Ron Dayne runs the ball 55 yards to set up the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Cowboys on Nov. 24, 2005. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)
Thanksgiving, 2005. That was Ron Dayne’s day.
The former Heisman winner failed to live up to expectations in the pros, but on Nov. 24 in his lone year with the Broncos, Dayne was the star. The running back out of Wisconsin ran 55 yards in overtime against the Cowboys in Texas to set up a 24-yard field goal by Jason Elam to give Denver the 24-21 victory.
Dayne, who was filling in for the injured Tatum Bell, won the All-Iron Award, given to the MVP of Thanksgiving Day, for his 98-yard, one-touchdown performance against Dallas.
Also in that game, Champ Bailey returned a 65-yard interception for a touchdown in the first quarter, his sixth of the season at the point, which tied for most in the league.
Dayne, meanwhile, played in 10 games for the Broncos that season and recorded 270 yards on 53 carries with that one touchdown. He was re-signed by the Broncos in the 2006 offseason but was cut that September. He finished his career in 2008 after playing two seasons with the Texans.
