Broncos Schedule: Team history in season openers vs. Chiefs, Monday Night Football

Broncos Schedule: Team history in season openers vs. Chiefs, Monday Night Football originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Denver Broncos and all of their fans will soon be able to see the team's full schedule for the 2026 season as the league will release that schedule on Thursday evening. It has already been announced that the Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday Night Football in Week 1. 

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With that announcement—and plenty of time to foreshadow that September matchup—looking back on the team's history in season-opening games, particularly against the Chiefs and Monday Night Football, seems like a fun idea. So let's do that. 

How many times have the long-time rivals kicked off a season against each other? How many times have the Broncos opened a season on a Monday night? Let's take a look. 

Broncos' history vs. Chiefs in Week 1

The Broncos and Chiefs have played each other 132 times. They have met in Week 1 in just five of those. Things got off to a terrible start in 1963 for the Broncos, but the team has won each of the meetings since then. 

DateVenueScore9/7/63University of Denver StadiumChiefs 59, Broncos 79/21/75Mile High StadiumBroncos 37, Chiefs 339/10/89Mile High StadiumBroncos 34, Chiefs 208/31/97Mile High StadiumBroncos 19, Chiefs 39/12/04Invesco Field at Mile HighBroncos 34, Chiefs 24

The Chiefs bludgeoned the Broncos in the first matchup listed here in the old AFL, but it has been all Broncos since. 

In the 1989 matchup, the Broncos weren't able to do much offensively, but they had an interception return for a touchdown by Tyrone Braxton in the first quarter and another by Randy Robbins in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. 

In 1997, the Broncos were again sluggish as the NFL kicked off its season in August, but Jason Elam kicked four field goals to lead the team to a 1-0 start. Seven years later, in 2004, forgotten running back Quentin Griffin had the best game of his short career, rushing for 156 yards and scoring three touchdowns. 

The Broncos and Chiefs have not opened a season against each other in nearly 22 years and this will be the first time the Broncos have ever played at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 1, which is hard to believe. 

Broncos' Week 1 history on Monday Night Football

The Broncos have more of a history in Week 1 games on Monday Night Football, but they have never faced the Chiefs in a Week 1 Monday night game.

From 1998-2001, the Broncos opened on Monday night four years in a row. Head coaches Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett also had their debuts come on MNF. 

DateOpponentVenueResult9/7/98New EnglandMile High StadiumWin, 27-219/13/99MiamiMile High StadiumLoss, 38-219/4/00St. LouisTrans World DomeLoss, 41-269/10/01N.Y. GiantsInvesco Field at Mile HighWin, 31-209/11/17L.A. ChargersSports Authority Field Win, 24-219/9/19OaklandRingCentral ColiseumLoss, 24-169/14/20TennesseeEmpower FieldLoss, 16-149/12/22SeattleLumen FieldLoss, 17-16

The Broncos hold a 3-5 record all-time in season openers on Monday Night Football and have lost their last three games. The most memorable of these games was the one against the Giants to open the 2001 season as the tragedies of 9/11 took place in New York the following morning. 

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The Broncos have never opened a season with a road win on a Monday night. As you can see, there will be a lot of firsts in this battle with the Chiefs. 

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