The Denver Broncos did not post a winning record in 2023 and the team did not make the playoffs. By both of those measurements, the season was a failure for the Broncos.
Denver did make progress in Year 1 under new head coach Sean Payton, though. Just ask new right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
“I think you’ve seen it kind of progress with our win and loss record, to be honest with you,” McGlinchey said last Thursday. “You knew it wasn’t going to be the smoothest sailing coming in with a new coach and a new organization and learning the ropes. Everybody was in a new environment. Certainly, those things don’t come easy, especially when you’re trying to overcome a lot of hardship from years past.
“I think this team found a little bit of their heart this year and certainly found what it means to compete as hard as you can each week. We battled. I think the heart and the character of this team and what we’ve shown and what we’ve overcome to be, even with where we were this last month or so — I think it says a lot about who we are and what we’re going to become. I’m very excited for the future. I’m very excited to be a Denver Bronco for a long time and see how good we can get.”
While the Broncos did not qualify for the playoffs, the team’s record is a sign of progress. Eight wins was the most victories Denver has had in a single season since 2016 when Gary Kubiak was the coach. There were plenty of disappointments from 2023, but there are positive takeaways as well. McGlinchey is optimistic that even brighter days are ahead.
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