ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos’ captains for the 2025 season are set.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga, defensive tackle D.J. Jones, kicker Wil Lutz, guard Quinn Meinerz, quarterback Bo Nix, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, cornerback Pat Surtain II and wide receiver Courtland Sutton were chosen as captains by their teammates, Head Coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday after practice.
“I think it evolves,” Payton said of the leadership of the captains. “I think it’s a process. I think you see the growth of that when the season begins. Then you see it tested when you have some adversity. I think it’s something that [happens] organically, when you bring the right type of individuals together. … I thought it was said well last night by one of the captains. The comment was, ‘You don’t have to be a captain to be one of our outstanding leaders,’ And I agree with that.”
Sutton is a captain for the fifth consecutive season and said he doesn’t take the responsibility lightly.
“It’s something that I understand the weight that it carries and the responsibilities that come with it,” Sutton said. “I told the guys as well, they’re going to get everything I’ve got, day in and day out.”
Lutz, Meinerz, Nix, Singleton and Surtain are captains for a second consecutive year in Denver. Singleton was also a captain for the Eagles earlier in his career.
“It’s an honor and it’s something that I’ll never take for granted,” Nix said. “I think what makes it more special is you’re voted by your peers. You’re voted by your teammates. It just means a lot that my teammates respect me and want to put me in that position. I want to be as good as I can be in that spot.”
Added Surtain: “I think it’s a very humbling honor. … I want to keep on being the best leader, best teammate I could possibly be each and every year.”
Jones, who re-signed with the team this offseason, is a captain for the first time in his career.
“He has a veteran presence,” Payton said of Jones. “His experience, his football IQ is high for what he does. He comes to work. He has a good sense of humor. He’s coachable, reliable, dependable, all those traits that are important to have in this league.”
Hufanga is also a first-time captain after joining the Broncos in free agency.
“It doesn’t surprise me to be honest with you,” Sutton said of Hufanga. “… He comes to work every day. He’s not a hoorah type of individual, but he’s consistent. That’s something that you look for in a leader. That’s something that you look for in one of your top players on the team.”
The Broncos are set to begin the 2025 season against the Titans on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. MT at Empower Field at Mile High
