January 23, 2025 • 23 mins
On this episode of Altitude Advantage, team reporter Elisa Hernandez and lead writer Aric DiLalla look back at the start of the offseason and discuss several Broncos being nominated for league-wide awards. Intro/Look back at start to offseason (00:00-10:03) Early look at HC Sean Payton, CB Pat Surtain II, QB Bo Nix being named AP award finalists (10:04-23:29) Want more of “Altitude Advantage”? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to leave a rating, review and a comment.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we are with another episode of Altitude Advantage. I'm
your team reporter and host, Alisa Nandez, and across the
computer from me is our lead writer on Denver Broncos
dot Com, Eric Dalala.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
And we've missed you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
There's a lot to kind of go over and that
the season has concluded for the Devor Broncos.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
The twenty twenty four season is in the books.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And now we kind of look into award season. We've
gotten in some great nods to patchri ten the second
which we'll get into that in a second, and some
finalists awards for NFL Honors coming up. So there's a
lot to talk about, especially with the end of the
season press conferences that also happened not too long ago.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
So yeah, I mean, just kicking things off.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
The season flew by so fast and from where we
started to where we ended. I think Broncos Country is
very optimistic of the future and kind of what they're
building in Denver.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Absolutely, And I know it's been a little bit since
we've done a podcast and people were able to see
us on our instant analysis and this instant analysis after
the end of season press conferences, and we've had plenty
of content up there. But it's nice to be back
on the podcast, even though it's virtual. We'll be in
person again soon, but nice to be talking to everybody again.
(01:10):
But yeah, I think that listen as we were about
what a week and a half removed now from the
end of the season, and I think that, like we said,
we'll go into some of those lasting takeaways from the
end of season press conferences towards the end here, but
I think just overall, I still feel like this was
a successful season and a building block, a big stepping
(01:32):
stone toward what this team can accomplish. And it's nice
to be in this place where you won ten games
and you made the playoffs, and you know, we're going
to talk about some of these awards, but you've got
guys being named first Team All Pros, and you've got
guys being named, you know, to the All NFL and
All AFC teams, and you've got obviously Pats or Tan
(01:52):
winning like every award you can possibly win, and you
just kind of you look back and you're like, wow,
this this team was really good and like accomplished a
lot and has a lot of really good foundational pieces
on this team. And I think sometimes it's hard for
me at least, where like you're so dialed into the
Broncos each and every week, and you're so dialed in
on your team, and like, obviously, you know Marvin Mims
(02:15):
is a really good punt returner, but you just don't
have time always to look at every other punt returner
around the league. And then you look up and it's like,
Marvin Mims did league, the entire league and punt return average, right,
like you know what, you know, you know how well
Bonix is playing for a rookie, and then you look
up and it's like, oh, he's sixth in the NFL
(02:35):
in touchdown passes among any skill and experience level. And
so it's nice, I think these couple of weeks to
take a step back and kind of look at what
this team accomplished. And I think, obviously still still disappointing
to lose in Buffalo, but obviously that's that's a good
football team that's going to be competing this weekend for
a chance to go to the Super Bowl. And so
(02:56):
for this team to accomplish what it has to see
some guys get wrecking one for what they've done this year.
And you know, have optimism moving forward. It's it's really
it's nice, right all he said, because the expectations weren't
super high nationally, and we could have been at a
place where you finish this season with five or six
wins and you're at a real you know, crossroads. Maybe
(03:17):
you don't know as much about your franchise quarterback, maybe
you don't know as much about the talent on this roster,
and instead the way things played out, I think you
feel really good moving forward. So that's really encouraging from
my standpoint.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, and I think when you look at you said
it perfectly, when you're able to take a step back
and really see what this team was able to accomplish,
like wow, Like the different ways that they were able
to really attack this season was really impressive. From the defense,
you know, setting the new franchise record for most sacks
in the single season, something that was said decades ago,
(03:50):
and for this unit to do it, and knowing that
some of those key pieces are going to be signed
or were signed during the season is also great, I
think for this team. And just like the arrival of
Nick and the season that he had and he's going
to his first Pro Bowl this year and just you know,
he was named All Pro. So I think those kind
of a concert for this team. We've talked about growing
(04:10):
pains all year, and now they've actually grown up.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
It's like some things are there and you.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Know, some things are still you know, are going to
be growing pains for next season. But I think, you know,
one of the things that I really took away from
head coach On Payon and general manager George Payton was
just the optimism they have for the pieces they got
in this past draft, you know, and from the Jonah
elliss to resigning Jonathan Cooper to obviously evaluating when a
(04:36):
Bonito can be over the next couple of years.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
You know, that's.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Something that they're feeling really good about. Like we've we've
drafted very well this year. And I think what got me,
especially because fans are now okay, like what's next, what's next?
And I think they're already thinking what's next. And I think,
you know, obviously there's a lot to get through before
the NFL Draft, but I think the important thing was
that they're confident that this team is going to be aggressive,
(05:00):
if they need to be, they're going to be you know,
tempered if they need to be, and they're not just
going to go for the big splash just to make
a splash. They want to bring guys in that are
really going to factor it into this culture and what
they're building and that camaraderie that they have, because you know,
the locker room can be a very delicate balance, and
I think the guys that they have in there really
also port each other, all want each other to win.
(05:21):
It's definitely me, not it's the definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Team not me.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
And I think knowing that your GM and your head
coach have that are on the same page and ownership
as well, that to me, that always leads for a
recipe to success when everyone's on the same page and
they understand like, we don't have to go out and
just get anything. No, the dever Broncos are going to
start becoming a team that players want to come to.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You know, players want to play.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
For, whether it's you know, for the new facilities or
just the culture or the you know, those things like
you start to become like, no, I want to go
play over there a destination place to play for. And
I think you know, everyone's really confident going into that
to next season in free agency.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, absolutely, And I think you're bought on about fans
and their reaction and their excitement level, and I think
I share the same thing. You know, last year there
was almost like a nervous energy right of like how
does this team? Where does this team go from here?
After going eight to nine? And obviously they make a
big move at the quarterback position, drafting Bnicks, moving on
(06:21):
from Russell Wilson, they move on from several veterans, and
you go into training camp and you're just like, okay,
like you know, at some point Bonix is going to
earn this job, but is it going to be for
the start of the season. And then you're approaching the
season and like there's excitement to see, at least for me, like, hey,
what is Bonix going to look like? But also in granted,
I'm as optimistic as they come, and I laid out, hey,
(06:45):
here's the path if they want to get to the playoffs,
But you just don't know going into Week one, like
is that going to be possible with a team that
has salary cap restraints and the expectations where they were
among a lot of national media members, You just you
don't know what's going to happen, and so it was
almost kind of like this, Okay, let's wait and see
what happens in twenty twenty four, Whereas you know, fans
(07:06):
are already at this time now here in twenty twenty
five like can't wait to see, like which weapon are
we going to get in the first round of the draft?
And obviously we'll have tons of draft content coming up.
We're already somehow less than one hundred days away from
the draft, which seems crazy to me, but like people
are entirely excited about that. And it's now it's not
(07:28):
like Okay, what's the direction or what's going to happen.
It's like we have this direction. Now let's move full
speed ahead toward this direction. And I think like for me,
I already can't wait for the first week of September,
Like I can't wait to see what the schedule is.
I can't wait to see who are the Broncos going
to open up with? How does bo Nix take the
next step? Like last year was this this cautious sense
of like, Okay, how is this all going to work?
(07:49):
And now it is just kind of and again you
still got a Sean Payton said at the end of
season press conference. Each year you start over and you've
got to rebuild from scratch, and so they got to
do all the work again. But I think externally you
can talk about man, excitement is at a really high
level and just kind of all aspects of the offseason,
(08:11):
whether it's NFL Honors and you know, Cam Patzer, Tanner
Bonex or Sean Payton win one of these awards, or
who are they going to get in free agency, or
who's in the draft, or what's the schedule or hey,
when they finally get back on the field for the
offseason program, all of these things, it's like the excitement's
just amped up a little bit because of what they
were able to accomplish this year.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I agree, and I think again, it feels good to
go into the off season. Like you mentioned, like, yes,
that loss in Buffalo hurt, and obviously you'd like to
see that the Broncos real competitive in that game, you know,
but y'all, like again, Josh Allen is having an MVP season.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know, this team put up a really.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Good fight, and I think, to me, it's I'm excited
to just see what Bonux's Firstly, you know, off season
looks like right, I feel like he's already hungry to
just be on the field again, and you want that
in your quarterback. And I think for you know, Champagne
to say like we went out, we found him, like
we found our guy. Like that's such a weightlifted, because,
(09:07):
like you said, you always want to look like where
can we go? But we know exactly where we're going,
and we know the pieces that are here, and now
you can comp and you can build around that.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Greg pennor owner and CEO, had kind of alluded to
that a little bit, like now we have our guy,
we can build around that guy. And I think, you know,
like you said, they resigned a couple of key guys.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Garaboles got resigned. We mentioned how the Cooper got resigned.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
You have these pillars, but not only that for what
they do on the field, but what they do off.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
The field, you know, and and what the presence that they.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Are in a young locker room and that young and
hungry mindset, and you know, talking to Gara Boles over
the course of the season, you know, he was he's
not one of those guys that's like, oh the rookies,
they don't matter, Like no, He's like, no, the rookie
is like, they are this, and he's constantly uplifting and
that really matters.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I think that trickles down a lot. So I think
the culture and.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That they're building, you know, within the Broncos lock room
is really going to play well going into next season.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
And I mean, then you have Pat, you have Pat
doing Pat things. You have Pat doing Pat things.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
You know, when I spoke to him before they before
we ended the season, I said, you know, we got
a little sneak peak of playoff Pat, and he just
smiled and he was like, yeah, I'm like, it's the
first of many. And you know, I think for him,
now you got that taste of the playoffs, you got
the play the taste of the postseason life, and you're like, hmm,
I want more of that, you know. And he had
such an incredible year. He won pfw A Defensive Player
(10:32):
of the Year, he won one oh one awards AFC
Defensive Player of the Year. The accolades are kind of
stacking up. I know you had some stats on the
last time characters. Yeah, I mean, I'm saying it's just
the fact that he's now a finalist for Defensive Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
We'll get to Bow and Champagne in.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
A second, but Pat has really to me just put
on a clinic and you had mentioned something on one
of the podcasts a while back, and you said, you know,
people always wonder why there's no film. They don't go
to him, like no film is good film honestly in
this case.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, and I you know, obviously we'll see if he
wins AP Defensive Player of the Year, he would be
the second player in franchise history to win that, joining
Randy Gradishar, which was obviously back in seventy eight, and
so that speaks to how long ago that was. I
mean almost what fifty years ago that that happened. So
that's how historic this would be if he's able to win. Obviously,
(11:25):
at the end of the year, he was the betting favorite,
like you mentioned, he won PFWA Defense Defensive Player of
the Year. So and I think I saw stat that
twenty eight of the thirty two PFWA Defensive Player of
the Years have gone on to be named the EP
Defensive Player of the Year. So the odds are well.
I think Andrew Mason over at the Fan tweeted that out.
(11:45):
But yeah, a lot of there are signs that suggest
that maybe Pat is going to be able to win this,
and I don't think you know, sometimes we get like, oh, yeah,
he wins this award, he wins this award, and you
kind of just get used to it. But I don't
think we should be like sleeping on what he did.
And I mentioned I tweeted out like all the things
he's accomplished between Pro Bowl and you mentioned the Defensive
(12:09):
Player of the Year awards and All NFL and AP
First Team All Pro, like all those sorts of things,
Like I'm almost out of characters typing all the things
that Pat's done this year's exactly and he, you know,
he's just been so spectacular. I think we talked at
some point midway through the season when Lebroncos were starting
(12:32):
to play well and starting to find their stride, and
we talked a little bit about about Pat's Defensive Player
of the Year chances, and I was just a little
I don't want to say skeptical, but like, it's such
a narrative driven award, and I wondered if, like, like
you said, because people don't throw at him and he
had the fewest yards allowed and he has the fewest.
His target percentage is the lowest in the NFL, and
(12:54):
all these advanced statistics that if you look at him,
they're spectacular, But it's like, at that point he probably
had you know, two picks or whatever, three picks and
so and finished the season with four, which a year
ago or a couple of years ago, now he had
a guy with ten, right, I think Trayvon Diggs had ten,
and so sometimes it feels like voters need that high
(13:16):
interception totals, and he didn't even win with the ten interceptions.
So I just wondered if obviously there's so many football
games to watch, and the Broncos hadn't played in a
lot of primetime games at that point in the season,
I wondered, with all the voters all spread out, would
they be able to recognize what Pat's accomplished, And regardless
of what happens with ap Defensive Player of the Year,
(13:38):
it's been nice to see that. Yeah, people took note
of what Pat was able to do. I think that
game in primetime against Cincinnati where he just shut down
Jamar Chase, that really helped. I do think people embracing
these advanced statistics has helped Pat's case. But when you're
talking about something the champ Bailey didn't win Defensive Player
of the Year in Denver, right, Like, that's kind of
(13:58):
what we're talking about here in terms of how special
Pat certain has been. And so yeah, we'll get into it.
I think we'll talk about Bo and Sean here in
a second, but we'll get into next week kind of
an individual video series of like why they're deserving, but
certainly Pat, I don't know. To me, it feels like
(14:20):
this should be a slam dunk and just really happy
for Pat because for a corner to get this award,
you've got to be really special, and he has been
really special. And you know, I'm talking about the pfw
A Defensive Player of the Year and the one O
one Awards and like all these things that you're like
first enfranchise history, second in franchise history, first Corner since
(14:42):
however long ago, Like he's putting himself in rare territory
and listen, it's only been four years. But I do
think at some point you talk about he's on a
Hall of Fame trajectory already, and that's incredibly impressive. He's
been spectacular.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah, and I think for him in particular.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
You know, you bring up those games and it's almost
like you you look back at the stats to even
start the season. You know, he was going against DK Metcalf,
George Pickens. You know he's going against these guys in
the first kind of three weeks of the season, and
he completely shut them down. And I again, I know
it's kind of an old stat at this point, but
it literally just makes me happy, and Diana makes me
(15:25):
laugh when I think you had mentioned here, and I
saw a few guys tooted it out just saying that
had quarterbacks just thrown the ball straight to the ground
better complete, like a better percentage than trying to like
throw that Pat, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, he's been he's been really good. I mean, there's
like there's only so many ways to say, like he's
been really good. And it'll be exciting to be out there.
We'll be out there at the super Bowl on the
red carpet, excited to catch up with Pat and see
him there. I'm sure he's always got tremendous outfits for
the red carpet, so I think last year he wore
like a bright red suit with a bow tie. So
(16:01):
excited to see what he has for us this time around.
You mentioned it before. Bow was another guy who's up
for one of these awards. He's a finalist for AP
Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I mean, that's pretty impressive, like just that, that's that alone.
And before we move off from Pati Will said, I
did want to mention he also won the twenty four
pm w A Denver Chapter sivent of the Damarius Thomas.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Team MVP Award. And that's why I'm wearing a d
T jersey today for the podcast. You know, yeah, I
have to keep I have to keep the gear going.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Okay, I like it, but you know, I think that
ties into again, like the leadership on this team, and
that ties into Bow. Bow was named a captain uh
to start the season, and I think when you kind
of see where that started.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And again, like you said, not knowing exactly what you're.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Gonna get from this rookie who was named captain and
name the starting quarterback, and to now it's like you're
now nominated for you know, Rookie of the Year, and
I think that's the was a lot of great candidates
in there, but I think for him to throw his
name in there with the again with the expectations where
no one really expected much of you, and they took that,
(17:09):
you know, and didn't let it kind of get to them.
And you go and you get ten wins, a playoff
birth for the first time since Super Bowl fifty and
you know you, You've ended a lot of conversations for
this franchise this season. I think that really holds strong
with what Bonix was able to do this year.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, and listen, I think everyone knows that Jane Daniels
is probably the favorite, and he's done some impressive things.
I will say it's a regular season award. It's not
based on the postseason, so like it was voted on already,
Jane daniels postseason run is not taken into consideration here.
And I will say that you know Bo and again
next week you'll hear us talk about kind of the
(17:47):
case for each guy. But like Bo has the most
touchdown passes of any rookie, He's got the most touch
total touchdowns, he's got the most passing yards, I think,
most completions. Like he's he's up there in all these categories.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
And one Rookie of the week plenty of times shound
passes by a quarterback, by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
He's got like the most two touchdown no pick games
of anybody. And I think Jane Daniels obviously started really
fast and it took Bou a couple of weeks to
maybe get going. But I think if you look at
Bo's resume, he's more than deserving of a strong consideration
for this award. And if it weren't for Jane Daniels
having a really strong season, like almost any other year,
this would have been a runaway for Bownicks. And so,
(18:30):
you know, we'll see what happens. Maybe maybe Bo does
end up winning. We'll see, But I don't want to
take anything away from his season because you know, you're
you're almost again, like you get to a place where
expectations change and like they reset. But if you think
about it, Bo was the sixth quarterback off the board. Externally,
(18:53):
people talked about, hey, it's a good fit with Sean
Payton and bow Nix, but but people weren't sure, like
is he gonna be able to play at that high level?
And this again externally, like I think there's always a
belief from the moment Sean Payton drafted Bonnicks and this
organization drafted bon Necks that he was going to be
able to accomplish things. But the fact that he went
out there and did it. And we heard Greg Penner
(19:13):
say at the very beginning of the season there's going
to be some ups, there's going to be some downs,
and there weren't that many downs.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I mean, yeah, there was so there was a rookie law.
He smashed through it.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Yeah, there were some tough losses to La and Sincy
and in Kansas City, but like there weren't the fault
of bons and he rose to the occasion, proved something
else each and every week. And so yeah, really happy
for him as well and excited for him to be
honored as a finalist.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Yeah, and that's a big credit to again head coach
Jean Payn, who was also a finalist for Coach of
the Year, and what he's been able to do in
just his second year in Denver, really turning around the
culture of the franchise, getting back to the winning ways,
really paying tribute to what this franchise is known for,
and it's kind of winning those big games and being
part of those big moments.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And you found a guy that also wants to be
part of those.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Big moments, and you're able to grow that and you're
able to kind of guide him in a way where
you let him be himself, but you'll also find a
way to make him better and find ways to win games.
And I think they're both winners. You know, Champagne's resume
speaks for itself. There's no we're gonna go into it later,
but we'ren went there right now. But you know, his
resume speaks for itself. And what he's been able to
(20:25):
come in and do with this team in two years
and find these guys and bring the best out of
these guys and surround them with the best coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I think really speaks volumes to the.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Fact that he's a coach that can really block out
the noise and really block out what national media or
what the you know, externally what is being said and
keep his guys together.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
And I think.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Again, I think back to that Monday night football game
when things were kind of getting off the rails a
little bit and the shootout and the guys knew like, hey,
we have to come together. We pulled the dude, Malcolm Roach,
and these guys pulled their one together and was like, hey,
let's refocused, let's get back to our brand of football. Obviously,
they go on to win that game, but I think
when you when you've taught that so much that later
in the season, you no longer have to say it.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
You know, your guys just know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
And I think it's a big testament to what he's
been able to do here. And we're really excited for
all those times. And we'll get into more of it
next week. And yeah, I'm really I'm really excited for
what's to come for the off season and you know what,
everything's getting built here and I'm excited for the award show.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, I don't know. I got to figure it out,
but yeah, and we'll talk more about Shauna. I do
think kind of like you mentioned, he talked at the
very beginning of the years that you've got teams with
high expectations that perform well, You've got teams with high
expectations that don't perform well, low expectations that don't perform well,
and then low expectations that do perform well. And he said,
you always want that last group of low expectations that
(21:49):
perform well. And there's he just always had the right
He always pressed the right button. I think George Payton
said at the end of the season, like after that
lost to Kansas City, Sewan had him ready to go
after two minutes in the locker room and move on
and let's go on a four game win streak. He
pushed all the right buttons. Again, we'll talk more about
his candidacy, but I think you know, he'd be just
the second active coach with multiple Coach of the Years
(22:10):
to his name. He'd be the second coach in franchise
history to win. And I you kind of talk about
the award and like what it's for. Some people think
hey should be Andy Reid or Dan Campbell. They led
their team to one seats a lot of the times
it's like who did more with less or exceeded expectations,
And if you're looking from that standpoint, Sean Payton should
(22:32):
have a really strong case because of where people externally
thought this team would be for the most part, and
they won ten games, and they got to the playoffs
for the first time in ten years, essentially almost and
they did it all with an extremely high with high
salary cap constraints, with a rookie quarterback, with a lot
of young players, so yeah, a tip of the cap
(22:52):
to Sean Payne, I think, another well deserved finalist and
can't wait to cover those guys out there in New
Orleans next week.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun week.
Obviously Pro Bowl's coming up. We have a couple guys there,
so yeah, grow out, a great content coming your way.
And again we'll be back next week with more in
depth coverage going into all the awards for Navil Honors.
So once again, I'm your team reporter and host Alasta
none of this virtually. Joining me is our historian and
lead writer on Devin Broncos dot com, Eric Zalala.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
And we appreciate you guys. Makes you guys, leave your
comments and we will see you guys soon
Here we are with another episode of Altitude Advantage. I'm
your team reporter and host, Alisa Nandez, and across the
computer from me is our lead writer on Denver Broncos
dot Com, Eric Dalala.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
And we've missed you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
There's a lot to kind of go over and that
the season has concluded for the Devor Broncos.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
The twenty twenty four season is in the books.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And now we kind of look into award season. We've
gotten in some great nods to patchri ten the second
which we'll get into that in a second, and some
finalists awards for NFL Honors coming up. So there's a
lot to talk about, especially with the end of the
season press conferences that also happened not too long ago.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
So yeah, I mean, just kicking things off.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
The season flew by so fast and from where we
started to where we ended. I think Broncos Country is
very optimistic of the future and kind of what they're
building in Denver.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Absolutely, And I know it's been a little bit since
we've done a podcast and people were able to see
us on our instant analysis and this instant analysis after
the end of season press conferences, and we've had plenty
of content up there. But it's nice to be back
on the podcast, even though it's virtual. We'll be in
person again soon, but nice to be talking to everybody again.
(01:10):
But yeah, I think that listen as we were about
what a week and a half removed now from the
end of the season, and I think that, like we said,
we'll go into some of those lasting takeaways from the
end of season press conferences towards the end here, but
I think just overall, I still feel like this was
a successful season and a building block, a big stepping
(01:32):
stone toward what this team can accomplish. And it's nice
to be in this place where you won ten games
and you made the playoffs, and you know, we're going
to talk about some of these awards, but you've got
guys being named first Team All Pros, and you've got
guys being named, you know, to the All NFL and
All AFC teams, and you've got obviously Pats or Tan
(01:52):
winning like every award you can possibly win, and you
just kind of you look back and you're like, wow,
this this team was really good and like accomplished a
lot and has a lot of really good foundational pieces
on this team. And I think sometimes it's hard for
me at least, where like you're so dialed into the
Broncos each and every week, and you're so dialed in
on your team, and like, obviously, you know Marvin Mims
(02:15):
is a really good punt returner, but you just don't
have time always to look at every other punt returner
around the league. And then you look up and it's like,
Marvin Mims did league, the entire league and punt return average, right,
like you know what, you know, you know how well
Bonix is playing for a rookie, and then you look
up and it's like, oh, he's sixth in the NFL
(02:35):
in touchdown passes among any skill and experience level. And
so it's nice, I think these couple of weeks to
take a step back and kind of look at what
this team accomplished. And I think, obviously still still disappointing
to lose in Buffalo, but obviously that's that's a good
football team that's going to be competing this weekend for
a chance to go to the Super Bowl. And so
(02:56):
for this team to accomplish what it has to see
some guys get wrecking one for what they've done this year.
And you know, have optimism moving forward. It's it's really
it's nice, right all he said, because the expectations weren't
super high nationally, and we could have been at a
place where you finish this season with five or six
wins and you're at a real you know, crossroads. Maybe
(03:17):
you don't know as much about your franchise quarterback, maybe
you don't know as much about the talent on this roster,
and instead the way things played out, I think you
feel really good moving forward. So that's really encouraging from
my standpoint.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, and I think when you look at you said
it perfectly, when you're able to take a step back
and really see what this team was able to accomplish,
like wow, Like the different ways that they were able
to really attack this season was really impressive. From the defense,
you know, setting the new franchise record for most sacks
in the single season, something that was said decades ago,
(03:50):
and for this unit to do it, and knowing that
some of those key pieces are going to be signed
or were signed during the season is also great, I
think for this team. And just like the arrival of
Nick and the season that he had and he's going
to his first Pro Bowl this year and just you know,
he was named All Pro. So I think those kind
of a concert for this team. We've talked about growing
(04:10):
pains all year, and now they've actually grown up.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
It's like some things are there and you.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Know, some things are still you know, are going to
be growing pains for next season. But I think, you know,
one of the things that I really took away from
head coach On Payon and general manager George Payton was
just the optimism they have for the pieces they got
in this past draft, you know, and from the Jonah
elliss to resigning Jonathan Cooper to obviously evaluating when a
(04:36):
Bonito can be over the next couple of years.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
You know, that's.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Something that they're feeling really good about. Like we've we've
drafted very well this year. And I think what got me,
especially because fans are now okay, like what's next, what's next?
And I think they're already thinking what's next. And I think,
you know, obviously there's a lot to get through before
the NFL Draft, but I think the important thing was
that they're confident that this team is going to be aggressive,
(05:00):
if they need to be, they're going to be you know,
tempered if they need to be, and they're not just
going to go for the big splash just to make
a splash. They want to bring guys in that are
really going to factor it into this culture and what
they're building and that camaraderie that they have, because you know,
the locker room can be a very delicate balance, and
I think the guys that they have in there really
also port each other, all want each other to win.
(05:21):
It's definitely me, not it's the definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Team not me.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
And I think knowing that your GM and your head
coach have that are on the same page and ownership
as well, that to me, that always leads for a
recipe to success when everyone's on the same page and
they understand like, we don't have to go out and
just get anything. No, the dever Broncos are going to
start becoming a team that players want to come to.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You know, players want to play.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
For, whether it's you know, for the new facilities or
just the culture or the you know, those things like
you start to become like, no, I want to go
play over there a destination place to play for. And
I think you know, everyone's really confident going into that
to next season in free agency.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, absolutely, And I think you're bought on about fans
and their reaction and their excitement level, and I think
I share the same thing. You know, last year there
was almost like a nervous energy right of like how
does this team? Where does this team go from here?
After going eight to nine? And obviously they make a
big move at the quarterback position, drafting Bnicks, moving on
(06:21):
from Russell Wilson, they move on from several veterans, and
you go into training camp and you're just like, okay,
like you know, at some point Bonix is going to
earn this job, but is it going to be for
the start of the season. And then you're approaching the
season and like there's excitement to see, at least for me, like, hey,
what is Bonix going to look like? But also in granted,
I'm as optimistic as they come, and I laid out, hey,
(06:45):
here's the path if they want to get to the playoffs,
But you just don't know going into Week one, like
is that going to be possible with a team that
has salary cap restraints and the expectations where they were
among a lot of national media members, You just you
don't know what's going to happen, and so it was
almost kind of like this, Okay, let's wait and see
what happens in twenty twenty four, Whereas you know, fans
(07:06):
are already at this time now here in twenty twenty
five like can't wait to see, like which weapon are
we going to get in the first round of the draft?
And obviously we'll have tons of draft content coming up.
We're already somehow less than one hundred days away from
the draft, which seems crazy to me, but like people
are entirely excited about that. And it's now it's not
(07:28):
like Okay, what's the direction or what's going to happen.
It's like we have this direction. Now let's move full
speed ahead toward this direction. And I think like for me,
I already can't wait for the first week of September,
Like I can't wait to see what the schedule is.
I can't wait to see who are the Broncos going
to open up with? How does bo Nix take the
next step? Like last year was this this cautious sense
of like, Okay, how is this all going to work?
(07:49):
And now it is just kind of and again you
still got a Sean Payton said at the end of
season press conference. Each year you start over and you've
got to rebuild from scratch, and so they got to
do all the work again. But I think externally you
can talk about man, excitement is at a really high
level and just kind of all aspects of the offseason,
(08:11):
whether it's NFL Honors and you know, Cam Patzer, Tanner
Bonex or Sean Payton win one of these awards, or
who are they going to get in free agency, or
who's in the draft, or what's the schedule or hey,
when they finally get back on the field for the
offseason program, all of these things, it's like the excitement's
just amped up a little bit because of what they
were able to accomplish this year.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I agree, and I think again, it feels good to
go into the off season. Like you mentioned, like, yes,
that loss in Buffalo hurt, and obviously you'd like to
see that the Broncos real competitive in that game, you know,
but y'all, like again, Josh Allen is having an MVP season.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know, this team put up a really.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Good fight, and I think, to me, it's I'm excited
to just see what Bonux's Firstly, you know, off season
looks like right, I feel like he's already hungry to
just be on the field again, and you want that
in your quarterback. And I think for you know, Champagne
to say like we went out, we found him, like
we found our guy. Like that's such a weightlifted, because,
(09:07):
like you said, you always want to look like where
can we go? But we know exactly where we're going,
and we know the pieces that are here, and now
you can comp and you can build around that.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Greg pennor owner and CEO, had kind of alluded to
that a little bit, like now we have our guy,
we can build around that guy. And I think, you know,
like you said, they resigned a couple of key guys.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Garaboles got resigned. We mentioned how the Cooper got resigned.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
You have these pillars, but not only that for what
they do on the field, but what they do off.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
The field, you know, and and what the presence that they.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Are in a young locker room and that young and
hungry mindset, and you know, talking to Gara Boles over
the course of the season, you know, he was he's
not one of those guys that's like, oh the rookies,
they don't matter, Like no, He's like, no, the rookie
is like, they are this, and he's constantly uplifting and
that really matters.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I think that trickles down a lot. So I think
the culture and.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That they're building, you know, within the Broncos lock room
is really going to play well going into next season.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
And I mean, then you have Pat, you have Pat
doing Pat things. You have Pat doing Pat things.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
You know, when I spoke to him before they before
we ended the season, I said, you know, we got
a little sneak peak of playoff Pat, and he just
smiled and he was like, yeah, I'm like, it's the
first of many. And you know, I think for him,
now you got that taste of the playoffs, you got
the play the taste of the postseason life, and you're like, hmm,
I want more of that, you know. And he had
such an incredible year. He won pfw A Defensive Player
(10:32):
of the Year, he won one oh one awards AFC
Defensive Player of the Year. The accolades are kind of
stacking up. I know you had some stats on the
last time characters. Yeah, I mean, I'm saying it's just
the fact that he's now a finalist for Defensive Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
We'll get to Bow and Champagne in.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
A second, but Pat has really to me just put
on a clinic and you had mentioned something on one
of the podcasts a while back, and you said, you know,
people always wonder why there's no film. They don't go
to him, like no film is good film honestly in
this case.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, and I you know, obviously we'll see if he
wins AP Defensive Player of the Year, he would be
the second player in franchise history to win that, joining
Randy Gradishar, which was obviously back in seventy eight, and
so that speaks to how long ago that was. I
mean almost what fifty years ago that that happened. So
that's how historic this would be if he's able to win. Obviously,
(11:25):
at the end of the year, he was the betting favorite,
like you mentioned, he won PFWA Defense Defensive Player of
the Year. So and I think I saw stat that
twenty eight of the thirty two PFWA Defensive Player of
the Years have gone on to be named the EP
Defensive Player of the Year. So the odds are well.
I think Andrew Mason over at the Fan tweeted that out.
(11:45):
But yeah, a lot of there are signs that suggest
that maybe Pat is going to be able to win this,
and I don't think you know, sometimes we get like, oh, yeah,
he wins this award, he wins this award, and you
kind of just get used to it. But I don't
think we should be like sleeping on what he did.
And I mentioned I tweeted out like all the things
he's accomplished between Pro Bowl and you mentioned the Defensive
(12:09):
Player of the Year awards and All NFL and AP
First Team All Pro, like all those sorts of things,
Like I'm almost out of characters typing all the things
that Pat's done this year's exactly and he, you know,
he's just been so spectacular. I think we talked at
some point midway through the season when Lebroncos were starting
(12:32):
to play well and starting to find their stride, and
we talked a little bit about about Pat's Defensive Player
of the Year chances, and I was just a little
I don't want to say skeptical, but like, it's such
a narrative driven award, and I wondered if, like, like
you said, because people don't throw at him and he
had the fewest yards allowed and he has the fewest.
His target percentage is the lowest in the NFL, and
(12:54):
all these advanced statistics that if you look at him,
they're spectacular, But it's like, at that point he probably
had you know, two picks or whatever, three picks and
so and finished the season with four, which a year
ago or a couple of years ago, now he had
a guy with ten, right, I think Trayvon Diggs had ten,
and so sometimes it feels like voters need that high
(13:16):
interception totals, and he didn't even win with the ten interceptions.
So I just wondered if obviously there's so many football
games to watch, and the Broncos hadn't played in a
lot of primetime games at that point in the season,
I wondered, with all the voters all spread out, would
they be able to recognize what Pat's accomplished, And regardless
of what happens with ap Defensive Player of the Year,
(13:38):
it's been nice to see that. Yeah, people took note
of what Pat was able to do. I think that
game in primetime against Cincinnati where he just shut down
Jamar Chase, that really helped. I do think people embracing
these advanced statistics has helped Pat's case. But when you're
talking about something the champ Bailey didn't win Defensive Player
of the Year in Denver, right, Like, that's kind of
(13:58):
what we're talking about here in terms of how special
Pat certain has been. And so yeah, we'll get into it.
I think we'll talk about Bo and Sean here in
a second, but we'll get into next week kind of
an individual video series of like why they're deserving, but
certainly Pat, I don't know. To me, it feels like
(14:20):
this should be a slam dunk and just really happy
for Pat because for a corner to get this award,
you've got to be really special, and he has been
really special. And you know, I'm talking about the pfw
A Defensive Player of the Year and the one O
one Awards and like all these things that you're like
first enfranchise history, second in franchise history, first Corner since
(14:42):
however long ago, Like he's putting himself in rare territory
and listen, it's only been four years. But I do
think at some point you talk about he's on a
Hall of Fame trajectory already, and that's incredibly impressive. He's
been spectacular.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah, and I think for him in particular.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
You know, you bring up those games and it's almost
like you you look back at the stats to even
start the season. You know, he was going against DK Metcalf,
George Pickens. You know he's going against these guys in
the first kind of three weeks of the season, and
he completely shut them down. And I again, I know
it's kind of an old stat at this point, but
it literally just makes me happy, and Diana makes me
(15:25):
laugh when I think you had mentioned here, and I
saw a few guys tooted it out just saying that
had quarterbacks just thrown the ball straight to the ground
better complete, like a better percentage than trying to like
throw that Pat, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, he's been he's been really good. I mean, there's
like there's only so many ways to say, like he's
been really good. And it'll be exciting to be out there.
We'll be out there at the super Bowl on the
red carpet, excited to catch up with Pat and see
him there. I'm sure he's always got tremendous outfits for
the red carpet, so I think last year he wore
like a bright red suit with a bow tie. So
(16:01):
excited to see what he has for us this time around.
You mentioned it before. Bow was another guy who's up
for one of these awards. He's a finalist for AP
Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I mean, that's pretty impressive, like just that, that's that alone.
And before we move off from Pati Will said, I
did want to mention he also won the twenty four
pm w A Denver Chapter sivent of the Damarius Thomas.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Team MVP Award. And that's why I'm wearing a d
T jersey today for the podcast. You know, yeah, I
have to keep I have to keep the gear going.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Okay, I like it, but you know, I think that
ties into again, like the leadership on this team, and
that ties into Bow. Bow was named a captain uh
to start the season, and I think when you kind
of see where that started.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And again, like you said, not knowing exactly what you're.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Gonna get from this rookie who was named captain and
name the starting quarterback, and to now it's like you're
now nominated for you know, Rookie of the Year, and
I think that's the was a lot of great candidates
in there, but I think for him to throw his
name in there with the again with the expectations where
no one really expected much of you, and they took that,
(17:09):
you know, and didn't let it kind of get to them.
And you go and you get ten wins, a playoff
birth for the first time since Super Bowl fifty and
you know you, You've ended a lot of conversations for
this franchise this season. I think that really holds strong
with what Bonix was able to do this year.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, and listen, I think everyone knows that Jane Daniels
is probably the favorite, and he's done some impressive things.
I will say it's a regular season award. It's not
based on the postseason, so like it was voted on already,
Jane daniels postseason run is not taken into consideration here.
And I will say that you know Bo and again
next week you'll hear us talk about kind of the
(17:47):
case for each guy. But like Bo has the most
touchdown passes of any rookie, He's got the most touch
total touchdowns, he's got the most passing yards, I think,
most completions. Like he's he's up there in all these categories.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
And one Rookie of the week plenty of times shound
passes by a quarterback, by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
He's got like the most two touchdown no pick games
of anybody. And I think Jane Daniels obviously started really
fast and it took Bou a couple of weeks to
maybe get going. But I think if you look at
Bo's resume, he's more than deserving of a strong consideration
for this award. And if it weren't for Jane Daniels
having a really strong season, like almost any other year,
this would have been a runaway for Bownicks. And so,
(18:30):
you know, we'll see what happens. Maybe maybe Bo does
end up winning. We'll see, But I don't want to
take anything away from his season because you know, you're
you're almost again, like you get to a place where
expectations change and like they reset. But if you think
about it, Bo was the sixth quarterback off the board. Externally,
(18:53):
people talked about, hey, it's a good fit with Sean
Payton and bow Nix, but but people weren't sure, like
is he gonna be able to play at that high level?
And this again externally, like I think there's always a
belief from the moment Sean Payton drafted Bonnicks and this
organization drafted bon Necks that he was going to be
able to accomplish things. But the fact that he went
out there and did it. And we heard Greg Penner
(19:13):
say at the very beginning of the season there's going
to be some ups, there's going to be some downs,
and there weren't that many downs.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
I mean, yeah, there was so there was a rookie law.
He smashed through it.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Yeah, there were some tough losses to La and Sincy
and in Kansas City, but like there weren't the fault
of bons and he rose to the occasion, proved something
else each and every week. And so yeah, really happy
for him as well and excited for him to be
honored as a finalist.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Yeah, and that's a big credit to again head coach
Jean Payn, who was also a finalist for Coach of
the Year, and what he's been able to do in
just his second year in Denver, really turning around the
culture of the franchise, getting back to the winning ways,
really paying tribute to what this franchise is known for,
and it's kind of winning those big games and being
part of those big moments.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And you found a guy that also wants to be
part of those.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Big moments, and you're able to grow that and you're
able to kind of guide him in a way where
you let him be himself, but you'll also find a
way to make him better and find ways to win games.
And I think they're both winners. You know, Champagne's resume
speaks for itself. There's no we're gonna go into it later,
but we'ren went there right now. But you know, his
resume speaks for itself. And what he's been able to
(20:25):
come in and do with this team in two years
and find these guys and bring the best out of
these guys and surround them with the best coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I think really speaks volumes to the.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Fact that he's a coach that can really block out
the noise and really block out what national media or
what the you know, externally what is being said and
keep his guys together.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
And I think.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Again, I think back to that Monday night football game
when things were kind of getting off the rails a
little bit and the shootout and the guys knew like, hey,
we have to come together. We pulled the dude, Malcolm Roach,
and these guys pulled their one together and was like, hey,
let's refocused, let's get back to our brand of football. Obviously,
they go on to win that game, but I think
when you when you've taught that so much that later
in the season, you no longer have to say it.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
You know, your guys just know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
And I think it's a big testament to what he's
been able to do here. And we're really excited for
all those times. And we'll get into more of it
next week. And yeah, I'm really I'm really excited for
what's to come for the off season and you know what,
everything's getting built here and I'm excited for the award show.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, I don't know. I got to figure it out,
but yeah, and we'll talk more about Shauna. I do
think kind of like you mentioned, he talked at the
very beginning of the years that you've got teams with
high expectations that perform well, You've got teams with high
expectations that don't perform well, low expectations that don't perform well,
and then low expectations that do perform well. And he said,
you always want that last group of low expectations that
(21:49):
perform well. And there's he just always had the right
He always pressed the right button. I think George Payton
said at the end of the season, like after that
lost to Kansas City, Sewan had him ready to go
after two minutes in the locker room and move on
and let's go on a four game win streak. He
pushed all the right buttons. Again, we'll talk more about
his candidacy, but I think you know, he'd be just
the second active coach with multiple Coach of the Years
(22:10):
to his name. He'd be the second coach in franchise
history to win. And I you kind of talk about
the award and like what it's for. Some people think
hey should be Andy Reid or Dan Campbell. They led
their team to one seats a lot of the times
it's like who did more with less or exceeded expectations,
And if you're looking from that standpoint, Sean Payton should
(22:32):
have a really strong case because of where people externally
thought this team would be for the most part, and
they won ten games, and they got to the playoffs
for the first time in ten years, essentially almost and
they did it all with an extremely high with high
salary cap constraints, with a rookie quarterback, with a lot
of young players, so yeah, a tip of the cap
(22:52):
to Sean Payne, I think, another well deserved finalist and
can't wait to cover those guys out there in New
Orleans next week.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun week.
Obviously Pro Bowl's coming up. We have a couple guys there,
so yeah, grow out, a great content coming your way.
And again we'll be back next week with more in
depth coverage going into all the awards for Navil Honors.
So once again, I'm your team reporter and host Alasta
none of this virtually. Joining me is our historian and
lead writer on Devin Broncos dot com, Eric Zalala.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
And we appreciate you guys. Makes you guys, leave your
comments and we will see you guys soon
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.