During the time of iron man football, or the one platoon system where players played on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, the fullback was one of the most important positions. The fullback was not only responsible for doing the grubby work as a lead blocker, but also for punting and drop-kicking duties as well.

However, things have changed quite drastically in recent years.

The fullback position has become a dying bread. In a pass-oriented league that has been drubbed with concussion issues, the game has almost lost all need for a head-banging brawler. The position has transitioned from human battering ram to hybrid running back with pass-catching abilities, and it is likely going to continue that way.

Fullback has certainly never been thought of as a glamorous position and has long been under-appreciated, but those that played it well have always been respected. Let’s take a look at some of the greatest Broncos fullbacks of all-time.

Howard Griffith

Howard Griffith played an intricate part in helping the Broncos secure back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the late 90s.

The 6-foot, 240 pound fullback out of the University of Illinois was statistically irrelevant as a Broncos running back with only 35 rushing attempts in five seasons, but his extraordinary production as a lead blocker is without question.

Without Griffith, Terrell Davis is likely another running back lost in the shuffle. TD never becomes “TD” and Elway walks away from the game without a Super Bowl ring. Broncos history is entirely different.

Thankfully that is not the case.

After Griffith was signed to Denver in 1997, he immediately made a significant impact. The Broncos offense was explosive, primarily due to their top-five rushing attack. The Broncos averaged over 4.5-yards per carry on their way to over 2,300 rushing yards. Things only excelled in the playoffs as the Broncos posted nearly 750 yards on the ground in four games, highlighted by a 310-yard performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. All of this was in large part due to Griffith pounding his way through defenders and eating up blocks for Davis. This ultimately helped the Broncos capture their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

The Broncos rushing attack only got more threatening during Griffith’s second season in Denver.

Although he had as many touches out of the backfield as the third-string quarterback at the time, Brian Griese, Griffith lead the charge for Terrell Davis to have one of the most productive years in NFL history. The Broncos finished with 2,468 yards rushing, with Davis responsible for 81 percent of those yards himself. Davis performance was recognized nationally as he was awarded with the Associated Press Most Valuable Player of the Year.

Davis knew the importance that Griffith played in his success.

“He’s the best fullback in the league,” Davis told ESPN before Super Bowl XXXIII. “If you watch him play, it speaks for itself. You notice the games Howard didn’t play. With Howard in there, I think I’m more confident and feel better once he’s in the game. When he isn’t in the game, it’s like my shield is gone.”

Former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan echoed this idea when he told the media that Griffith was the Broncos “unsung hero” and that “players know him and respect him because he comes to play every week.”

Griffith was very much a hero in Super Bowl XXXIII as he crossed the goal line on two separate occasions to help propel the Broncos to a 34-19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons and snag their second Super Bowl title in two years. Although this was six touchdowns shy of his NCAA record setting performance against Southern Illinois in 1990, it is still worth noting.

During Griffith’s stint in Denver, the Broncos won two Super Bowl titles and were a top five rushing offense in three of his four seasons played. Even after Terrell Davis suffered what was ultimately a career-ending knee injury, Griffith helped the Broncos transition flawlessly to Mike Anderson.

With the fullback position slowly fading from the game of professional football, it is likely that the city of Denver will never see a better fullback put on the pads than that of Howard Griffith.

Aaron Craver

Before Howard Griffith was the lead blocker for Terrell Davis, the reigns were held by Aaron Craver. Although Craver carried the ball more than Griffith, he made a bigger name for himself with his blocking ability throughout his term in Denver.

During the 1995 season, Craver’s first in Denver, the Broncos had a top-five rushing attack despite their 8-8 record. With Davis getting a bulk of the 440 total carries, Craver made the most of his limited opportunities by producing 752 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.

The following season, he was less of a contributor statistically but lead the Broncos to a league-leading 2,362 rushing yards behind his strong blocking. His jaw-dropping strength and unfailing hands left him as one of Elway’s favorite targets on short third down attempts.

Craver’s Denver career ended on a sour note, however, when the Broncos were upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-27 in the AFC Divisional Round of the 1996 season. In one of the most shocking and disappointing afternoons for Broncos fans, Craver was nearly entirely absent as he finished the game with 3 catches for 17 yards, while Davis was held to only 91 yards rushing.

Although he played three more seasons, he was never shy about his appreciation for his Denver teammates. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Craver stated, “After all I’ve done and been through, coming to Denver was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

His football ability was not even the most impressive part of his NFL career.

During a pre-draft workout, Craver saved the life of Cowboys running back coach, Joe Brodsky, with procedures he had learned in his first aid class at Fresno State. While watching the workout at a junior college in Los Angeles, Brodsky suffered a seizure due to a damaged vein in the back of his brain. Craver immediately came to his side, put a sweatshirt under his head and placed a calculator in between his mouth to prevent him from swallowing his tongue. It is safe to say that his most productive afternoon on a football field did not include a football at all.

Not only did Aaron Craver put together two great seasons of football for the city of Denver, but he also helped build a disruptive rushing attack that ultimately lead to back-to-back Super Bowl wins the following seasons.

Jon Keyworth

During the Broncos march to the Super Bowl in 1977, Jon Keyworth wrote a single titled, “Make Miracles Happen.” The song was quickly one of the fastest-selling singles in Denver. The lyrics and melody captured the magic that was drifting throughout the Mile High air, and the anthem rang loudly throughout the city during an era where it was still seen as a “Cow Town.”

The ode to impossible accomplishments fit perfectly with the Broncos new-found National attention after a 20-17 beatdown of the hated Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship game. Although the Broncos fell to the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in their first Super Bowl appearance, the 1977 season meant something to the city of Denver.

“It was as if Denver had its first born,” Keyworth told the Denver Post.

Now, nearly 40 years later, the lyrics “You gotta make those miracles happen” still funnel through the heads of Broncos fans everywhere.

The 6’3, 230-pound fullback out of the University of Colorado played every snap of his NFL career in a Broncos jersey. His career started off strongly as he rushed for 10 touchdowns in his rookie season and posted 483 all-purpose yards. He was one of the longest tenured fullbacks in Broncos history and hardly missed a game in his seven-year career.

Although “Keys” was statistically fairly average as a fullback, the impact that he made on the city of Denver will forever be remembered.

The Broncos have a rich history of running backs, but sometimes the men behind the scenes seem to get forgotten. With a role that is changing more each year, we may never see a fullback with better blocking ability than Howard Griffith, stronger hands than Aaron Craver, or more phenomenal pipes than Jon Keyworth. Broncos Country has truly been blessed with some of the greatest fullbacks ever.