Broncos mourn loss of former head coach John Ralston

[Denver Native (Carol)]

John Ralston, the former Broncos head coach and general manager who led the franchise to its first winning season, died at the age of 92 on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Ralston’s tenure, which began with the 1972 season, signaled a shift in the Broncos’ fortune. Prior to his arrival, the team had a .304 win percentage and a reputation as a cellar-dweller in the fledgling American Football League and, after the AFL-NFL merger, in the NFL, too. But over the course of the next five years, Ralston led them to win 50.7 percent of their games.

The franchise reached new heights with Ralston as head coach, including the team's first winning season in 1973 and a then-franchise-record nine wins in 1976. For his efforts in 1973, Ralston was named AFC Coach of the Year by the AP, UPI and PFWA.

rest - https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-mourn-loss-of-former-head-coach-john-ralston

[Poet]

Good night, sweet prince.

[MOtorboat]

https://youtu.be/OBn6gsWO_TI

...might not be up very long, but here’s an NFL films segment on him.

[BroncoJoe]

First HC to get the Broncos to a winning season.

RIP, Coach Ralston. And thanks.

[Dreadnought]

First HC to get the Broncos to a winning season.

RIP, Coach Ralston. And thanks.

Good coach and a sentimental favorite of mine. His teams with Charley Johnson were...almost good enough, but I sure loved them. Not quite there yet, but they marked a reversal in the loser mind set of the early Broncos. I firmly believe that losing and failure become entrenched in bad organizations, which is how they remain bad organizations - no matter how many high draft picks they gather up in the process. John Ralston broke that loser mold for us. Thanks, Coach!

[BroncoJoe]

Good coach and a sentimental favorite of mine. His teams with Charley Johnson were...almost good enough, but I sure loved them. Not quite there yet, but they marked a reversal in the loser mind set of the early Broncos. I firmly believe that losing and failure become entrenched in bad organizations, which is how they remain bad organizations - no matter how many high draft picks they gather up in the process. John Ralston broke that loser mold for us. Thanks, Coach!

I, personally, place him far above Red Miller. Even though Miller got us our first playoff win and superbowl appearance, it was largely because of what Ralston set up and "gave" to him - they went to their first SB the year after Ralston left the Broncos.

Very similar to the Dungy/Gruden situation in TB.

[chazoe60]

Rip

[Dreadnought]

I, personally, place him far above Red Miller. Even though Miller got us our first playoff win and superbowl appearance, it was largely because of what Ralston set up and "gave" to him - they went to their first SB the year after Ralston left the Broncos.

Very similar to the Dungy/Gruden situation in TB.

I'm not sure I agree - but its not a crazy theory either. Both very good coaches IMO - as was Dan Reeves, frankly

[7DnBrnc53]

Thank goodness Ralston got the job when he did. At the time, the Broncos were also looking at Bill Peterson, one of the worst coaches in NFL history.

He was successful in college at Florida St. and Rice, but he had several good assistants who would go on to have great careers, like Joe Gibbs, Bobby Bowden, Don James, and Bill Parcells. However, when he became Oilers coach in 1972, he was overmatched (he may have had all the success because of his assistants, not his own ability). He was known during that time for being the master of the malaprop (he would say things like get in groups of three and get in a circle).

The Oilers fired him midway through the 73 season, and their turnaround began under Sid Gillman and Bum Phillips.

If the Broncos would have hired Peterson, this team doesn't see SB XII. They may not have been good until the 80's.