About the hit.
You know, the one that could have ended Malcolm Roach’s career and the Broncos’ season.
It happened on the fifth day of training camp. Blocking and grunting turned into gasping as Roach sacked Bo Nix for a safety, putting his own football life in jeopardy.
“I know this is going to sound crazy, like, ‘He is making this up. We got pushed into to him. I am like nobody trying to hit Bo. I need Bo. I need number 10,’^” Roach told The Denver Post. “That is where you come to respect Bo and the guys on the other side of the ball. It wasn’t intentional.”
You could hear a pad drop. And hearts sink. Then Nix spoke.
“He got up and smiled and said, ‘Do it again!’^” Roach recalled. “I told him, ‘Umm no way!’^”
So imagine Roach’s surprise when, a few weeks later, Nix fired a football in the defensive lineman’s direction. That tension turned into fists flying after Nix threw an interception to Alex Singleton, leading Nik Bonitto to go full WWE and dive onto the pile.
“It was crazy. I want this reported. I didn’t even touch Bo on that play. They said it like I hit Bo. I didn’t hit Bo,” Roach said. “And when the fight happened, I wasn’t anywhere near it. I was on the sideline talking to D.J. (Jones). I was too tired to fight.”
It was one of the few moments when Roach was not causing havoc. It can be argued that receiver Pat Bryant and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike had the best training camp, but if you picked Roach, there would be no argument.
He signed a one-month lease at the end of July and lived in the backfield for a month. Roach made a play every day, breaking through and throwing down spike strips to stop running backs in their tracks or bursting around the end for a conceded sack.
“As far as the rotation goes, Roach, I believe he’s going to take that JFM (John Franklin-Myers) job and run with it,” Jones said. “He’s done a great job.”
Don’t bother lowering expectations with Roach. He is ready, having learned under Zach Allen and JFM for two seasons. When Roach signed a three-year extension last November, he was cast in a bigger role.
A player once signed as an elite run stuffer is poised to show he can make an impact as a pass rusher.
“The more reps I get, the more the game slows down. And I have been intentional in my work. Maybe one day, I work on eye placement. The next day, I am not trying to grab the arm, I am trying to grab the elbow. It’s the little things that when you take it into individual drills, then get to full speed in team, you might not get it perfect, but you are working towards that so much that your B-plus is the equivalent to an A.”
Roach is a tireless worker. His uniform should feature rolled-up sleeves. In making the transition to filling snaps on the end, he adjusted his body type. He will play closer to 295 pounds than 305.
“I knew I had to be in my best shape. I for sure dropped body fat and weight. I had to get more explosive. It was about getting toward that build where I could rush better,” Roach explained. “But I still have to maintain my strength against the run. That is my bread and butter.”
As the conversation drifted, food became a topic. It is always interesting how players bond. This Broncos team conjures memories of the 1997-98 crew in their closeness. Nix brought some of the offensive players together for workouts and boating in Austin, Texas, this offseason.
There is not always a need to get on a plane. Sometimes, you just need to pull up to a plate.
“It kind of almost feels like a college team. We do things at the house. Guys will ask, ‘What do I need to bring?’ I tell them, ‘Just bring your body.’ We are about to get on this barbecue pit and eat. They even wanted me to boil crawfish for the guys,” said Roach, connecting to his Louisiana roots. “We don’t even talk about football. I am a firm believer the more we are around each other, the more we love each other. And the more I love you, the more I am willing to put my body on the line for you.”
The benefits of continuity extend beyond dinner. There is a trust among the players. It has made winning the Super Bowl — after falling painfully close in the AFC Championship Game — an obsession. Heartbreak has not eased with time.
“When you have all those hours built up together the last three years, the long days and long nights of training camp, of practice,” Roach said, “it makes you want it more because you know the story behind it.”
Roach is part of the narrative. He actually would make a great narrator, since he is often seen before heard. His attitude provides a bump, his sense of humor a laugh.
Given how well he played a year ago, setting a career-high with four sacks and 26 assists on tackles, he has evolved from Vibes Guy to Glue Player.
“He’s got a lot of juice. He’s one of those compound multipliers. A lot of his traits are infectious,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “He practices hard. I think all the way back to when he was undrafted out of Texas and we signed him (to the Saints) — the improvement for him has been remarkable. He’s always going to be looking at what he can do a little better.”
When chasing rings, players like Roach assert a meaningful presence. He can provide levity one moment, and play the heavy the next.
He is not hard to find. Just look for the smile.
“What do I love about this game? It’s like recess everyday, except for big kids,” Roach said. “You can’t do this job if you just like it. You gotta love the people you are around. I know when I come into work, I am going to be happy about something.”
Roach symbolizes the fabric of this team, of a franchise that absorbed an $85 million dead cap from releasing quarterback Russell Wilson and has made the playoffs every year since.
The 28-year-old logs the hours, embraces the process and plays for something bigger. Jones took him under his wing, and JFM tutored him even while knowing Roach was going to take his job.
“I always tell SP (Payton) and GP (general manager George Paton), ‘You do a great job of bringing in the right guys.’ In this business, you think you want the biggest names, but when you are in it, you just want the guy who is going to do his job and be a great locker room guy,” Roach said. “I am not saying star players aren’t. But, we have guys who fit the culture.”
That has been evident all summer. The defense is driven to lead the league in sacks for a third straight season, while increasing takeaways. Everything seems possible when eyeing the depth and the potential of Roach to step up in a big way.
“They could ask a lot of guys if they would rather get the sack title or a Super Bowl ring. Pretty sure they would all say Super Bowl,” Roach said. “The standard has been set. And we know we can’t do it without the work.”
Or the quarterback.
“When I hit Bo, it was just guys in the trenches playing hard. I am happy it wasn’t bigger than it was. But from the moment we got back in the locker room, guys were laughing and talking. That is the type of brotherhood we have,” Roach said. “But yeah, that won’t be happening again.”
