The Denver Broncos have named their team captains for the 2026 season and, in doing so, have followed the same approach that they took in the offseason: sticking with what worked.
The Broncos
made few changes to their roster this offseason, believing the group in place was good enough to win a Super Bowl and wanted to keep as much of that intact as possible. The same can be said for the team captains.The Broncos chose the same eight team captains that they had last season, with one addition. Special teams ace and reserve safety Devon Key was added as a special teams captain.
“He was a[n All-Pro] special teamer a year ago, and I think it’s the respect of his teammates,” coach Sean Payton said of Key being voted a captain. “He’s someone that he’ll
play on defense as well, but just his production I think and his consistency.”
Denver quarterback Bo Nix echoed his coach's remarks.
"He obviously worked himself into that role," Nix said of Key. "We see him as a great special-teams captain that can lead the team really well."
Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton was full of praise for the safety and the journey he took to reach this point of his career.
"For ‘DK’ to be a new member of that group, I speak super highly of him," Sutton said. "I probably don’t tell him this enough in person, but I tell all the other young guys to see him come in and to watch his journey, the way that has transpired and for him to never complain. There was one time, when I think his rookie year, he was on ‘P’ [practice] squad. I never heard one complaint; he just came to work, got out there and did what he needed to do to be able to have success. Then to watch him grow, and mold into the player that he’s become, and then ultimately into this leadership role, into this captain role, it’s truly inspiring to be able to watch that happen.
"Guys that are undrafted, guys that are drafted in late rounds, guys that get put on ‘P’ squad early on should look at his story and take that and run with it and say, ‘Look, if I keep my nose to the ground and keep working and keep developing myself, the sky’s the limit.’ I’m happy for him to be able to be in that ring and in that realm with us.”
After going undrafted out of Western Kentucky in 2021 and having stops with the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, Key is entering his fifth season as a member of the Broncos.
Though he mostly plays on special teams, he is a player the team can turn to if one of the starting safeties goes down. He has 61 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble during his time with the Broncos.
It's a similar road to the one once taken by former Denver safety P.J. Locke, who became the top special teams player on the roster after spending time on the practice squad before earning a key spot on defense as a reserve safety that eventually led to a starting role and turned into a new free-agent deal with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.
Key is growing into a bigger role with the Broncos, and now he gets the chance to model that same work ethic and determination for his rookie younger brother, Dane, who is currently a member of the Broncos' practice squad.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos have one new team captain this season: ‘It’s truly inspiring’
