Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Mike Haffner died at 82-years-old after battling illness for the last few years.
Haffner was also a longtime broadcaster for Denver sports after his career in the NFL. Haffner died in Las Vegas.
Former Denver Broncos WR Mike Haffner holds a place in the history of Denver sports
Haffner may not be considered a legend in the NFL world for what he did on the field when he was on the team from 1968 to 1971, but he carved out a space for himself in the story of football during that short period. Haffner played his last season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Haffner was one of the pass catchers for the first ever black quarterback to start for a pro football team in the modern era of football. University of Nebraska-Omaha graduate Marlin Briscoe made history with the Broncos and Haffner was a part of that piece of history.
Haffner is most remembered for a game-winning catch against the defending champion New York Jets. The play was detailed firsthand in an article from the Denver Gazette.
“I remember he had a great catch against the New York Jets, and the Broncos upset the Jets when they were (defending) world champs,” said former Broncos public relations director and longtime team historian Jim Saccomano, referring to a 21-19 Denver win on Sept. 21, 1969. “He went totally airborne and leaped and caught the ball on his fingertips. It was a great catch.”
RIP Mike Haffner 🙏🏻
Denver #Broncos receiver of the late-1960s, and later an NFL and college football color analyst for NBC Sports pic.twitter.com/07vFgiFYpi
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) November 1, 2024
Many Broncos fans who weren’t around for Haffner’s playing days remember him as a Denver sportscaster. Haffner had a multiple-decade-long career in sportscasting after his playing career working as an analyst for NBC as well as a broadcaster for Channel 7 in Denver.
Former colleague Hank Siegel explained the type of person Haffner was in the same Denver Gazette article.
“Mike had a kind heart,” Siegel said. “He had a great sense of humor. He was always optimistic.”
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