Denver Broncos Cut Super Bowl Champion Player

By Brian Jones

The Denver Broncos have released the last remaining player from the Super Bowl 50 championship team. On Tuesday, the Broncos announced they have cut placekicker Brandon McManus who has been with the team for nine seasons. McManus shared the news before the official announcement, and several players told ESPN on Tuesday morning they reached out to the 31-year-old kicker. 

"Brandon has been a key player and presence with the Broncos for nearly a decade, making outstanding contributions to our team and community," General Manager George Paton said in a statement. "Developing into one of the NFL's most productive kickers, Brandon made so many clutch kicks for this franchise over the years as a Super Bowl champion and team captain. He will always hold a special place in Denver Broncos history. We thank Brandon for all he did for the Broncos, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future."  

McManus joined the Broncos in 2014 after spending time with the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants. When the Broncos won the Super Bowl during the 2015 season, McManus went 10-for-10 in field goal attempts over the three postseason games, including 5-of-5 in attempts of 40 or more yards. McManus also made all three of his field goal attempts in the Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers. 

Since the Super Bowl win, the Broncos have not reached the playoffs, and McManus has seen four different head coaches. In 2022, McManus made 28 of his 36 field goal attempts, and it's the first time since 2017 he made less than 80 percent of his field goals. McManus had two years remaining on his contract that he signed in 2020 and was scheduled to count $4.98 million against the salary cap. He's the vice president of the NFL Players Association and a member of the organization's executive board. 

The Broncos had made some big changes this offseason. Along with cutting McManus, the team has hired Sean Payton to be their next head coach. Payton won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints during the 2009 season and won 152 games in his 15 years with the team. The Broncos are also hoping quarterback Russell Wilson can get back on track after a rocky 2022 season. After spending 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson joined the Broncos via trade last year and posted career lows in touchdown passes (16) and passer rating (84.4). 

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