As the NFL playoffs begin with the Wild Card round this weekend, here’s a look at all the players and coaches with Colorado ties who still have their Super Bowl dreams alive. This list includes guys who played high school/college football in the state, as well as ex-Broncos.
AFC
Chiefs
DT Mike Pennel (Aurora/Grandview/CSU-Pueblo); OC Eric Bieniemy (played at CU, coached at Thomas Jefferson, coached at CU); Asst. QB Coach Joe Bleymaier (ex-CU offensive quality control coach)… Defensive asst. coach Connor Embree (Superior native).
Bills
WR Isaiah McKenzie (Broncos 2017-18); Asst. WR coach Marc Lubick (ex-Broncos assistant); practice squad WR Tanner Gentry (Aurora/Grandview).
Colts
G Sam Jones (Highlands Ranch/ThunderRidge/Broncos 2018, 2019 preseason), OL coach Chris Strausser (Broncos assistant OL coach 2017-18), practice squad T Jared Veldheer (Broncos 2018).
Steelers
TE coach James Daniel (Broncos coaching fellow 1992).
Browns
FB Andy Janovich (Broncos 2016-19), QB Case Keenum (Broncos 2018), S Tedric Thompson (CU), offensive assistant T.C. McCartney (Broncos QB coach 2019, grandson of ex-CU coach Bill McCartney), WR Rashard Higgins (CSU).
Titans
P Brett Kern (Broncos 2008-09); T Ty Sambrailo (CSU, Broncos 2015-16); WR Kalif Raymond (Broncos 2016); Special Teams Coordinator Craig Aukerman (ex-Broncos special teams assistant); practice squad C Daniel Munyer (CU).
Ravens
DE Calais Campbell (Denver/Denver South), DE Derek Wolfe (Broncos 2012-19), CB Jimmy Smith (CU), injured reserve CB Davontae Harris (Broncos 2019-20).
NFC
Packers
P JK Scott (Mullen); K Mason Crosby (CU); T/G Billy Turner (Broncos 2016-18); injured reserve T David Bakhtiari (CU); injured reserve CB Kabion Ento (CU); practice squad WR Juwann Winfree (CU, Broncos 2019); injured reserve DL Billy Winn (Broncos 2016).
Saints
CB Ken Crawley (CU); WR Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos 2014-19); DC Dennis Allen (Broncos DC 2011).
Bears
LG Arlington Hambright (CU), QB Kyle Sloter (UNC), ILB Danny Trevathan (Broncos 2012-15), DC Chuck Pagano (Boulder native/Fairview).
Seahawks
No Colorado connections, unless you count Russell Wilson (the Rockies’ 4th-round pick in 2010 who played two minor league seasons in the team’s system) and defensive assistant Tom Donatell (son of Broncos DC Ed Donatell).
Rams
DE Morgan Fox (Fountain/Fort Carson/CSU-Pueblo); QB Blake Bortles (Broncos 2020); LB Justin Hollins (Broncos 2019); DC Brandon Staley (Broncos OLB coach 2019).
Washington
QB Steven Montez (CU); DC Jack Del Rio (Broncos DC 2012-14); Asst. DB coach Brent Vieselmeyer (Valor Christian coach 2007-12); Offensive quality control coach Luke Del Rio (Valor Christian); practice squad WR Tony Brown (CU).
Buccaneers
OLB Shaquil Barrett (CSU, Broncos 2015-18); C Ryan Jensen (Fort Morgan/CSU-Pueblo).
— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post
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