ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Understand, Brett Rypien had been cut from the Broncos’ roster all three previous years of his NFL career leading into the season opener.
So when he got a text Tuesday morning from coach Nathaniel Hackett that stated he needed to come in and see him, but didn’t state the reason?
“That’s never a good thing,’’ Rypien said Wednesday while smiling at his locker. “In my past experience, my mind immediately went to -- I thought I was getting cut, to be honest with you. I know how this business works and I think you always have to expect the worst. So when Coach Hackett told me the news, I was excited, to say the least.”
The news Hackett delivered to Rypien in person was, “Congrats, kid. You won the No. 2 quarterback job.”
“I was just ecstatic,’’ Rypien said. “A lot of hard work. I’ve never made a team out of camp. So that was a big goal for me. My focus this camp was try to take it day-by-day and focus on what I can control, and I think I did a really good job of that. I want to continue to do that.”
It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Rypien had to mentally compartmentalize the day-by-day realization that veteran Josh Johnson was getting almost all the No. 2 practice reps during OTAs, the minicamps, training camp and the first two weeks in the preseason.
But then, Rypien tore it up in the second half against Buffalo, completing 22 of 26 for 191 yards and a touchdown. Hey, wait a minute. What do we have here?
Like everyone else, Rypien believes the Buffalo game was the turning point in winning the job.
“I do. I think this league is what-have-you-done-for-me-lately,’’ he said. “Went out and put a good performance out there, got an opportunity to start and then going back and watching the film I thought I did a good job in the Minnesota game. Guys were really moving the ball.”
Hackett primarily made the call. It’s his team, his offense, his quarterbacks he needs to count on.
“It was a very hard decision for all of us, for our entire staff,’’ Hackett said. “So much respect for Josh and Ryp. I think that just from a consistency standpoint, Ryp edged him out just a little bit, but it doesn't say that we wouldn't be absolutely ecstatic to have Josh go in for a game if we needed to. So, it was definitely a very close competition.”
And so now, and from now on, Rypien’s job is to work side-by-side with starting quarterback Russell Wilson. Game plan with him during meetings. Johnson will do that too as the leader of the practice squad.
Where Rypien and Johnson will separate, though, is on game day. It will be Rypien on the sideline helping Wilson study the pictures during the game Sept. 12 against Wilson’s former Seahawks.
“I’ve been watching Russ for quite some time now, but we’ve been working together since OTAs, and I’m excited to get into the normal game-planning and really diving into the Xs and Os and see how we are going to attack Seattle,’’ Rypien said.
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