Two players who joined the Broncos in trades before the season are headed to the injured reserve.
After sustaining an ankle and knee injury, respectively, in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Dan Gronkowski and Joe Mays are out for the remainder of the season.
Gronkowski, who had eight catches for 65 yards this season, suffered his injury in the second quarter but toughed it out to return to the game.
“He’s just a tough (player),” Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. “He (injured) it and then he went back in and taped it again at halftime. I love his toughness and we have a great deal of respect for what he tried to do yesterday, because he did not want to come out of the game. As a coach, you appreciate that a lot.”
While Gronkowski did not reinjure the ankle, the initial injury was severe enough to end his season.
McDaniels also discussed the loss of Mays, who has stepped in as a starter at middle linebacker in five of the previous six games, accumulating 40 tackles and a pass defensed this season.
“He’s definitely been a very valuable addition to our team — not only on defense, but his impact has been there all year in the kicking game,” the head coach said. “He’s a very unselfish guy who took his role and did the most with it. I think our team has a great deal of respect for his toughness and effort. He plays extremely hard and we’ll miss his impact here the last month of the season. (We’re) very grateful that we have him and that will continue to move forward with him.”
The team hasn’t made any decisions as for the roster moves to replace the injured veterans, but “there are some balls up in the air right now.”
Meanwhile, the team is hopeful that Andre’ Goodman and Darcel McBath will return for this Sunday’s game at Arizona. The status of Brian Dawkins and Demaryius Thomas is still uncertain.
Goodman’s return comes with Perrish Cox fresh off what McDaniels called “probably (his) best game of the season” against the Chiefs. Goodman, who started all 16 games in 2009 and four games this season, might be eased back into the cornerback position where Cox has started eight games in his stead.
“Any time a player is coming back from an injury and hasn’t practiced in a while, I think there is always a period there where you are going to see how quickly they work back in, what they can handle right away,” McDaniels said. “We will see as we go throughout the week and evaluate (Goodman) and see where he is at.”
‘GOOD EXPERIENCE’
Despite the Broncos being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the focus around Dove Valley is still on winning games — “one game at a time, four times.”
With that in mind, McDaniels addressed the idea of giving younger players more playing time simply to give them experience for next season.
“I think that good experience is always better than just experience,” McDaniels said. “I don’t think that just forcing experience on younger players because your record dictates that you can’t make the playoffs is necessarily a great formula to use.”
“I certainly don’t want to use these last four games to put players in there that aren’t ready to go.”
The head coach used Eric Decker as an example of a young player who has gotten better every week, worked hard to create a role for himself and has earned more playing time, hauling in three passes for 76 yards in the past two weeks. Rather than forcing the rookie into the lineup, Decker earned “good experience” on his own.
When asked more specifically about playing Tim Tebow, McDaniels cited Kyle Orton’s season — he ranks fourth in the league in passing yardage — and indicated that the transition from a little playing time to all of it could be even more difficult at the quarterback position.
“I think it’s a big discrepancy when you’re talking about any player that really hasn’t had a lot of reps during the course of the year,” McDaniels said, “then, all of a sudden you’re going to say, ‘Now you’re going to get all of them.’ That’s a tough transition for anybody to take.”
The head coach said the team will make decisions based on what is best for the team as it looks to win games to close the season.
“We’ll consider all things and if those things we think can help our football team be better down the stretch, then we’re going to do them — no matter what position it is, no matter who it is,” McDaniels said. “If we don’t think that, then we’ll make a different decision.”
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Andre' Goodman, Brian Dawkins, Dan Gronkowski, Darcel McBath, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Joe Mays, Perrish Cox, Tim Tebow
Hate to see Mays out,he’s been a surprise player this year.
I can live with Gronkowski gone, but Mays has been playing well in the last couple of games.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/sportsnation/ratings
Bowlen – Don’t you get it yet?!?! Clean house. Get rid of McD, Xanders, etc.
McD – Orton is a nice guy and a team player, but he can’t get it done. If that wasn’t obvious yesterday or many other games this seaons, then you need to have your head examined because you don’t have a clue. Play Timmy!
That’s a really interesting link broncofannsd. Thanks for posting that. McD is #32 out of 32 coaches on the approval rating list. Enough said.
Blah blah blah blah blah, whether we are in it or out of it the same rethoric comes out of this coach, good luck for the ones who are hoping for Tebow to start, as I had expected this young HC doens’t have what it takes to put it out there on the line, heck with games on the line down a TD or two with two or three minutes to go he punts it every time, why would anyone thinks he is man enough to go all out and give Tebow a shot as a starter? Naaaahhhh, blah blah blah blah blah. Incredibly sad.
Tebow is the future of the Broncos franchise,so when will he get the chance to prove again that he is a leader?Orton is just a product of McD’s system,I’m not saying he hasn’t got the heart or the drive to be a good leader,but he hasn’t got the talent.Tebow will make a great field general,mark my words,whether it’s with McD or another HC (preferably).
FIRE MCD AND XANDERS….AND PLAY TEBOW!!!!!!!!!!
Why does this feel like Black Monday…
WOW! Well there goes josh mcdaniels, every 1 got what they wanted. Josh is fired as of now.
Shenanigans!
this in on nfl.com josh mcdaniels has been fired. Horrible. Well never see tebow play now.
http://www.nfl.com/
breaking news
i dont like it, we just needed a D coordinator.
If that’s a joke that is seriously not funny blaze.
“Im so excited…and i just cant hide it. Im about to lose control and i think i like it.”
lol…or somethign to that tune. thx alot bowlen for making this happen. I am glad he noticed another year under mcdaniels could set us back more years. Better late than never…
swear to god check it out
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!
NO WAY is that for real??? no details wow christmas comes early
IT’S TRUE, REPORTED BY ADAM SHEFTER, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MR BOWLEN YOU ARE STILL THE GREATEST OWNER IN FOOTBALL I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, AND SAYONARA COACH HASTA LA VISTA SEE YOU NEVER TAKE YOUR SMUG MUG ON THE ROAD. YEAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
Woah lets calm down, who is this coach!? IS IT CHUCKY!! It must have been good to fire josh now. I NEED TO KNOW!
i feel horrible for josh, i wanted him to have 1 more year with a better d coach..
Well congrats to the haters you got your wish!
Yea i got the facebook update like 15 mins ago. he is def gone. even on front page of denverbroncos.com. we have no interim yet tho.
but to adress the actuall blog. gronkowski was a fail and is not as good as his bro. And Mays is truly a loss.
Best news I could hear in my birthday!!
I preffer to be called “Broncos Lover” rather than “McD hater”.
And for the few who wanted to keep giving more time to McD you can always take it on the road and follow him wherever he’ll end up, haha, probably feeling pretty stupid now, that’s not even better late than ever for those fand it’s never ever, but you all lost, we anti McD won, ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT, IT’S LIKE THE BLACK MONDAY I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT WAS JUST LIFTED, WALKING ON CLOUDS, UNREAL, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN.
I could care less who we finish the season with at HC, one of the current coaches will probably serve as interim coach, the important think is we got rid of the weasel, AMEN.
That would be me, sndvl, TRB, BFE, OC, carnage (old va) and a few others, just helping you out Holley.
THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! I THOUGHT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS TAKING CRAZY PILLS. FINALLY WE CAN GET BACK TO BEING THE “BRONCOS” WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any suggestions on who could be next? I hope it works out…I don’t want to go through a cycle of again trying to build the team for another couple of years.
Bronco – Blaze
He did have a great DC…and he chased him away. so his 1 year with a great DC already happened. Besides he came in to help us win now not 3 years down the line and its been an epic fail. Not to mention the dumber of defenders V offensive players drafted over his time is lopsided in offense favor. We need a defense badly.
I almost feel bad for him. As a human being, i cant help but feel bad for a guy who just lost his job but when i remember all his boneheaded moves its easy to see he just couldnt cut it. never liked that clown. Wish him the best however…he has potential to be a great coach…he just got ALOT of growing up to do. Plus he needs to experience more and realize one way of doing things isnt the only way. All he knew was the patriots way and that was his problem. We just had the unfortunate pleasure of being his practice…Soo long buddy
Finnaly!!! So the next big question is Who is his successor?
Now what I really would like to know is who has been ratting him out in the organization, I want to personally offer that person a medal.
Gruden anyone? Merry X-mas! See ya Josh!
GRUDEN GRUDEN GRUDEN……TEBOW TEBOW TEBOW!
Bowlen is on the phone to Cower as we speak lol
Fire bay, sndvl, TRB, BFE, OC, carnage (old va) and a few others, for poor character.
Funny I just was seeing if I could now post the McD moniker that said he is done but it still wouldn’t let me do it, haha.
We can’t be fired, we are not employed, haha.
So has Mr B checked with you guys to see who you will accept as the next coach?
No matter who we finish out the next 4 or so games with..the outcome wouldnt be different. we cant make the playoffs. My guess is Mike McCoy offensive Coordinator will be the interim. And if he wins out the rest of the season, he might be the HC next year but I doubt it and hope not. We need a Vet and a Defensive minded guy. Hopefully they like tebow…
Bay ~ LOL I dont think anyone had to rat him out as his results as a coach speak volumes. TRB aptly put it boneheaded moves its easy to see he just couldnt cut it.
The list is unbelievably long and to cause so much havoc in a short period of time is bad news on any scale!
HOLY COW! I miss 6 weeks and the season went to hell in a hand basket. SPYGATE II? WTH? MCD FIRED? WTH (ALBEIT IM GLAD!!!!) goodness gracious…i need to get online more when im doing training sessions for the Air Force!
This is GRRRRRREAT!!!! I can’t help but thinking that some of us fans had a lot to do with this. I’m going to celebrate tonight while watching Monday Night Football and dreaming of McD less Bronco games, WOW!!!
Danso, I would have to decline, some of you guys out here would be out for my head from day one, LOL.
McD wanted it his way and got fired for his poor performance on and off the field.
Happy Days indeed!
GO BRONCOS!
too bad I’m already hungover, I could go celebrate with bay
for those supporting McD lain and simple, he was brought in to make the playoffs since we haent in a long time. missed it last year…and bowlen decided to give him a shot even after a slow start to make it to playoffs this year as well. This was probably the reason Bowlen supported all his trades and dumbness. because he thought the goal would be reached. it wasnt and we are left with a lot of players and personel lost.
Bay, I think alot of us fans had to do with this…and also i hope a lil bit of commmon sense from ownership lol
I refused to post on here unil after McDaniels was gone. Thank the lord. I figure Mccoy will take over as interim head coach
Time to start recruiting Cowher, Gruden, or Harbaugh from the college ranks
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
And hi cody, pretty wild hey? First my Marshall must go campaign then the Phonzy must go campaign and now the fire McD campaign all coming to fruition, who would of thought, never give up on your beliefs, unreal, what a great day now!!!