History often repeats itself. That’s good news for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos have a history of success in acquiring good quarterbacks late in their careers from other teams. The most recent acquisition, Russell Wilson, will prove to be another boon that is coming at the optimal time.

There isn’t a Broncos fan alive who doesn’t know the Peyton Manning story. It was one of the most important events in the team’s history. However, many fans don’t know that there have been other veteran quarterbacks who’ve turned around the Mile High City’s fortunes.

Join me for a trip down memory lane.

Charley Johnson | 1972

The Broncos were a struggling franchise without a winning season for the first 13 years of their existence. Then Johnson arrived in 1972, a quarterback who had a solid and lengthy career with St. Louis and Houston.

Johnson was one of only a handful of quarterbacks to throw for multiple 3,000-yard seasons to that point in history. But his career was winding down when he came to Denver.