Darian Stewart deserves a shoutout as one of the best players to ever wear No. 26 for the Denver Broncos. The safety played in Denver from 2015-2018, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 during his first season.
The best player to ever wear No. 26 for the Broncos, though, was former running back Clinton Portis. Denver picked Portis in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft out of Miami.
He went on to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award after totaling 1,872 yards from scrimmage and scoring 17 touchdowns in 2002. In his second season, Portis totaled 1,905 scrimmage yards and scored 14 times.
After his second year with the Broncos, Portis was traded to Washington as part of a blockbuster deal that sent Champ Bailey to Denver. Despite only playing two seasons with the Broncos, Portis ranks eighth on the team’s all-time rushing list (3,099 yards) and sixth in rushing touchdowns (29).
Portis went on to play seven seasons in D.C. and he finished his career with 9,923 rushing yards and 75 touchdowns. Both of those totals would have ranked No. 1 on Denver’s all-time list had he spent his entire career with the Broncos and posted the same production.
His time with the team was brief, but Portis was the best player to ever wear No. 26 in Denver.
