The Denver Broncos’ head-scratching season has gotten even weirder since head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired.
With the Broncos coming to Russell Wilson’s defense, a move many believe will only make the team look good, interim head coach Jerry Rosburg decided the team should have a padded workout Thursday.
Broncos interim coach Jerry Rosburg.AP
Under the NFL’s current work deal, the Broncos had another padded workout for the year, a workout that doesn’t have to be used. Since the Broncos were already out of playoff contention by a score of 4-11, Rosburg capitalized on it anyway.
Broncos players were unhappy with the decision to set them up for meaningless practice, according to NFL insider Mike Florio. There’s only two weeks left in the season and Denver has nothing to play. Padded training could put players at greater risk of unnecessary injury. Rosburg, who wasn’t even the first choice for the role after it was turned down by defense coordinator Ejiro Evero, told the reporter he addressed why he chose to do it with the team. One of them was that he scrutinized players more closely than he would have done in his previous time management role.
“As you know, I did not do that in my previous position in this organization,” Rosburg told reporters. “Well, I need to see this, I need to see these guys. I’m paying much more attention to these things this week than I’ve ever done. This is as much to me as it is to anyone, and our young men in this room have embraced it. You will go out today with the express goal of getting better.”
Former Broncos coach Nathaniel HackettAP
The Broncos, who visit the Chiefs on Sunday, have lost six of their last seven games. At the end of the season for the Broncos, it should be about making sure players finish as healthy as possible without further damaging morale. Rosburg seems to have the opposite effect.