Admit it. It hasn’t set in yet. It’s difficult to believe the Broncos are carrying on without Brandon Marshall.
Jay Cutler had his fans as a quarterback, but his aloof personality was difficult for even the most ardent Broncos fan to embrace.
Marshall was nothing if not charming. He was so much more, of course. It was sometimes easy to detest his antics. He would say and do some of the darndest things.
But chances are those who didn’t like him at least a little probably never met him in person.
If it means anything, Marshall misses you too.
“I wouldn’t be in the position I am now if I wasn’t drafted by the Broncos, Coach (Mike) Shana-han and his staff,” Marshall said Thursday by phone from Miami, where he is now a Dolphins receiver after his trade Wednesday from the Broncos in exchange for two second-round draft picks. “Mr. B is probably one of the best owners in all the sports. The community for embracing me when I was down and when I was up. I wouldn’t have become that guy, I wouldn’t have made it to the Pro Bowls if the Broncos fans weren’t with me.”
Marshall wanted to clear something up. His desire to leave the Broncos was about business, was about putting his troubled past behind him. But it was never about anything personal with owner Pat Bowlen — Mr. B, as he is known inside of Broncos headquarters — or coach Josh McDaniels.
“The perception with me and Josh was we hated each other’s guts,” Marshall said. “The reality is there were a lot of ups and downs, but that’s part of football. That’s part of being around someone every day. I said it during the season, after the season, that the No. 1 thing I like about Coach is he approaches coaching like I approach playing. And that’s with a lot of emotion. And I respect that. That’s the type of coach a lot of guys want to play for.
“I think we just got together at a time when there was just too much uncertainty and a lot of concern there, and we just didn’t get it done there.”
It was pointed out Marshall’s departure may have magnified the apprehension among the Broncos faithful. Sure, McDaniels seems like a bright, talented coach with a winning past. But the departures of Cutler, Marshall, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and, soon, Tony Scheffler, have masked the usual optimism with, if not pessimism, at least uncertainty.
“For the past few years, even before Josh got there, it’s been rough, but the track the team and organization is on now, there’s a lot of success ahead,” Marshall said. “With Josh’s leadership, there is definitely a bright light at the end of the tunnel.”
Maybe it’s good the Broncos are moving forward without Marshall. Maybe it’s bad. The Broncos without Marshall will be different.
“This time right now is really bittersweet,” he said. “I think I’ll do great down here, but I know what’s going on in that Bronco locker room and with that organization, and I know the Broncos will do well.”
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
