Reeves, a protégé of Tom Landry, became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he joined the Denver Broncos in 1981 as vice president and head coach. After acquiring quarterback John Elway in a trade, Reeves guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXI, Super Bowl XXII and Super Bowl XXIV) during his 12-year tenure. He was the only AFC coach in the decade of the 1980s to lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl berths, and furthermore his Broncos appeared in the Super Bowl three times during a span of four years. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protégé and friend Wade Phillips, who was previously the Broncos' defensive coordinator.