ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — No more messing around with whether or not to have team captains.
Nathaniel Hackett wants them and after a player vote Tuesday, the Broncos named five: Russell Wilson and Courtland Sutton on offense; Bradley Chubb and Justin Simmons on defense; and Brandon McManus for special teams.
"The best testament is how many guys got votes,'' said Hackett, the Broncos' first-year head coach. "It wasn't just those five. It was numerous, numerous guys. On the offensive line we had a bunch of guys. And I think it's great to see so many people that believe in their teammates. It wasn't just a specific amount of guys.''
In Vic Fangio's first two seasons as Broncos' head coach in 2019-20, he didn't name captains, deciding instead to rotate players to serve as captains on game day. He changed it up in 2021 and named six captains with Sutton, Simmons and McManus getting repeat honors in 2022.
"It's an honor,'' Sutton said. "For it to come from your peers, your teammates, guys that you grind with every day, for them to see the things we do on the field, off the field, try to carry the team to the right direction, it's an honor."
"It's kind of like a title,'' said Chubb, who was not a captain last season. "All the hard work, all the type of leadership I've been trying to instill so it's a great accomplishment to be looked at by your peers so got to wear it with pride."
"Each year it's an honor,'' McManus said. "It's a new staff here, it's a new group of players, a lot of new faces, a lot of new names. So it's a humbling experience. I grew up as a kid in the upper level at Lincoln Financial Field watching the Eagles games and dreaming about being an NFL football player.
"Obviously I've been able to accomplish being that player but now to be captain for six years now it's been incredible. Still humbling to me each and every year."
The most notable captain snub was veteran safety Kareem Jackson. A captain last year, Jackson is the senior member of the Broncos at 34 years old as he goes into his 13th NFL season.
Other captain-worthy players who fell short: Offensive linemen Garett Bolles, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Dalton Risner, Graham Glasgow and Billy Turner; inside linebacker Josey Jewell; and defensive linemen Dre'Mont Jones and D.J. Jones. Cornerback Pat Surtain II figures to become a captain next year.
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