OLB Nik Bonitto Dishes on Plan to Keep Making Broncos Sack History

Nik Bonitto is going to continue following the game plan, and maybe he'll keep making Denver Broncos history.

Sep 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) tries to avoid a tackle by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

One of the biggest pleasant surprises of the Denver Broncos' 5-3 start has been third-year rush linebacker Nik Bonitto. Given a starting role with Baron Browning's early-season injury, Bonitto has been more than equal to his opportunity, leading the Broncos with six sacks.

Browning can hardly get in a snap edgewise now. Bonitto has carved himself out a little piece of Broncos history. His six straight games with a sack is the longest active sack streak in the NFL and is tied for the third-longest in Broncos history.

Legendary Broncos Ring-of-Famer Simon Fletcher owns the two longest sack streaks in team history. The second-longest streak spanned eight games in 1991. The longest spanned the '92 and '93 seasons to 10 straight games.

Bonitto would need to notch a sack at the Baltimore Ravens and one the next week at the Kansas City Chiefs to tie Fletcher's second-longest streak. As it stands, Bonitto's six-game streak is a mark shared by eight other Broncos in team annals.

It's been a marvel watching the former second-round pick out of Oklahoma harass quarterbacks, helping the Broncos rack up the second-most sacks thus far in the NFL. Only the New York Giants' 35 sacks is more than Denver's 30 entering Week 9.

Bonitto tips his cap to Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. But the tutelage of outside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite and defensive line coach Jamar Cain also deserves credit for Bonitto's success.

“Just keep following the game plan that ‘VJ’ gives us," Bonitto said after last Sunday's win. "Continue to follow the rush plan that Coach Wilhoite and Coach Jamar gives us every week. Just making sure we are all rushing. DBs are always going to do their job with us so just making sure we’re rushing and following the game plan.”

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The Broncos' face a tough test with back-to-back road games against Super Bowl-caliber opponents. Bonitto points to the Broncos' success on their back-to-back East-Coast road swing earlier this year as evidence that they can overcome these tough matchups and stay relevant in the AFC.

“The good news is we’ve been playing good on the road so far this year, so we welcome the challenge," Bonitto said. "We know it’s going to be great to play against these two teams so we’re ready for it.”

Hats off to the kid. Browning has become an afterthought as Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper have combined for 11.5 sacks thus far. Bonitto always had twitched-up pass-rushing acumen, but his biggest obstacle was getting stronger and developing an NFL body to hold up at the point of attack against the run.

So far, so good in that department as Bonitto continues his eye-opening romp in Year 3. He's on pace for 12 or 13 sacks this season, which would be the first time a Bronco hit double-digits since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb both achieved it in 2018.

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