Andrew Buller-Russ
Last year, the Denver Broncos appeared to have all the makings of a potential Super Bowl champion. They had a top-14 scoring offense and a top-three scoring defense that fueled them to a 14-3 record and a trip to the postseason.
Yet, an inspiring 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round Playoffs ended on a sour note when franchise quarterback Bo Nix suffered a fractured ankle, ruling him out for next week’s playoff matchup. To no surprise, the Broncos lost 10-7, and were eliminated from the postseason.
Injuries undoubtedly played a factor in the team’s sudden failures, but Nix wasn’t the only one missing in action. The Broncos also lost their starting running back in Week 10, and he had been on a tear. Now that J.K. Dobbins has returned to full health, he made a bold claim about the season ahead, but one former Broncos Pro Bowler doesn’t want to hear any boastful claims from the oft-injured tailback.
Dobbins Needs to Stay Healthy Before Getting Too Confident
Recently, Kyle Odegard of Action Network sat down for an exclusive interview with former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay, who worked his way from an undrafted free agent signee to a Pro Bowl NFL RB before retiring after the end of the 2022 season. Now a Denver radio host, Lindsay caught wind of some recent comments made by Dobbins, here’s what the current Broncos RB told to the Denver Post‘s Luca Evans.
“What I’m going to show is that last year wasn’t a fluke,” Dobbins said. “Like, instead of being No. 3 in the NFL, I’ll be No. 1 this year. And there won’t be any injuries.”
It’s worth noting that, at the time of his injury, Dobbins did rank third in the NFL in rushing with 772 yards, but he only made it through 10 games.
Lindsay’s response to Dobbins’ prediction was fairly simple. Basically, he doesn’t think Dobbins should be making his lofty rushing targets public. Instead, Lindsay says Dobbins should keep it private and use his goals as motivation without getting cocky.
“I do love the confidence. I don’t think he had to go out there and call his shot like that, but I also understand he’s been hearing this from everybody. From national radio to here in Colorado, that this man can’t stay healthy. The truth is, when he is healthy, he’s very productive and really, really good as a running back. There’s no doubt about that. “Last year, my man would have been a top running back in the league because he was in such a groove. But for J.K., talk is cheap at this point. He has to go out there and prove to the world that you truly can stay healthy.”
Phillip Lindsay on Dobbins’ Comments
Dobbins has proven to be very effective. His 5.2 yards per carry average over his five-year career is elite. No one is doubting the 27-year-old’s talent; the bigger problem has always been his health. He’s never played a full season.
The 15 games Dobbins played as a rookie are still his career-high, but he started just one game that season, taking 134 carries along the way. Even in 2024, Dobbins was highly productive, seeing a career-high 195 carries for 772 yards and four touchdowns, but the Los Angeles Chargers didn’t sign him for another season after he made it through just 13 games. They later opted to use a first-round pick on Omarion Hampton instead.
If Dobbins can find a way to stay healthy throughout a full season, his past rushing success indicates he very well could lead the NFL in yards, but until he plays a full season, no one will believe it.
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