After a decade-long drought that felt like the Dust Bowl, Broncos Country has clawed its way back to fevered-pitch fandom with all eyes on the Super Bowl. Because Denver Broncos fans are nothing if not loyal to their home team. “We’ve been through a lot,” Rick Rhoades sighed while shoppi ng for new sweatshirts and T-shirts for his family at the Colorado Springs Scheels store this week. The retired, 30-year-career college football coach from the South who returned to Colorado a few years ago with his wife, Ames, said the couple have enjoyed being Broncos fans since the early 1960s, when they faithfully attended home games. The couple have fond memories of sitting in the South stands where tickets were $2.50 apiece. “The great thing about sports is you attach yourself to something and it almost becomes part of your family,” Rhoades notes. Broncos fans are a diverse bunch, according to franchise statistics. “We have season ticket members from all 50 states,” said Megan Boyle, senior manager of strategic communications for the Denver Broncos Football Club. More than 80% of season ticket holders hail from Colorado, though, she said. Overall, 75% of home game attendees are from Colorado. And the franchise claims a 98% renewal rate of season tickets, which means it can take many years to break into the coveted group. Another interesting statistic is that the largest concentration of Broncos fans outside the metro Denver area come from Mexico, according to Boyle. In all, there are official Broncos clubs in Mexico, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany. When the Rhoades couple first became diehard Broncos followers decades ago, fans also endured a bout of suffering that included ugly brown uniforms before the team switched to orange as the predominant color, and multiple quarterback problems. Then, like now, the Broncos finally found success, as Super Bowl champions in 1998 and 1999. Rhoades ticks off the sad highlights since early 2016, the last time the Broncos reached the top of the contender pile to become National Football League champions. Following the Super Bowl 50 victory 10 years ago, the team has gone through the retirement of star quarterback Peyton Manning, the 2019 death of longtime owner Pat Bowlen, a family feud and the 2022 sale of the franchise to a new ownership group led by some members of the extended Walton family who owns Walmart. Since coach Gary Kubiak stepped down a year after leading the Broncos to their last Super Bowl win, citing health concerns, the team has had six new head coaches and 14 starting quarterbacks. Hope flickered last year when the Broncos returned to the playoffs but died after the team failed to advance beyond the first round. Broncos fan Robert Medrano looks through some racks of Broncos merchandise at the Game Over store at the Chapel Hills Mall on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. The Broncos became an AFC divisional winner last Saturday after defeating the Bills. Broncos merchandise has been selling very well this week before this weekend’s AFC championship game against the Patriots. (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett) This season’s performance brings the team to Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High. “They’ve worked hard for this,” notes Allen Everton, who sells vehicles at Phil Long Ford in Motor City, a steadfast business sponsor of the team. “To do what they’ve done over the past two years under Sean Payton and Bo Nix is amazing.” The disappointment was as palpable as the excitement of beating the Buffalo Bills last Saturday, when Payton announced shortly after the game that Nix had broken his ankle during the second to last play. Now, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, nicknamed “Stiddy,” will get his chance to show what he’s got. But with Broncos’ fans being a devoted and optimistic bunch, that’s no problem. “We got this — I think they can do it,” Everton says. “We want to see them get to the Super Bowl.” At the Jan. 17 playoff game, where Everett had a prime view of the action from the United Club level, the energy of the crowd was a living, breathing presence that could be felt throughout 76,125-seat stadium. “I was lucky to get a ticket from our GM, and it was a good performance and something to see with everyone being so energetic,” he said. “Broncos are crazy in a good way. They believe — no matter what.” Fans also are obedient, following Payton’s orders to not just make some noise but make a lot of noise during last Saturday’s game, which produced what many described as a near-deafening atmosphere inside the stadium. Fans then showed their appreciation for their football heroes by flocking to merch outlets this week, including Game Over at Chapel Hills Mall in northern Colorado Springs. “They’re clearing us out. Everything is selling, and we appreciate their support,” said Brendan Smith, a manager at the sports-related store. He describes Broncos fans as dedicated. “Even though Bo Nix is out, they’re still like, ‘We’re gonna make this happen,’” Smith said. At Wyatt’s Pub and Grill in Rockrimmon, which for eight years has won local “Best Of” awards from surveys including The Gazette’s, the lively atmosphere and free Jell-O shots for every Broncos touchdown create an infectious vibe for nearly 200 bar flies. Owner Todd Wyatt hung his usual sign on Thursday that says while his restaurant and bar are open to any patron during non-game times, his place is a Broncos-only fan zone during games. That means from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. “If you’re here to agitate, go somewhere else,” he says matter-of-factly. Because Colorado Springs is a military town, many people come from someplace else and appreciate the chance to bond at a local spot and share their love of the Broncos and other professional Colorado sports teams. Business this season has “been through the roof,” according to Wyatt, with sales topping the typical 35% boost during games. “The expectations for the Broncos have been high, and they’ve won a lot of close games, which adds to the enthusiasm that carries over into the next week,” he said. “With the Avalanche and Nuggets also doing so well, it’s a great time to have a sports bar.” ...read more read less