ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — Building a winning culture takes time and few know that better than Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
When McGlinchey was drafted by the 49ers in 2018, he joined a team that was coming off a 6-10 season. McGlinchey’s rookie year proved to be similarly difficult, as the team finished the 2018 season with a record of 4-12. However, after winning two of their final four games, there seemed to be some hope for the following year.
In his second year, that hope became a reality for McGlinchey as San Francisco posted a 13-3 record and went to the Super Bowl.
McGlinchey is now entering his second season in Denver and is convinced that the Broncos can continue to develop positive momentum and become even more successful.
“I think there’s definitely more internal belief than there was a year ago when I got here,” McGlinchey said Wednesday. “People believe we can win, people believe we’re on the right track (and) people have bought into the program.”
McGlinchey believes several key factors play a role in gradually building a winning culture, and he said belief is a fundamental factor. Continuity is also important, and as the Broncos head into 2024, McGlinchey is excited to see how that will impact on-field performance.
Head coach Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi are all entering their second seasons in Denver in their respective roles and McGlinchey believes this consistent leadership will lay a solid foundation for progress on both sides of the ball.
“It’s been really important for us to continue to learn the little nuances of what’s going on here,” McGlinchey said. “…This extra year allows for development and building on our skills to gain the confidence we need to keep moving forward.”
That confidence began to take hold in the second half of the 2023 season, when the Broncos finished 7-4 and won five games in a row at one point.
“I think that definitely rang true last year,” McGlinchey said. “…The way we finished the season, the things we did well that we built on and the things we didn’t do well, we identified. And that carries over into the spring, and in the spring you gain confidence for the fall — and that’s what camp is all about: building that confidence.”
Limiting errors will also play a key role in building positive momentum, and Payton has identified ball security and penalty avoidance as two areas where there is room for improvement heading into 2024. McGlinchey agrees with that sentiment, noting that “learning how to win also means learning how to stop beating yourself.”
McGlinchey believes that the more his teammates play together in the same system, the better prepared they will be to improve these areas.
“I think the experience we’ve gained from another year of doing everything together will help us go far,” he said.
While it will take some time, McGlinchey believes the most important factor will be continued hard work and patience as the team moves in a positive direction.
“I think we’re on the right track,” McGlinchey said. “We’re not quite there yet, but that’s why we have to keep learning.”
Outside linebacker Jonah Ellis shows promising performance in his NFL debut
Outside linebacker Jonah Elliss made his NFL debut on Sunday against the Colts and it didn’t take long for him to make an impression.
Elliss’ performance, which culminated in a sack and pressure on the quarterback that led to a Denver interception, was fueled by his excitement at being on the field with his teammates for the first time.
“It was incredible,” Elliss said of the preseason game. “This is the moment that kids dream about. … It was really incredible to be out there and it was so much fun just playing with the guys.”
Payton was pleased with Elliss’ performance as well as the ongoing competition at the linebacker position. As the preseason and training camp progress, Elliss and his teammates will look to build on Sunday’s positive momentum while working to iron out some of their mistakes.
“He picks up the run, his run passes and then develops his plan of attack,” Payton said of what he’s seen from Elliss. “He was fast, and then he had a counter (move) in college – you saw that. Speed, speed with a turn and then power comes with it. He develops his plan of attack and definitely picks up the run whether it’s the point of attack or the backside.”
Although there is still a lot of work ahead of him, Elliss is confident he is up to the challenge.
“The level of performance is that everyone is the best,” he said. “… Everything is just a level up. You could definitely tell there was a difference out there, but it was (still) football.”
