ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --In two seasons with the Broncos, Emmanuel Sanders has become indispensable to the Broncos' offense.
He was their most productive wide receiver during last season's playoff run to Super Bowl 50. He has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, capitalizing off a more prominent role than he ever had in Pittsburgh and making a Pro Bowl appearance in the process.
And now he has a new contract.
Executive Vice President/General Manager John Elway announced via Twitter Wednesday that they agreed to terms with Sanders on a three-year contract extension that will keep Sanders in Denver until 2019.
The deal allows Sanders to continue his career in the city where he emerged as one of the NFL's best and most versatile receivers, possessing the ability to make plays deep up the sideline and underneath in traffic.
During the last two years, Sanders racked up 2,539 yards and 15 touchdowns on 177 receptions. He already ranks in the franchise's top 10 in postseason receptions and receiving yards, despite only playing in four playoff games as a Bronco to this point.
Sanders was mainly the No. 3 receiver in his first four seasons with the Steelers, and pounced at the opportunity to move up when he signed with the Broncos in 2014.
He established career highs in receptions, yardage and touchdowns during his first season as a Bronco, when he and Demaryius Thomas became just the second pair of 100-catch, 1,000-yard receivers for a single season in Broncos history, joining Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith in 2000.
In January and February, he racked up 230 yards on 16 receptions during the Broncos' postseason run. He had more receiving yardage than the next four players combined.
But Sanders will prove especially valuable in the near future given the changes at quarterback. With Sanders and Thomas both signed to deals that last throught the end of this decade, Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch and Austin Davis will have a receiving duo that is arguably the best in the game at their disposal.
Now that Emmanuel Sanders has been named No. 74 in the NFL's Top 100, relive some of his best moments from the 2015 season.
Best of all, Sanders wanted to be a Bronco. After two seasons in which he showed the NFL exactly how prolific he could be, he wanted to continue his career in the place that made his peak performance possible.
Throughout the offseason and during the preseason, Sanders consistently maintained his desire to stay with the Broncos and reach an extension. His initial three-year, $15 million contract expires after this season.
"The city of Denver has been really good to me," he said in April. "I want to be a Bronco. I want to be a Bronco for a long time. I want to retire a Bronco. Hopefully everything works out. I'm sure both sides will come to something."
Ultimately, they did.
