| Team: | Denver Broncos |
| Year: | 2001 |
| Record: | 8–8 |
| Division Place: | 3rd AFC West |
| Owner: | Pat Bowlen |
| President: | Pat Bowlen |
| Coach: | Mike Shanahan |
| General Manager: | Neal Dahlen and Mike Shanahan |
| Off Coach: | Gary Kubiak |
| Def Coach: | Ray Rhodes |
| Stadium: | Invesco Field at Mile High |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | WR Rod Smith TE Dwayne Carswell DT Trevor Pryce ILB Al Wilson CB Deltha O'Neal K Jason Elam ST Ian Gold |
| Shortnavlink: | Broncos seasons |
The 2001 season was the Denver Broncos' 32nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 42nd overall. This was the Broncos' first year at the new Invesco Field at Mile High, replacing the old Mile High Stadium. The Broncos, heavily favored to be the AFC Super Bowl XXXVI representative, were aiming to head back to the Super Bowl for the first time in three years, and to win their third title in the Shanahan era. However, the season ended up as highly disappointing, as the team finished with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs. The season was also a start of a multi-year investigation into the team cheating the salary cap during the 1996 season and both their Super Bowl-winning seasons.[1] The team was stripped of their third-round pick in the 2002 draft, and received an initial fine of $968,000.
It was also Terrell Davis' final season before various knee ailments forced him to retire in the 2002 preseason.
See main article: 2001 NFL draft.
The Broncos opened the 2001 NFL season with a Monday Night Football win over the New York Giants on September 10, 2001, in their new stadium, Invesco Field at Mile High. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey suffered a season-ending injury with a broken leg. The late game and location would serve a role in sparing at least two lives the following day during the September 11th attacks.[2]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Giants | W 31–20 | 1–0 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 75,735 | ||
| 2 | September 23 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 38–17 | 2–0 | Sun Devil Stadium | 50,913 | |
| 3 | September 30 | Baltimore Ravens | L 13–20 | 2–1 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 75,082 | |
| 4 | October 7 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 20–6 | 3–1 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 75,037 | |
| 5 | October 14 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 21–34 | 3–2 | Husky Stadium | 61,837 | |
| 6 | October 21 | at San Diego Chargers | L 10–27 | 3–3 | Qualcomm Stadium | 67,521 | |
| 7 | October 28 | New England Patriots | W 31–20 | 4–3 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 74,750 | |
| 8 | at Oakland Raiders | L 28–38 | 4–4 | Network Associates Coliseum | 62,637 | ||
| 9 | November 11 | San Diego Chargers | W 26–16 | 5–4 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 74,951 | |
| 10 | November 18 | Washington Redskins | L 10–17 | 5–5 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 74,622 | |
| 11 | November 22 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 26–24 | 6–5 | Texas Stadium | 64,104 | |
| 12 | December 2 | at Miami Dolphins | L 10–21 | 6–6 | Pro Player Stadium | 73,938 | |
| 13 | December 9 | Seattle Seahawks | W 20–7 | 7–6 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 74,524 | |
| 14 | December 16 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 23–26 (OT) | 7–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | 77,778 | |
| 15 | Bye | ||||||
| 16 | December 30 | Oakland Raiders | W 23–17 | 8–7 | Invesco Field at Mile High | 75,582 | |
| 17 | January 6 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 10–29 | 8–8 | RCA Dome | 56,192 |