ENGLEWOOD, Colo — When Andrew Beck transferred from the New England Patriots to the Denver Broncos via the waiver wire on September 1, his new teammates and unfamiliar surroundings presented him with a common situation.
A son of an active-duty Army colonel, Beck was well-accustomed to being the new kid in school.
“I lived in 11 places before I got to college at the University of Texas,’’ Beck said this week in a sit-down interview with 9News. “Been all over. It was a great experience growing up, got to meet a lot of great people and see a lot of really cool things. Wouldn’t have changed it for anything.’’
Transient in upbringing, Beck is versatile on the field not only in position but in skills. He plays a tight end/fullback/H-back hybrid and last week he became only the second Broncos player in the past 11 seasons to have a completed pass, reception and rushing attempt in the same game.
He had but one of each for a total of 10 yards, but a hat trick is a hat trick.
“It definitely wasn’t the plan but it was cool that it worked out that way,’’ Beck said.
He was referring to the 6-yard pass completion he was credited with after his pitch to Phillip Lindsay on a key fourth-and-1 conversion travelled a tick forward. It was supposed to be a lateral pitch.
“It was,’’ he said. “That’s how it was designed up and the way it played out, I held on to it a little longer than we had practiced it because I tried to run it around the end to make sure that (Lindsay) didn’t have any issues getting the first down.
“It ended up being a forward pass so it worked out well.”
Germany, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tampa, and Austin, Texas are among the places Beck has called home. So was Colorado Springs during his 8th grade and freshman high school years while his dad was stationed at Fort Carson. It was a formative time as a sports fan.
His favorite NFL team growing up?
“Definitely the Broncos,’’ he said. “Got to watch a couple Broncos games and ended back here. I’ve got friends that are down in the Springs. I was actually down in the Springs for Christmas.’’
From Colorado Springs, the Becks moved to Tampa where Andrew was a four-year letterman and all state linebacker. Recruited by Florida State and Stanford among several others, Beck wound up at the University of Texas.
“The longest I ever was in one spot was right near Austin, Texas,’’ he said. That stint was about 3 ½ years. “That kind of played in the decision to go to UT. Just long enough that I became a UT fan and I’d go to a couple games and I always wanted to go back there for school.”
He got his degree in communications and minor in sign language.
“I needed two semesters for my degree and I fell in love with it,’’ Beck said. “I had an amazing professor while I was there that I still keep in touch with. Got to work for the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin so I got to do a couple things through them. It’s not something I intended on doing. It’s something I stumbled into and fell in love with.’’
It was suggested that this type of skill could lead to some unique opportunities in the future.
“Anything I can do to help that community, I’d absolutely be up for it,’’ he said.
Undrafted out of Texas, Beck was a premium college free agent who got a relatively large $115,000 total guarantee in signing bonus and first-year salary from the Patriots. When he was among their final cuts, the Broncos claimed him off waivers.
“It was a great experience,’’ Beck said of his offseason with the Patriots. “I really learned a lot. I’m thankful for the opportunity they gave me but I’m definitely excited that I ended up in Denver.”
The Broncos needed him to fill in for the injured fullback Andy Janovich. Even though he’s a tight end by trade, Beck showed in the preseason he could play some fullback. Beck has played both positions in 15 games this year.
“I guess it depends on the week at this point,’’ Beck said. “It’s an exciting role. Get to do whatever the team needs. It’s something I enjoy.’’
He fits in well with the Broncos and he fit in from the star. As he learned to do while bouncing around the country and beyond in his youth.
“It’s given me the ability to talk to people relatively well and make friends quickly,’’ he said. “Which definitely helps when you’re coming into a locker room of 53 guys.
“In my case, I didn’t go to camp with the Broncos. So I had to come in week 1 and be ready to play a game. And I think my parents did a great job of teaching me to be respectful, and hard work and things like that. I think all that kind of helped out.”
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