Broncos Release Final Member Of Super Bowl 50 Team
Updated: Jun 27, 2023
The final member of the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 championship team has been released. Kicker Brandon McManus has played all nine of his NFL seasons with the Broncos, beginning in 2014. Now, the kicker will look for work elsewhere.
“Brandon has been a key player and presence with the Broncos for nearly a decade, making outstanding contributions to our team and community,” Broncos General Manager George Payton said in a release on Tuesday. “He will always hold a special place in Denver Broncos history. We thank Brandon for all did for the Broncos, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future.”
McManus was a team captain in 2021 and 2022. He has a career field goal percentage of 81.4% and 96.9% on extra points. With the 31-year-old now becoming a free agent, let’s look back at his time with the Broncos.
Arriving In Denver
McManus signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in April of 2013, but only four months later, got waived. In August 2014, the New York Giants traded the kicker to the Denver Broncos.
In his rookie season, the former Temple Owl went 9-of-13 on field goals and was a perfect 41-of-41 on PATs. The following year, McManus made a career-high 85.7% of his field goals and only missed one extra point. He was even named the Special Teams Player of the Month in October.
Super Bowl 50
Denver finished the 2015 regular season with a 12-4 record, winning the AFC West. The offense averaged 22.2 points per game and was the 19th in the league in total yards. The Broncos' defense allowed the fewest yards per game and the fourth-fewest points.
The team faced Pittsburgh in the divisional round, eventually winning 23-16. McManus scored 15 points in the game on five field goals.
The Broncos defeated New England 20-18 in the AFC Championship game. McManus was again perfect on his kicks, with two field goals and two PATs.
In the Super Bowl game, the kicker went 3-for-3 on FGs and kicked one extra point as the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 to claim the Lombardi Trophy. McManus finished the game with the same amount of points scored as the entire Carolina offense.
Post-Super Bowl Victory
McManus played 113 games with the Broncos since after the Lombardi in 2016, but the team has failed to reach the postseason since. Over his seven seasons following the championship, the veteran kicker completed 81.4% of his field goals and only missed on eight of his 209 extra-point attempts.
Among active NFL kickers, McManus ranks ninth in field goals made, field goal attempts and points scored. He is in the top 100 all-time in field goal and extra point percentage and is 73rd in points scored in a career with 946.
Denver had two seasons remaining on the current contract with McManus. The team will carry a dead cap hit of $2.46 in 2023 with the release. McManus has made over $25 million in career earnings and now has the opportunity to join a new team if he sees fit.
Moving Forward
McManus joins a long list of veteran free-agent kickers looking for their next opportunity, including Mason Crosby, Ryan Succop, Robbie Gould, and Randy Bullock. McManus could likely find a landing spot in camp with a team with an open kicker competition.
As for the Broncos, they have no kicker on the current roster. They signed no kickers as undrafted free agents and didn’t invite anyone at the position to rookie camp. The team could now turn to one of the veteran kickers above to join the team for the 2023 season.
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