Greatest Denver Broncos Players: #48 Gene Mingo, Halfback

Today, we delve into the illustrious history of the Denver Broncos as we highlight the remarkable journey of Gene Mingo, our 48th ranked player in the Mile High Report’s Top 50 Denver Broncos of all time.

Gene Mingo made his mark as a halfback, placekicker, and return specialist for the Denver Broncos from 1960 to 1964. His incredible story in the American Football League (AFL) is one of resilience, transitioning from a high school dropout to enlisting in the Navy without ever having played football. After discovering in the local newspaper that the newly established Broncos franchise had signed a player from the Army, he felt inspired to take a chance and reach out.

After three years of service in the Navy, Gene returned to his hometown of Akron and took a job at the Goodyear plant, a place where both of his parents had once worked. At that time, he believed that his football aspirations had come to an end. However, a serendipitous moment occurred in 1960 when Gene spotted an article in the paper.

“As best as I could read,” he recalls. “I came across the news that the American Football League was forming, and there was a player from Fort Carson Army base who had signed with the Broncos.”

Motivated by this revelation, Gene thought to himself that if an Army player could make it onto the Denver Broncos, so could he. He decided to draft a letter to the Broncos’ general manager, Dean Griffing, pouring over the words carefully, seeking guidance from his older brother, and using the dictionary for assistance.

Once the letter was completed, he sent it off to the Denver Broncos and then patiently awaited a response.

Fortunately, Gene’s wait was not prolonged. During this era, the AFL was in fierce competition with the NFL for talent, and teams were eager to sign any players with prior experience. Griffing took the time to respond personally.

“He sent me a contract for $6,500. That was in 1960,” Gene recalls with a smile. “I signed it right away, not realizing I was about to etch my name into history shortly thereafter.”

Gene’s entire narrative embodies the theme of seizing opportunities. These opportunities led him to successfully kick extra points and field goals, return both kickoffs and punts, and ultimately play as the team’s running back. Notably, he made history by scoring a touchdown on a punt return during the first AFL championship game, helping propel the Broncos to a 13-10 victory over the Boston Patriots.

Explore Gene Mingo’s Impressive Rushing & Receiving Statistics

Year	Games Played	Attempts	Yards Gained	Touchdowns	Longest Rush	Yards Per Attempt	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Yards Per Reception	Receiving Touchdowns
Year	Games Played	Attempts	Yards Gained	Touchdowns	Longest Rush	Yards Per Attempt	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Yards Per Reception	Receiving Touchdowns
1960	14	83	323	4	39	3.9	19	156	8.2	1
1961	10	18	51	0	15	2.8	8	110	13.8	2
1962	14	54	287	4	82	5.3	14	107	7.6	0
1963	14	24	90	0	17	3.8	3	11	3.7	0
1964	7	6	26	0	9	4.3	3	15	5	0
DENVER CAREER TOTALS	59	185	777	8	82	4.2	47	399	8.5	3

Analyze Gene Mingo’s Kicking & Return Statistics

Year	Games Played	Field Goals Made	Field Goals Attempted	Field Goal Percentage	Longest Field Goal	Extra Points Made	Extra Points Attempted	Extra Point Percentage	Punt Returns	Punt Return Yards	Punt Return Touchdowns	Kick Returns	Kick Return Yards	Kick Return Touchdowns
Year	Games Played	Field Goals Made	Field Goals Attempted	Field Goal Percentage	Longest Field Goal	Extra Points Made	Extra Points Attempted	Extra Point Percentage	Punt Returns	Punt Return Yards	Punt Return Touchdowns	Kick Returns	Kick Return Yards	Kick Return Touchdowns
1960	14	18	28	64.3	51	33	36	91.7	3	92	1	9	209	0
1961	10	3	11	27.3	34	11	11	100	1	1	0	4	120	0
1962	14	27	39	69.2	53	32	34	94.1	7	36	0	6	99	0
1963	14	16	29	55.2	52	35	35	100	7	85	0	7	151	0
1964	7	8	12	66.7	51	9	10	90	0	0	0	8	163	0
DENVER CAREER TOTALS	59	72	119	60.5	53	120	126	95.2	18	214	1	34	742	0

In one remarkable game, Gene Mingo demonstrated his versatility by throwing a stunning 50-yard touchdown pass to Lionel Taylor, immediately following it up by successfully kicking the extra point. His impressive performance led him to finish as the AFL’s leading scorer in both 1960 and 1962, earning him All-Star honors in those standout seasons.

After his time with the Broncos concluded in 1964, Mingo continued his football career by playing for various teams, including the Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, and Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring in 1970. His legacy was solidified when he was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 2017, a testament to his outstanding contributions to the franchise.