DENVER — Pat Bryant is a man of commitment.
You need somebody to run a shallow crossing route and catch a ball in traffic to secure a first down? Bryant's your guy.
As a rookie, Bryant showed the kind of determination that made him one of Bo Nix's favorite targets in critical moments. So when he was carted off of Empower Field near the end of Denver's 34-20 defeat against Jacksonville, questions arose about what sort of player might return.
"It's a part of the game, guys get hurt every day," Bryant told Denver7's Nick Rothschild in an exclusive conversation.
"I just put it behind me and am doing whatever I can to help myself stay healthy. Finding those small things that give me an edge during games."
► Watch Nick Rothschild's report in the video below:
Bryant missed only one game after suffering a concussion against the Jaguars; he'd also leave Denver's divisional round victory against Buffalo early with another head injury.
But the Illinois alumnus spent the off-season fine-tuning his body, mind, and equipment to allow him to continue playing football with the grit that makes him an invaluable piece in the Broncos' receivers room.
"We have such a diverse group," says Bryant. "We have big guys, fast guys, guys that will go up and get the ball. Whatever you want, we've got it. It's special."
One of those 'fast guys' is newly acquired dynamo Jaylen Waddle. Bryant sees the veteran wideout already making a big impact among the Broncos.
"Words can't even explain what kind of player, what kind of teammate he is," says Bryant. "He brings the juice to the room."
New faces and a new state-of-the-art training facility should help Denver elevate their game. But it's up to players like Bryant to make sure the team remains grounded.
"At the end of the day, we've got one goal," says Bryant. "To win games."
