Dave Preston was the best player to wear jersey No. 46 for the Denver Broncos.
Preston was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 12th round of the 1977 NFL draft out of BGSU, but he never played a down for the Patriots. He joined the Broncos in 1978 and spent six seasons in Denver.
Preston rushed 479 times for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 161 receptions for 1,423 yards and three more scores in 76 games (35 starts). The versatile running back totaled 3,966 all-purpose yards and scored 13 touchdowns during his time with the team.
After six years with the Broncos, Preston spent one year with the USFL’s Denver Gold in 1984 before hanging up his cleats.
John Rowser had a more accomplished career, winning an NFL title in 1967 and Super Bowl II in 1968, but he won those championships with the Green Bay Packers. Rowser later finished his career in Denver (1974-1976).
Another former No. 46 that deserves a shout-out is Spencer Larsen, who became the first player in franchise history to start on both offense and defense in the same game. Larsen started at fullback and linebacker against the Atlanta Falcons as a rookie, and he also played on special teams. Larsen played in Denver from 2008-2011.
Fremont's Rob Lytle and Defiance's Dave Preston were a dynamic duo for the Denver Broncos pic.twitter.com/9xKfaZIPq3
— Northwest Ohio Sports (@northwest_ohio) January 6, 2023
Preston gets the nod because he spent six seasons with the Broncos and he ranks 18th on the team’s all-time rushing list.
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