All-Time Broncos QBs Ranked: Elway #1, Manning #2

Chuck Pastrana

#12 · Denver Broncos
Retired 2 Years In The NFL
Chuck's
HAIR
6.2
HeyTC AI Rating

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Chuck Pastrana Legacy

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Chuck Pastrana was the Annapolis gunslinger who doubled as a lacrosse All-American defenseman at Maryland, shattering ACC passing records with 14 touchdown bombs in '68 while dreaming of Broncos glory. Drafted in the 11th round, he seized three starts in Denver, flashing dual-threat magic before a brutal concussion against the Chargers in 1970—knocked cold without calling timeout, clock ticking out in a heartbreaker—derailed his pro shot and reshaped his fire. Undeterred, he coached on, molding minds at Anne Arundel and Severn. Pastrana passed in 2021 at 76, his grit etching an underdog legend.
Chuck Pastrana passed away on April 8, 2021 at the age of 76.

Chuck Pastrana Rating Breakdown

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Playoffs
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2 years with the Broncos

Chuck Pastrana Career Stats

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Frequently Asked Questions About Chuck Pastrana

How does Bo Nix compare to Chuck Pastrana?

Bo Nix, the Broncos' shiny new starter, looks like a Ferrari next to Chuck Pastrana's '70s Pinto—Nix boasts arm zip and poise from his Oregon days, while Pastrana went 29-for-75 with a 22.5 rating over seven NFL games, mostly mopup in 1970. Nix inherits a shot at real snaps; Pastrana's legacy was that gritty college flash at Maryland, torching the ACC with 17 TD passes in '66.

Is Chuck Pastrana in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Chuck Pastrana never made it to Canton—no bust, no gold jacket for the Maryland gunslinger who flickered briefly with the Broncos. His NFL line was thin: seven games, one TD, nine picks, done by a brutal concussion in '70. Guy was a college stud with 23 career TD tosses, but pro immortality? That's for Elway types, not the Saban tryout survivors.

How would Chuck Pastrana perform in today's NFL?

Pastrana's gunslinger arm from Maryland—17 TDs in '66 alone—might carve a niche today with pass-happy rules, no bump-and-run thugs, and RPOs suiting his rushing grit (89 yards in '70). But that 38.7% completion and nine picks in five starts scream turnover machine against zone coverages. He'd be a wild-card backup, not a starter in Sean Payton's scheme.

How does Chuck Pastrana compare to John Elway?

Pastrana vs. Elway? It's a popgun peashooter dueling a howitzer—Chuck's 22.5 career rating over seven Broncos games vs. Elway's 71.78 across 234. Both wore orange, but Pastrana was Saban's Hail Mary experiment (3 starts in '70), scrambling for 89 yards; Elway built empires, two rings. Pastrana's the trivia footnote to the Duke's legend.