Gary Kubiak was in a hurry and had only a moment. It was enough time to drop a bombshell of an opinion.
Asked his thoughts about his top tailback, the Broncos’ offensive coordinator offered an observation of what he saw this summer.
“In all of my years around a pro camp, I’ve never seen a player have a better camp than Mike Anderson,” said Kubiak, a former Broncos quarterback and San Francisco 49ers assistant coach.
Ever?
Remember, this is a guy who played in the NFL for nine seasons and who has coached in the NFL for 12 seasons. This is a guy who has worked with John Elway, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Terrell Davis and Rod Smith, all in their prime.
“Mike was it,” Kubiak said.
Anderson was stunned.
“He said that?” said Anderson, stopping in his tracks as his jaw dropped. “Wow, that means something.”
Continuing a career-long trend of overcoming odds, the former U.S. Marine cemented the Broncos’ starting tailback job with a fine preseason, putting an exclamation point on it with a 93-yard touchdown run against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 27. It marked the one-year anniversary of a serious injury that threatened to end Anderson’s career a month shy of his 31st birthday.
The run proved Anderson still has the speed to be a starting tailback. Now, as the Broncos open the season Sunday at Miami against the Dolphins, Anderson has reclaimed the bell-cow role he had five years ago when he ran for 1,487 yards and was the NFL offensive rookie of the year for the 2000 season.
Anderson’s status as the No. 1 tailback in minicamps and at the start of training camp raised some eyebrows. To some observers, it seemed likely that speedy second-year pro Tatum Bell would become the starter.
Anderson had other ideas.
“He was on a mission,” Kubiak said. “He was so on every day.”
Anderson said he had no choice.
“I had to, I almost lost it all,” Anderson said. “I always go hard, but this year I gave a little more.”
Anderson appeared to be on his way to becoming the Broncos’ short-yardage back last year when he suffered two torn groin muscles while playing the role of punt protector in the fourth quarter of a preseason game.
He was lost for the season.
“A lot of people thought I wouldn’t be back,” Anderson said. “I had to come back.”
While his latest return is stirring, it is a recurring theme for a player who unexpectedly starred in the NFL as a 27-year- old rookie.
Anderson, who has been dealing with the death of his mother- in-law this week, has seen his career take several turns, including a switch to fullback and a suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
Anderson, who carried the public support of quarterback Jake Plummer in training camp, is an inspiration to the Broncos because he has persevered.
“Seeing Mike being the starter this season is a good reminder for all of us about hard work,” said veteran defensive end Trevor Pryce, who missed most of last season because of a back injury. “But I’m not surprised. Mike has always done this.”
According to Kubiak, Anderson has outdone himself this time.
Staff writer Bill Williamsoncan be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
