Age: 25
4th
season in pro football & with Broncos
College: Florida
A & M
Height: 6’2” Weight: 208
Prelude:
Denson
starred as a wide receiver in college, catching 68 passes for 1420 yards and 18
touchdowns. He was chosen by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1964 AFL
draft (the Philadelphia Eagles picked him in the NFL draft, also in the sixth
round).and caught 25 passes as a rookie flanker. However, he was shifted to
backup tight end and his productivity dropped to nine receptions in ’65, but
moving into a starting role he had 36 catches for 725 yards (20.1 avg.) and
three touchdowns in 1966. Denson returned to flanker, his natural position, in
’67.
1967 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 46
[8, tied with Eric Crabtree & Mike Garrett]
Most
receptions, game – 7 (for 134 yds.) vs. NY Jets 9/24, (for 102 yds.) at Buffalo
11/19, (for 97 yds.) at San Diego 11/23
Yards – 899 [6]
Most yards,
game – 134 (on 7 catches) vs. NY Jets 9/24
Average gain
– 19.5 [4]
TDs – 11 [1,
tied with Otis Taylor]
100-yard
receiving games – 4
Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – -2
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 11 [3]
Points – 66 [10]
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-AFL: NEA
2nd
team All-AFL: AP, UPI, NY Daily News
2nd
team All-Western Division: Sporting News
AFL All-Star
Game
Broncos went 3-11
to finish fourth in the AFL Western Division.
Aftermath:
Denson was
injured in the first week of the 1968 season and appeared in just eight games,
but still caught a respectable 34 passes for 586 yards (17.2 avg.) and five
touchdowns. He followed up with 53 catches for 809 yards (15.3 avg.) and 10 TDs
in ’69, and received some second-team All-AFL recognition as well as selection
to the last AFL All-Star Game. Following a 47-catch, 646-yard season in 1970,
Denson was traded to Minnesota but was little used and left the team, bringing
his career to an end. Overall, he caught 260 passes for 4275 yards (16.4 avg.)
and 32 touchdowns, with 250 for 4150 yards and all of the TDs coming with the
Broncos. Denson received first-team All-AFL recognition from the NEA after one
season, was a second-team choice three times, and was selected to two AFL
All-Star Games.
--
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
