During Alumni Weekend last month, legendary Broncos punt returner Rick Upchurch ran into their current star returner.
In Week 1, Marvin Mims Jr. returned the 75th punt of his four-year career, officially qualifying him as the NFL’s all-time leader in punt return average. His average is now at 15.7 entering Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers.
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“I told him, ‘You’re the top man as far as average is concerned,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, yeah,’” Upchurch said of seeing Mims two weeks ago when the Broncos treated former players to a 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams during Alumni Weekend. “I said, ‘You got to get a few more returns in that whole deal before you start talking about me.’ He said, ‘You’re right.’”
Upchurch was asked how Mims stacks up when it comes to top punt returners in Denver history. Mims’ average is well ahead of the 12.1 figure Upchurch had when playing for the Broncos from 1975-83, which is eighth in league history. But Upchurch made note of other statistics he accumulated.
Upchurch had eight punt returns for touchdowns in his career to rank No. 4 all-time while Mims so far has just one. Four of Upchurch’s returns came in 1976 season, which is tied for an NFL record, with two in the same game, also tied for the record. He had 248 total returns, well ahead of the 77 Mims now has. And his 3,008 return yards rank No. 11 in league history.
“I think it’s great, and it proves that he sets up field position for his team,” Upchurch said of Mims’ lofty average. “That’s a great thing. But here’s the thing when people ask me (about the best punt returner in team history). I don’t want to sound arrogant or anything of that nature, but I’m just going to do some facts.
“He’s in his fourth year. I did this over nine years. He’s got one touchdown and I had eight. … This man is doing a wonderful, phenomenal job as far as the Denver Broncos are concerned but that’s only one record that he has broken as far as me. … He’s got to do it over the long haul. He’s at (77) returns now but I had 248. When he gets to 248 returns in his career, then we can start talking. When he gets to eight touchdowns in his career, we can start talking.”
As far as Mims is concerned, he’s not doing any bragging about his record. When asked about being the all-time leader, the wide receiver pointed toward teammates and special teams coordinators he has had since joining the Broncos as a second-round pick in 2023.
“I think it’s cool,” said Mims, whose career return average is well ahead of the 13.8 that New England’s Marcus Jones has for second place. “It’s a testament to the groups that I’ve had over the past three years. It’s a great thing for this unit, the units of the past and the coaches in the past (and currently).”
Mims entered the season with a 15.8 average and with 74 career returns, so he needed just one in the Sept. 14 opener at Kansas City to move into the record books. He returned two for 36 yards on Monday Night Football in Denver’s 31-10 loss, which left him at 15.9.
Overall, though, things have not gone too well for Mims this season. Against the Chiefs, he aggravated a foot injury he had suffered in the Aug. 28 preseason finale against Minnesota and missed the next two games.
Mims returned to action in last Sunday’s 24-14 loss at San Francisco. But he had just one official return for no gain, and on that third-quarter play lost a critical fumble at the Denver 28. That enabled the 49ers to soon score a touchdown to take the lead for good at 10-3.
“It’s going to happen,” Mims said of the fumble. “It’s football, but you got to correct it and make sure it just doesn’t keep happening. You can’t let it become a thing.”
It looked to some as if Mims’ forearm hit the ground before the ball came loose, which would have resulted in the fumble call being overturned on replay. But after a review, it was determined his wrist, which is considered part of the hand, first hit and the call stood.
“It was 50-50,” Mims said of having later watched the replay. “It could be debated on back and forth. I’m not going to worry about it. It is what it is.”
In his two games, the two-time Pro Bowl returner has three total punt returns for 36 yards, a 12.0 average. He hasn’t returned any kickoffs this season, leaving his career average at 26.6 yards.
Broncos coach Sean Payton has called who returns kickoffs this season game-by-game decisions. For Denver this season, running back RJ Harvey has six returns for a 29.3-yard average, wide receiver Kolbe Katsis has four for a 26.8 average, running back Tyler Badie has four for a 26.3 average and running back Jonah Coleman has one return for 27 yards.
“We have a lot of guys who have been pretty good at kickoff return, so it just kind of gives the other team different looks,” the modest Mims said about not being used on kickoffs so far this season. “So it’s been good for us.”
Mims said his foot has “healed up pretty good,” so it remains to be seen if he could be back on kickoffs Sunday. It also will be seen what Mims’ role will be at receiver with Pat Bryant having been placed on injured reserve Friday with an ankle injury suffered against the 49ers.
The Broncos’ top two receivers are Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. After that, they have Mims, Troy Franklin and Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
As for his punt-return average, Mims is hopeful it will stand up well for a number of years.
“It’s something cool for sure, but hopefully I have a lot of years left and a lot of games left in the future,” Mims said.
Mims is in the final year of a four-year contract and it’s uncertain whether he will be back in Denver next season. If he doesn’t return, Upchurch won’t be able to count on seeing him at a future Alumni Weekend.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) is pursued by Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop (24) during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The Broncos won the game in overtime 33-30. (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett)
Bonitto battles double teams
Word started to really get out around the middle of last season about Nik Bonitto.
That’s when the Broncos outside linebacker said he started seeing a lot of double teams on his pass rushes. Bonitto had 13.5 sacks in 2024 and had eight in Denver’s first six games in 2025.
Since then, the sacks haven’t come nearly as frequently. Bonitto finished last season with a career-high 14, but with just six in the final 11 games.
This season, Bonitto has just one sack in four games. Is he being affected by double teams?
“I think it’s obviously something that a lot of great pass rushers have to go through and so it’s nothing new on that front, honestly,” said Bonitto, who has five total quarterback hits this season. “I feel like I’m rushing well. I’m getting pressures. I’m getting to the quarterback. Sometimes it’s just how teams are playing us. We aren’t allowed to get as many (pass) rushing attempts as we want to and we’re not always playing with leads.”
The Broncos are 2-2, with their two losses being by double digits and their two wins having been in second-half comebacks. After having 68 sacks last season for an average of 4.0 per game, Denver has just eight so far this season for an average of 2.0.
“It’s nothing I’m frustrated about,” Bonitto, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, said of his start. “I know I’m rushing well. I knew when it comes a time where teams are going to pass (more) on us, I know my numbers are going to be up.”
The Broncos have played all season without outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who remains on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list. Cooper had 18.5 sacks the previous two seasons while taking some pressure off Bonitto.
Cooper’s replacement, Jonah Elliss, has yet to record a sack this season and has just one quarterback hit. But Bonitto insisted that Cooper being out has not affected his performance.
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II warms up before dressing out for the game before the second-round game of the AFC playoffs at Empower Field at Mile Hi on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett)
What I’m hearing
— For the second straight year, the Broncos elected not to put star cornerback Pat Surtain II on injured reserve after being hurt. Last season, he suffered a pectoral injury in Week 8 against Dallas and made it back after missing three games. Injured reserve would have shelved him for four. After suffering a non-contact ankle injury against the 49ers, Surtain again was not shelved. He will miss games Sunday and next Thursday against Seattle and possibly Oct. 25 at Arizona. But the Broncos hope he can be back Nov. 1 against Kansas City. In the meantime, he will be replaced by the 5-foot-11, 184-pound Kris Abrams-Draine for the second straight year. “I have no doubts about him,’’ Bonitto said. “He’s intelligent, he’s competitive, he wants to make a play on the ball every time it’s in the air or comes to him. He’s very physical for a smaller guy.”
— With Denver struggling on offense and Payton having taken back play-calling duties from first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb, tackle Mike McGlinchey said it’s a collective effort for the Broncos to get things humming. “It’s just in the details,’’ he said. “I think collectively we all have to be better. I think it’s a stringing of a block a little bit longer. It’s a hand placement here or there. It’s a tighter angle in the run game. It’s a tighter angle digging out support players at the skill positions. And then it’s executing the pass game and whether it’s protection, route running, whatever it is, we all to be better together.”
What I’m seeing
— After taking over play calling, Payton gets Sunday what could amount to be a warmup game for the Broncos before the Seahawks on a short week. The Chargers started their practice week Wednesday by listing 18 players as either not participating or limited. By Friday, they had put tackle Rashawn Slater on injured reserve and listed seven players as out for Sunday, one as doubtful and five as questionable. On Saturday, the team put offensive lineman Trevor Penning, who had been listed as out and quarterback Trey Lance, who had been listed as doubtful, on injured reserve. In addition to Slater, key players out Sunday for the Chargers are tackle Joe Alt, safety Derwin James Jr. and wide receiver Quentin Johnston.
— Mims isn’t the lonely Denver player who might be holding an NFL record this season. Kicker Wil Lutz has made 104 straight extra points, tied for the second most since the NFL moved the distance of the attempt back from 20 yards to 33 in 2015. Justin Tucker has the longest streak, having made 112 in a row for Baltimore from 2015-18, while Tyler Bass converted 104 straight from 2020-22 for Buffalo. When asked about Lutz having made 104 in a row, Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi knocked on wood and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”