DENVER BRONCOS QUOTES (11/2/17)
WIDE RECEIVER EMMANUEL SANDERS
On his ankle
“it’s good. Right now I’m optimistic that I’m definitely going to play. Just hoping it continues to get better. I can make all the cuts and I can do all I want. I don’t feel like myself all the way. That’s going to happen, nobody’s one hundred percent in this league. Still have what, three or four days until the game? I’m optimistic, I’m just going to continuously work and run on it. Hopefully it just gets more and more comfortable.”
On how he has managed to recover so quickly
“God I guess. I don’t know. The doctors told me six weeks, but it feels good. Like I told you last week, I thought I was going to be able to go last week as well. I felt really good. It’s all about going out, continuously getting this rehab and just going out and making plays. I told [Head] Coach [Vance] Joseph, I said, ‘I don’t want to go out there if I can’t be myself.’ So that’s what it’s about. I’m trying to get to myself. I felt good today at practice and I was able to hit full speed. I’m optimistic.”
On how close he was to playing last Monday
“It wasn’t close at all. It was one of those, ‘I can go.’ [Director of Sports Medicine Steve Antonopulos] ‘Greek’ was like, ‘No, you’re not going.’ It wasn’t close at all, but you know me, I always think I can go.”
On QB Brock Osweiler
“We’ve been meeting as an offense. Brock, he’s learned under Peyton [Manning]. He understands what it takes to study and he understands what it takes to go out and win ball games. Peyton groomed him well for sure. Breaking down film, he was telling us exactly what he’s seeing and we’re able to get on the same page. Just the energy that he brings and that leadership mentality that he brings. The guy knows and thinks that he’s a franchise quarterback. I’m happy for him. You see it, he went to Houston and he dealt with all that in Houston. Then he went to Cleveland and dealt with all that in Cleveland. Now he’s back here and I told him, I said, ‘God must really love you because you went all the way around the world and now you’re back being the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos. You’re definitely lucky.’”
On if Osweiler is the same guy he was in 2015
“He’s still the same guy. Still breaking the huddle all fast, still talking a lot, still communicating, still being that leader and still believes that he’s the man, and that’s what it’s about. As a quarterback, everybody always said, ‘Oh Peyton’s so humble.’ But Peyton was one of the most competitive, confident guys to be around. It was addictive and Brock has that same thing.”
On whether Osweiler being named the starter brings back memories of 2015
“You really can’t compare that. We’ll see. How can you say we picked up? We’ve been practicing right now. We get in the game, hopefully it’ll be like Pittsburgh where I have 15 catches for 180-something yards and a touchdown. That’s what I’m expecting, but at the same time it’s all about winning ball games.”
On if the quarterback change has brought a renewed hope to the locker room
“I think changing up the quarterback position, bringing a new energy and a new spark to the offense—just he way that Brock carries himself—he bounces around. [QB] Trevor [Siemian] does the same thing. Standing up here talking about Brock, but Trevor is the same guy as well. Offensively, like you said, we collectively as a group, we aren’t getting the job done. We have to get better no matter who’s throwing the football.”
On being Osweiler’s most targeted receiver in 2015
“I have to figure that out, maybe I was paying him or something. I might have to leave some money in his locker or something. From yours truly and wink.”
On if he’s surprised that WR Demaryius Thomas hasn’t had a touchdown reception this season
“Yes. We were putting in red zone today and most of the time I’m in the back like, ‘Give me that play! Give me that play!’ I was like ‘Hey, give it to ‘D.T. (Demaryius Thomas). Give it to D.T.’ He’s getting to go a full year without a touchdown so we have to change that. I’m praying that he goes on a run and has—look at the guy Houston, I forgot his name. He has what? 15 catches and seven touchdowns—Will Fuller. Hopefully Demaryius can be that guy and I can come up next and do the same thing.”
On if Thomas is frustrated
“No, Demaryius doesn’t get frustrated. At least he doesn’t show it. He might be mad, but he’ll still smile at you and walk away and be like, ‘Loser.’ He’s not going to show any emotions for sure.”
On if Brock has started communicating more since he’s been named the starter
“No. You saw him on scout team commanding like he’s about to play in the Super Bowl. That’s just Brock. He’s, ‘Come on guys!’ [CB Aqib] Talib is getting all mad, ‘Throw me an interception. You’re the scout team quarterback.’ And Brock’s like, ‘No I’m not throwing an interception.’ Brock, he’s competitive and I’m excited for him. I’m excited about the opportunity and I’m excited about facing the Philadelphia Eagles. Right now we’ve lost three games in a row and what better team to go and beat on the road.”
On changing quarterbacks mid-season
“It doesn’t bother me. My job is to go out, run the route, catch the ball, score a touchdown and dance afterwards. I’m going to continuously do that.”
On what the Houston Astros winning the World Series means to the city of Houston
“That was big. I said I wasn’t going to post on Instagram until I got back on the field, but I was in front of my television screaming and hollering because I know what it is to the city. I went back out there during my bye week and I saw people struggling and I saw people having real problems, real life problems. Now I go on Instagram and look at all of my friends, their stories and people were FaceTiming me and they’re so excited about the Astros. I’m talking about people that don’t even like baseball and they’re rooting for the Astros. It just brought a lot of energy into a city that really need it.”
©2017 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club.