Broncos WR Tim Patrick's Message to 2024 Opponents: 'I'm Gonna Win'

Tim Patrick is "right where I was three years ago," champing at the bit to go win for the Denver Broncos.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick has suffered his fair share of injury setbacks. After tearing his ACL in the summer of 2022, he suffered a torn Achilles in training camp the follow year, after months and months of hard work to rehab and return to the field.

It momentarily plunged the normally optimistic pass-catcher into a dark place.

"The toughest day was definitely the first day [after the Achilles," Patrick told the team website. "It was probably the most negative I've ever been in my life. Once I talked to the doctors and he told me the time span of how long it would take me to get back to myself, I kind of reset and just found a way to contribute to the team without being on the field.I didn't really want to get away from football too much, because I felt like if I got away too much, I would've started thinking about retiring. I wanted to stay as much into football as I possibly could."

The first injury (the ACL) came on the heels of the Broncos signing the former undrafted free agnet to a three-year, $30 million extension. All of his hard work and sacrifices paid off, before disaster struck.

Being cruelly deprived of back-to-back seasons at the height of his productivity was an extremely bitter pill for the former University of Utah standout to digest. Mercifully, during this year's OTAs, Patrick finally got a chance to get back on the field and exorcise some of the mental demons lingering from two consecutive lost seasons.

"I felt like myself," Patrick said. "I felt twitchy. I felt like I was running [full speed]. Honestly, I think I'm right there where I was three years ago, right now."

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Patrick knows what it takes to make a roster. He learned the hard way after failing to win a roster spot as an undrafted rookie with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers back in 2017.

Denver now feels like home to Patrick, as his aforementioned three-year contract extension, which he recently renegotiated in order to stick around with the Broncos, proved beyond. Head coach Sean Payton moved on from the underperforming Jerry Jeudy, trading the former first-round pick this offseason.

With rookie quarterback Bo Nix possibly starting games this season, Patrick's exceptional leadership traits and veteran chops could be invaluable to the Broncos.

"I pride myself on being able to a little bit of everything, and I feel like when you have that wild card on the field, a defense can't home in on 'This guy's going to do that, this guy's going to do that,'" Patrick said. "With me, I can do everything on the field, so they have to play me honest. Once you play me honest, I feel like I'm going to win my one on one most of the time. I think I can help with just keeping drives longer with tough catches on third down and making those plays that people don't expect you to make for touchdowns, for first downs... I think the biggest thing I'm going to bring is keeping the offense on the field for longer and more plays, so that means more opportunities for touchdowns."

With the Broncos' offseason training program officially in the books, it's still early, but Patrick sounds comfortable with how well he's finding his footing once again. Interestingly, Payton recently reintroduced the Broncos' 2015 mantra, "Iron Sharpens Iron" — designed to drive home the importance of competing each and every day.

For Patrick, having that competitive fire in the belly is in his core DNA. The 30-year-old California native feels the impending training camp contests with All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II could mark an important milestone in his recovery story.

"I checked off everything besides catching a jump ball on Pat," Patrick said of his own progress. "That's literally the last thing left." 

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!