ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In his second season with the Broncos, Noah Fant has shown improvement in tangible ways as the tight end has recorded more catches, will have more yards and he might even wind up with another touchdown or two.
While improvement is expected for all second-year players, it was no small feat for Fant as he broke team rookie records for tight ends with 40 catches and 562 receiving yards in 2019.
Fant has 52 catches already this season – 12th-highest single-season count all time among Broncos’ tight ends – even though he has essentially missed two games and has two games to go.
A big reason for Fant’s statistical enhancement was the intangible development of his toughness. All football players must have an element of withstanding pain. But there is the toughness required in absorbing the hits of high school players, there is college toughness, and there is the near masochistic requirement to catching the ball between 245-pound linebackers and hard-charging safeties. And then coming back the next week to endure it again.
“This is the most banged up season I’ve had,’’ Fant said in a sit-down interview with 9News last week. He has dealt with ankle, ribs and illness issues this year. “It’s been one thing after another. But I’ve been able to get through it. I love playing. I love being out there. Much credit to the training staff for getting me back out there quickly. I’ve had a great time playing. Playing through a little bit of pain is sometimes necessary and I’ve been able to do that this season.”
Rob Gronkowski, rough, tough and physically punishing as he is, has struggled to stay healthy during his career, missing 29 regular-season games. And Gronkowski figured to have a little more incentive to play through injuries as he's always been playing for a playoff team while catching passes for a Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady.
That’s not the case with Fant, who for the second consecutive season is going into Game 15 with his team eliminated at 5-9. At least the Broncos’ opponent today, the Los Angeles Chargers, is in a similar self-motivated position of 5-9.
Is it difficult showing up to work each day when the team is not contending for a playoff spot?
“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult,’’ Fant said. “Obviously, we’re all driven to win. We just want to get some wins these last two games. Like coach Fangio says, play winning football. Obviously, we haven’t lived up to that throughout the season being 5-9, but for me, I’m hungry to get some wins. That’s more motivation to come into this facility and be on my Ps and Qs and get my job done.’’
Fant’s production has been especially impressive because his quarterback has been inconsistent. Drew Lock has turned the ball over 16 times this season, tied for 4th-most, which has rendered so many of his beautiful throws moot. It’s led to a season-long discussion as to whether Lock should be the Broncos’ starting quarterback in 2021.
“He’s my quarterback right now, he’s my quarterback for the future,’’ Fant said. “That’s not my decision to make. I think Drew has played pretty well this season. I think he’s had some ups and downs, just like our whole team has, but I’m riding with him. And that’s my job to ride with him. That’s my quarterback and that’s whose our offense’s quarterback is right now so we’re going to see where it goes. I think Drew is the guy right now but obviously those aren’t my decisions to make. But I would want nothing but for Drew to be there.’’
Shannon and the tight ends
Noah Fant is off to a fine start in his career, but he’s still a ways from matching some of the standard seasons set by Broncos’ Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe and Riley Odoms, who has been snubbed by the team’s Ring of Fame committee. Best tight end seasons in Broncos history (by yards)
Year, Tight end …………..… C …….… Y … TD
1997, Shannon Sharpe ...… 72 ...… 1,107 ..… 3
1996, Shannon Sharpe ...… 80 ...… 1,062 … 10
1994, Shannon Sharpe ...… 87 ...… 1,010 ..… 4
1993, Shannon Sharpe ...… 81 …...… 995 ..… 9
1978, Riley Odoms …….…. 54 ...…… 829 ….. 6
2013, Julius Thomas ……... 65 .....….. 788 … 12
2003, Shannon Sharpe ...… 62 …… 770 ….. 8
1998, Shannon Sharpe ...… 64 …… 768 … 10
1995, Shannon Sharpe ...… 63 …… 756 ..… 4
1966, Al Denson …………... 36 …… 725 ….. 3
2002, Shannon Sharpe ...… 61 …… 686 ….. 3
2008, Tony Scheffler …..…. 40 ….... 645 ….. 3
1992, Shannon Sharpe ..… 53 …… 640 ….. 2
1974, Riley Odoms ………. 42 …… 639 …. 6
1979, Riley Odoms ………. 40 …… 638 …. 1
1973, Riley Odoms ………. 43 …… 629 …. 7
1962, Gene Prebola ……... 41 …… 599 …. 1
1980, Riley Odoms ………. 39 …… 590 …. 6
1964, Hewritt Dixon …….... 38 …… 585 …. 1
2004, Jeb Putzier ……….... 36 …... 572 …. 2
2001, Desmond Clark ….... 51 …... 566 …. 6
2019, Noah Fant …...…….. 40 ….. 562 …. 3
2020, Noah Fant ….………. 52 ….. 560 …. 3
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