By admin 
I’ll never forget that silence.
As long as I live, I’ll always remember what it felt like in our locker room after that loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
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You know how sometimes people say: “You could hear a pin drop”? Well, this was that, but even more extreme. Like if there’s something even quieter than a pin dropping … that’s what you would’ve been able to hear in that room. We all had such high hopes, and in that moment, it just felt like everything we had envisioned disappeared in a flash. It’s like you’re writing a book, and you know you have some pages left to go, like one more chapter to write, and then … the book basically catches on fire and that’s it.
The guys in that room, every single one of us, we believed with all our hearts that we were going to win that game. We knew it. Had no doubt. And then…. It was all over. Just like that.
And I get it. It’s not the NBA playoffs. Where you may get seven chances in a series to move on. We all know it’s do or die in our game. But the suddenness of it all can definitely leave you shook when it ends. So I remember talking briefly to Bo in that locker room, and to Stiddy, but I couldn’t tell you a single thing we said. I mainly just recall everyone looking at each other with pretty much the same face. A face like….
Did I do enough out there? Could I have done something better that would have maybe changed the outcome of the game?
That completely deflated feeling everyone was experiencing … it didn’t negate all the great memories we shared together over the season, for sure. But at the same time, it still really hurt. And a big part of it, at least for me, was the disappointment of not being able to give the city of Denver and our fans another Super Bowl moment to remember.
Me and my teammates, we wanted that more than anything. Because the passion and dedication the people of Denver show for this team, it’s incredibly inspiring.
And, just being real with you, I gotta say, growing up in Plantation, Florida, and playing college ball in Tuscaloosa … I never in a million years would’ve thought I’d be feeling anything anywhere near that way about Denver, Colorado.
In fact, when I got picked by the Broncos, I basically knew nothing about Denver. I was familiar with the players in the organization, and the pedigree of the Denver Broncos, and some of the history. But the city of Denver … I can’t even pretend with a straight face that I knew what was up. When I was fortunate enough to be selected by this franchise, it was all just assumptions on my part.
It was like: Hmmm … lots of mountains out there. People probably do hiking, I guess. I’m gonna need to buy some hiking boots maybe?
Looking back on it now, and knowing what I know about this city, and how much there is to do here, and how many opportunities there are in Denver in terms of entertainment and food and everything else, I can’t help but laugh about how uninformed I was. But I’ll tell you what, though … getting acclimated to this place wasn’t always a breeze for me. Even just with the breathing. When I first came out here, everyone with the team kept asking me, “Hey, you in shape?” And, of course, me, I’m like: “Ummm, yeah. I work out every day. I’m good! No worries.” They’d just kind of chuckle at that and mention something about 5,000 feet above sea level. And I’d chuckle back. Like: Yeah, OK.
Then, of course, not too long after that, I’m walking up some steps at the facility … and not even a lot of steps, either … and I basically feel like my entire chest just caved in. I’m completely out of breath. Strugggggling.
It was crazy. In my brain it was like: Yo, if you wanna survive out here you gotta actually listen to what the people here tell you! You gotta get in sync with this place!!
When I sit back and think about it, the football element of my journey here in Denver … that’s actually been the easier part.
I work my butt off to be the very best player I can be for this team. I take what I do very seriously, and I’m by far my harshest critic. I truly believe I’m the best corner in the NFL, with all due respect, but even so … I’m always noticing things I can get better at. The biggest one is just staying fully locked in and never for even a split-second losing focus or technique. Going up against the top-tier of the top-tier athletes in our game, if you lose focus at all … you’re on the wrong end of a highlight. Our mistakes become touchdowns for the opponent. They cost teams games.
If I want to be successful, I have no choice but to be constantly critiquing myself and working to find ways to get a little better each and every time out. So that’s what I do.
What’s also been huge for me recently is having consistency in the coaching staff, with Coach Payton and Coach Joseph. I feel like our improvements over the past few years are a huge testament to Coach Payton instilling a standard of excellence, and then bringing in guys who embody that standard. You can tell that everyone is pulling in the same direction. And that was definitely on full display this past season.
We’d gone to the playoffs the previous year, but it was clear, everyone on the outside … they basically just thought it was a fluke, that we’d fall off after that. For us, though, the players and coaches, we definitely saw and felt something special with this team very early on last season. And to be completely honest, we did all kind of have a chip on our shoulder from everyone thinking we weren’t gonna contend. We tuned everyone else out and all just believed. Fully. And sometimes, what can I tell you … sometimes that’s all it takes. Every team has great players, every team has good coaches, but it’s that belief within the team that can propel you to high-level success.
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In our case, I mean look, when you have a team that comes from behind to win nine straight games … I think it’s pretty clear that everyone stayed believing, stayed locked in on being able to win no matter what things might have looked like at any given moment.
Now, that said, I’m not gonna lie … I wouldn’t be mad if we actually won some games by a few touchdowns this season. And if every game didn’t have to be a heart attack situation at the end.
This year, we basically just need to keep our foot on the gas. And we’ve talked a lot about that as a team. How we want to start games fast this year, bring our physicality to bear right from the very start. That’s the message being put out in our locker room.
And if we can do that … look out.
Because the truth of the matter is: We’re not a finished product yet. This team, we’re really just getting started in terms of how good we can be. We still have ways to go. And that’s the scary part about this team. (Or the exciting part, depending on whether you play for the Broncos or for somebody else.) We have playmakers on both sides of the ball. Great coaching. Now it’s just a matter of us making sure we get off to good starts in games, and then I think you’ll see us become the type of team I know we can be.
And as for me, let me just say…. Now that I’ve been around for a few years, I mean … I’m not gonna tell you I have everything all figured out, or that I’m as in-the-know as the born-and-raised Denver folks, but I do kinda feel like maybe … like at least I’ve been making some strides, hopefully.
Case in point: snowboarding.
Hahahahha, don’t laugh!
We actually have this little group of DBs that gets together after the season and heads up to Aspen for snowboarding trips. Now, mind you, I’m from basically the beach. I’d never snowboarded a day in my life before coming to Colorado. So I was a little nervous at first. All the guys, they’re heading onto the ski lift, like up to the very top of the mountain, asking me … “Pat, you comin’?” And it’s like … “No, man. NO! I’m not coming. I need some instruction. Y’all aren’t gonna bring me up here and set me up for failure!”
I did the smart thing. I headed straight to the bunny slope.
It’s basically me and a bunch of four-year-olds out there in their big coats and mittens.
And I’m telling you right now…. That was literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done. You have to use every muscle in your body just to stay upright. Even on the bunny slope.
But you know what, I gotta say…. I’ve actually made some good progress on the snowboarding front. I’m not an expert or anything. And sure, OK, I don’t exactly quite know how to stop yet. But I feel like it wouldn’t be a lie to say that I “learned how to snowboard.” So hopefully that makes me more of a Colorado guy, or has some of you maybe proud of your transplant corner from Florida for giving this lifestyle a real go.
At the end of the day, all jokes aside, it really does matter to me that I can make y’all proud as a member of this community. I just have so much appreciation in my heart for this organization and the people here. Not only for the opportunity to play for this legendary franchise in such a wonderful place, but also for all the hospitality y’all have shown me from the very first day I arrived in town. You made this place feel like home for me immediately, and it just keeps getting better with time.
And I truly hope you all have really high expectations for our team this year, because I know that I do. I can’t wait for us to take that next step … maximize our weapons, play complete games, start fast, build on last year, all of that. Plus, Bo’s back, and he’s looking better than ever. I see it every day at practice. That guy, I can’t even begin to tell you how special he is. And I’m not just talking about his arm or his accuracy or anything like that. I mean just as a human being. As a leader. He’s always positive. Always doing everything he can to get better. Always putting in the work and lifting everyone up.
Bo’s about to truly take off this season, and we’re all ready to follow his lead.
It’s funny, in some ways, I almost feel like this team … we’re kind of in the same situation we were in last year, where people are still thinking we somehow lucked into things, or that we weren’t as good as our record said we were.
And that’s perfectly fine with us.
Everyone on the outside … keep on doubting us all you want. But let me just tell you straight up: You’re making a big mistake if you’re trying to write off Denver.
There’s a reason this city is so much higher up than everyone else’s.
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This article was originally published on ThePlayersTribune as Keep On Doubting Denver.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 7:48 AM.