Denver Broncos will be involved in the NFL’s divisional-round playoff games on Sunday.
The Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals games will feature five former Broncos. Buffalo will play wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, and quarterback Case Keenum will serve as Josh Allen’s backup. Bills senior offensive assistant Mike Shula served as Denver’s QBs coach from 2020-21.
Meanwhile, for the Bengals, Brandon Allen will serve as Joe Burrow’s backup with Brian Callahan serving as Cincy’s offensive coordinator. Callahan got his start in coaching with the Broncos in 2010 and he worked with the team until 2015, winning Super Bowl 50 as an assistant coach.
After that Bills-Bengals game, the San Francisco 49ers’ showdown with the Dallas Cowboys will feature several Denver connections as well.
49ers backup quarterback Josh Johnson spent most of the 2022 season on the Broncos’ practice squad before being signed by San Francisco in December. 49ers assistant coach Brian Griese (QBs coach) played quarterback in Denver from 1998-2002.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan was a ball boy for the Broncos when his dad, Mike, served as Denver’s coach. Gary Kubiak was also part of that staff and Gary’s son, Klay Kubiak, is now an assistant QBs coach in San Francisco.
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is the son of former Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, and he grew up on Denver’s sidelines alongside Kyle Shanahan.
Two other coaches from the Niners-Cowboys game — 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans and Dallas DC Dan Quinn — are candidates for the Broncos’ head coach opening this offseason.
Sunday’s playoff games will feature plenty of familiar faces for fans in Denver.
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