The Broncos placed defensive end Kenny Anunike on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
To clear , the Broncos placed promising second-year defensive end Kenny Anunike on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday with a knee injury.
Anunike said it wasn’t a new injury; he’s still having problems with the right knee he had scoped Aug. 20. According to Anunike, the surgeon went in and cleaned out the knee, but there was no ligament damage. Anunike returned in late September, but he was active for only three games.
“I just wasn’t myself,” Anunike said. “I didn’t have the same explosion.”
Anunike recorded one tackle on the season. He was stuck behind a plethora of defensive lineman, arguably the Broncos’ deepest position.
This isn’t the first time Anunike has battled injuries. He had four surgeries on his left knee and one on his right ankle when he was in college at Duke. Anunike’s rookie NFL season, in 2014, ended before it even started due to an elbow injury during the preseason. He was on track to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster before the injury.
Anunike is not letting his setbacks get him down.
“There’s a reason they keep bringing me back,” Anunike said. “I’m going to come back stronger.”
Coaches and players raved about Anunike during training camp and he performed well during early preseason action.
