At the end of the 2008 NFL season, the Denver Broncos collapsed miserably, resulting in the firing of head coach Mike Shanahan. It was a disastrous end to a season, that included three straight losses in the last three weeks, the last of which resulted in playoff hopes vanishing into the thin Denver air.
Shanahan’s firing paved the way for new head coach Josh McDaniels, who promptly blew up a roster that was a lot better than anyone gave it credit for. McDaniels’ first order of business was to alienate and get rid of quarterback Jay Cutler, the team’s first round pick in 2006, and a major catalyst of controversy in the Mile High City.