Age: 32 (Dec.
17)
10th
season in pro football, 9th with Broncos
College: North
Dakota State
Height: 5’11” Weight: 185
Prelude:
A
small-college star who received All-North Central Conference recognition as a
senior, Braxton was chosen by the Broncos in the 12th round of the
1987 NFL draft. A preseason shoulder injury relegated him to injured reserve
for all of his rookie year, but he played in every game in 1988 as a reserve in
the defensive backfield as well as on special teams and moved into the starting
lineup at cornerback in ’89 where he led the club with six interceptions. A
classic overachiever, his toughness and desire served to overcome a lack of
size and speed. Braxton suffered a knee injury that required surgery three
weeks into the 1990 season but bounced back to start for another three seasons
from ’91 to ’93, intercepting nine passes over that span. He was released and went
to Miami as a free agent in 1994, where he was a reserve, but returned to the
Broncos in ’95 and beat out Rondell Jones to start at free safety.
1996 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Interceptions
– 9 [1, tied with Keith Lyle]
Most
interceptions, game – 1 on nine occasions
Int. return
yards – 128 [7, tied with Anthony Parker]
Most int.
return yards, game – 69 (on 1 int.) vs. Tampa Bay 9/15
Int. TDs – 1
[4, tied with many others]
Sacks – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 1
Forced
fumbles – 3
Tackles – 69
Assists – 15
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs.
Jacksonville)
Interceptions
– 0
Awards &
Honors:
2nd
team All-AFC: UPI
Pro Bowl
Broncos went 13-3
to finish first in the AFC West with the conference’s best record while leading
the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed (1331). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to
Jacksonville Jaguars (30-27).
Aftermath:
Braxton
played three more seasons for the Broncos and was part of two Super
Bowl-winning units in 1997 and ’98. He finally retired after the 1999 season at
age 35, having played a total of 13 seasons in the NFL, 12 of them with Denver.
Braxton appeared in 181 games and intercepted 36 passes, four of which he
returned for touchdowns. 34 of the pickoffs, and all of the TD returns, came
with the Broncos. He added another three interceptions in the postseason, with
one in the Super Bowl XXXII win over the Packers.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
