Former Broncos Kicker Jim Turner Has Handed Away

The Denver Broncos and their long-time followers are mourning the dying of a participant that helped put them on the map throughout their early years.

Placekicker Jim Turner, who performed for the crew from 1971 to 1979, handed away on Saturday.

We’re deeply saddened by the passing of #BroncosROF Okay Jim Turner.

Retiring because the second-leading scorer in NFL historical past, Jim was instrumental in serving to set up our profitable custom as a key member of our first Tremendous Bowl crew.

Our hearts exit to all the Turner household. pic.twitter.com/P3Sq9w5Wh4

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 12, 2023

The Broncos have been established as a franchise within the previous American Soccer League (AFL) for the 1960 season, and a decade later, they joined the established NFL when each leagues merged.

Again then, they weren’t an excellent crew, however Turner was a chunk that might assist flip issues round.

He began his profession with the New York Jets, who have been additionally an AFL crew, in 1964, and in 1968 he had a season to recollect by changing 34 area objectives within the common season.

He then scored 10 of the Jets’ 16 factors in Tremendous Bowl III after they upset the closely favored Baltimore Colts.

With Denver, Turner continued to be one of many NFL’s extra correct field-goal kickers, and by 1977, he helped them turn into an elite crew for the primary time.

That yr, they went to their first Tremendous Bowl, the place they obtained blown out by the Dallas Cowboys, 27-10.

However the spotlight of that season got here after they faked a area objective try and he subsequently caught a landing cross in opposition to the Oakland Raiders.

Turner would play two extra seasons with the Broncos earlier than retiring following the 1979 season.

When he retired, he had scored 304 area objectives, which was, on the time, essentially the most in league historical past.

He quickly turned a commentator for NBC’s NFL telecasts, and he was inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988.

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