October 02, 2025
Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images
A rookie DeVonta Smith celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Broncos in Denver back in 2021.
The history of Eagles-Broncos, at least recently, is a sparser one compared to other NFL matchups.
The two are thousands of miles apart, separated by different conferences, and typically, they've run into one another when one franchise is high while the other is low.
There's a very prominent tie that binds, though, and a whole lot of blowouts before and after.
Here's a look back at some Eagles-Broncos memories ahead of their next meeting on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field...
You have to start with the big one: Dec. 27, 2009, Week 16. The Broncos pay a visit to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, with Philly icon and future Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins running out of the tunnel in a white and blue uniform.
Back in the Andy Reid-Joe Banner days, when the Eagles were notorious for moving on from a defensive player a year too early rather than a year too late, they tossed an offer at Dawkins, who had been the fiery heartbeat of their defense for years, that past offseason but it was never going to do. So he left for Denver.
The Philly faithful welcomed him back with open arms. He lined up across from Donovan McNabb, who remained as the franchise quarterback, and a young LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, and Jeremy Maclin.
The Eagles won on a last-second field goal from David Akers, 30-27.
They had definitely lost an edge from Dawkins not being there anymore, but were still playoff-bound anyway – albeit heading straight for a Wild Card blowout from Dallas.
Also, Macho Harris (yeah, remember him?) got destroyed on a kick return.
This was one of the (many) moments when you just knew the 2017 Eagles were something special.
By Week 9 on Nov. 5, 2017, Carson Wentz had emerged as a clear MVP candidate, while the Eagles were regularly crushing teams and had jumped out to 7-1.
In the last of a three-game home stretch at the Linc, the Eagles took the field in their all black uniforms against the post-Peyton Manning era Broncos.
It was an annihilation.
Wentz, Corey Clement, Jay Ajayi, and just about everyone on the offense (even Nick Foles) dropped 51 points on Denver.
That 2017 team was a train that just wasn't going to stop for anyone – especially not Chris Harris Jr., who found out the hard way.
Down went Denver in this 2017 matchup where the Eagles dominated the Broncos 51-23 at home. The Eagles scored so many touchdowns (7) that we ran out of fireworks! 🤭 pic.twitter.com/9yjckjPf9C
— Eagles History (@EaglesHistory) September 30, 2025
That game was also a rebound from several years prior, Sept. 29, 2013, Week 4 at Denver, to be more specific.
The Broncos were an offensive juggernaut with a still MVP caliber Peyton Manning under center.
The Eagles were a few weeks into the Chip Kelly era and trying to find themselves still from the disastrous year prior that saw Andy Reid get let go.
Yeah, Manning picked that team apart for four touchdown passes in a 52-20 final.
Those Eagles would eventually rally into the playoffs, but that Broncos team was built to go to the Super Bowl. It was a total mismatch.
Week 10 and a visit to Denver in 2021 was one of the points where the Jalen Hurts era of the Eagles started to figure themselves out.
They were a run-first team. Bully opponents in the trenches, let Hurts and the running backs dictate tempo on the ground, sail up a ball or two for star rookie receiver DeVonta Smith to go and grab, and then let the defense pounce on turnovers.
The Eagles, under Hurts as the first-year starter and Nick Sirianni as the first-year coach, rode that plan to a 30-13 win over the Vic Fangio-coached Broncos at Mile High and, eventually, into the playoffs.
This game was also when the Eagles started bringing out the white jerseys-black pants uniform combo.
DEVONTA SMITH OVER SURTAIN.
— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2021
Bama rookies going at it 🔥
📺: #PHIvsDEN on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/0RciJTD75I
John Elway and the Broncos visited the Vet on Sept. 20, 1992. They did not have a very good time.
Randall Cunningham completed three big touchdown passes and threw for 270 yards, while Reggie White and the Eagles' defense held Elway to just 59 passing yards and threw him down to the unforgiving Veterans Stadium AstroTurf three times.
It was an Eagles shutout and an early statement, 30-0, for a team that had its sights set on making a run.
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