ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — His broken ribs not yet healed, Montrell Washington was not going to sit out the game against Florida.
Washington was a senior receiver and returner at Samford University, a subdivision program just outside Birmingham, Ala. The Florida Gators played in the mighty Southeastern Conference (SEC), where the best college football is played every year. The game was shown on ESPN+ and the Southeastern Conference Network.
Even with achy ribs, Washington was playing.
“It could have been against Florida, it could have been against anyone,’’ Washington said in a sit-down interview with 9NEWS to preview the Broncos’ final preseason game Saturday night (7:05 p.m., Channel 20) against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High. “I was still going to play and go out there and represent Samford and just put myself out there so I could get to the next level. And I was glad I was able to put on a show not just for myself and the viewers but for my team.’’
Put on a show? Washington delivered a Jim Thorpe performance. On the game’s first series, Washington the receiver had a 17-yard rush and a 1-yard touchdown run. Midway through the second quarter he returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown that gave Samford a surprising 35-28 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Washington threw back to his quarterback Liam Welch for a 16-yard completion and two plays later the duo flipped back to normal with Washington catching a 23-yard touchdown pass from Welch. For the game, Washington had 10 catches for 124 yards, five returns for another 179 yards, 19 yards rushing and 16 yards passing.
Samford couldn’t keep up with the Gators and lost, 70-52 but Washington had 338 all-purpose yards on tape for NFL scouts and coaches to evaluate – most notably Broncos’ receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who was so excited by what he saw he shared the film with special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes.
The reports and film of Washington eventually made its way to Broncos general manager George Paton, who used one of his three, fifth-round draft picks on the dynamic returner and receiver.
“I’m just thankful it happened,’’ Washington said. “I had no idea. I had only seen one scout at my Pro Day. After that I didn’t talk to them at all.’’
The secret weapon was to be kept secret. Washington is now a virtual lock to make the Broncos’ season-opening, 53-man roster as the team’s punt and kickoff returner. And even if like all rookies Washington doesn’t always run the correct route, he has flashed enough receiving skills to where he may get two or three plays a game as a wideout/slot receiver.
“I’m glad I got the guys I do have like Jeudy, KJ, Court, Tim,’’ Washington said of the Broncos’ top four receivers before Tim Patrick went down with a torn ACL. “When I first got here, they’ll tell you, it was tough. It was definitely an adjustment for me but with them helping me every day, staying on top of me, sky’s the limit.”
Washington grew up in Marietta, Ga. with his mom, dad and younger brother.
“Football was kind of the main thing growing up,’’ he said. “I started playing football around 4 years old and never looked back.’’
Indeed, at 4 years old, he played on a 5-year-old Pee Wee football team and played up from his age group all the way through until high school. He started running track when he was 7 or 8, but didn’t notice he was faster than the other kids until he was 11, 12 years old.
As a junior in high school, he moved in with his godparents in Canton, Ga. and attended Cherokee High School.
“It was [a] better way for me to get to college,’’ Washington said. “And to take it off my parents. Because everybody needs a little help sometimes. I’m grateful my godparents were there to help me out. Also a few other people, my high school coach as well, Josh Shaw. Things turned out for the better. It was best decision I ever could have made.”
From there, Washington jumped Georgia for Alabama and Samford, which is just outside Birmingham.
“My high school best friend, Andrew Harris, he was at Samford University,’’ Washington said. “I had a few offers but once Samford offered me I had to go. I mean he was my best friend, he was my big brother and they also threw the ball 100 times a game. I had to go.”
His goals for his rookie season in Denver?
“My goals as a rookie is to make the 53-man roster,’’ Washington said. “That’s my main goal for sure. And just contributing to the team any way possible. If that’s being on special teams, I’ll do that. If they need me on kickoff, I can do that. Whatever the team needs I want to be that guy who can help out.”
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