Steve Tensi obit

Broncos mourn passing of former QB Steve Tensi

 

He was not on the list.

Former Broncos quarterback Steve Tensi, who started more than 30 games across four seasons with Denver from 1967-70, has passed away.

He was 81 years old.

Tensi joined the Broncos in 1967 after the team acquired him in a trade from the San Diego Chargers, and he started 32 games in four years for Denver before injuries forced him to retire.

In 1967, Tensi threw a career-high 16 touchdown passes in his first season in Denver. Two years later, he posted a career-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in 12 starts in 1969.

In 1969, Tensi ranked in the top five in the AFL in passing touchdowns and passer rating.

Tensi also started a pair of games in 1970, which marked the Broncos' first year in the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger.

Before his time in Denver, Tensi starred at quarterback for Elder High School, and he also played forward on his undefeated high school basketball team. Born in Cincinnati, Tensi received 28 football scholarship offers and four basketball offers before deciding to attend Florida State University.

Tensi met his wife, Barbara Jean, during the first day of freshman orientation in Tallahassee, and they eloped on Feb. 9, 1963. They remained married for 61 years.

On the field, Tensi led the Seminoles to a 9-1-1 record and a Gator Bowl win during his senior season. He earned MVP honors for throwing five touchdowns in the Gator Bowl, and that FSU bowl record remains intact. Tensi was inducted into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Gator Bowl Hall of Fame in 1995.

After being drafted by both the AFL's Chargers (30th overall) and NFL's Colts (224th overall), Tensi signed with the Chargers and began his AFL career.

Tensi was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Colts and the AFL's San Diego Chargers. Rather than go to the Colts—led then by Johnny Unitas—Tensi signed with the Chargers immediately after the Gator Bowl. Seminoles coach Bill Peterson learned his pro set offense from Chargers' coach Sid Gillman, and the Seminoles used some of the same terminology in their offense as the Chargers as well. However, Tensi played little in San Diego, backing up quarterback John Hadl. Tensi did not throw a single pass in 1965, but threw 5 touchdown passes against only one interception in limited duty in 1966. On October 2, 1966, Tensi became the first quarterback since Fran Tarkenton to throw 4 touchdown passes in his first career start.

The Denver Broncos were in the market for a new quarterback for 1967. In 1966, they started four different quarterbacks and played a total of five. These five signal callers combined for a ratio of 12 touchdown passes to 30 interceptions, and finished last in the American Football League in scoring. On August 15, 1967, shortly before the 1967 season, new coach and general manager Lou Saban traded Denver's #1 draft picks in the 1968 and 1969 common AFL-NFL draft for Tensi. These proved to be valuable picks for San Diego, becoming the #4 and #9 overall selections respectively.[9] Tensi started 12 of 14 games for the Broncos in 1967, who finished 3–11 and allowed the most points in the AFL. However, their offensive numbers were an improvement over 1966. According to former Broncos executive Jim Saccomano, Tensi's effectiveness and health in Denver was hamstrung by weak pass protection. In 1968, Tensi's football career took a major hit as his collarbone was broken twice—first in a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers and later in a regular season game. Tensi's injuries helped open the door for rookie Marlin Briscoe to play quarterback for the Broncos and become the first African-American quarterback in modern American pro football history. However, Tensi was back as the starting quarterback for 1969 after Briscoe was traded to Buffalo. But after winning only 4 of his 13 starts that year, Tensi was replaced as the starter by Pete Liske partway through the 1970 season. His last game was against the Oakland Raiders on November 15, 1970. After the season, Tensi recalled, "The injury affected my shoulder, and I just couldn't throw with strength anymore. I told Lou (Saban) to find someone else. I was retiring

After retiring from the professional football, Tensi worked as a quarterbacks coach for Wichita State University for a pair of seasons and later coached wide receivers for the World Football League's Chicago Fire. Tensi then began a career in construction, first in Miami, Florida, before moving to Boone, North Carolina in 1988.

Tensi is survived by his wife, Barbara Jean; siblings, Marilyn, David and Larry; children Barbara, Steve Jr., Holly and Jonathan; and more than a dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family will hold a celebration of life on March 23 in Boone. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Tensi was born on Dec. 8, 1942.