Albert Okwuegbunam: ‘There wasn’t a lot of communication’ from Broncos coaches as playing time dwindled early in 2022 season

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Albert Okwuegbunam didn’t dance at the news of Nathaniel Hackett’s dismissal Dec. 26.

“I wouldn’t say I’m glad that there’s a coaching change,” he said Monday.

But Hackett’s departure and the promotion of Jerry Rosburg to interim head coach was the moment when Okwuegbunam’s outlook changed.

The third-year tight end was a forgotten man at that moment. In the previous 12 games, he played 18 snaps. During nine of those dozen games, he didn’t get on the field at all.

And it wasn’t that the decline in use was due to Greg Dulcich’s emergence after coming off injured reserve for Week 6. Okwuegbunam’s use dropped from week to week in the Broncos’ first four games:

• Week 1: 44 snaps
• Week 2: 38 snaps
• Week 3: 24 snaps
• Week 4: 1 snap

Meanwhile, Okwuegbunam wondered what was happening — first, as his playing time dwindled, and then as he regularly found himself on the inactive or DNP lists.

“There wasn’t a lot of communication when that unfolded,” Okwuegbunam said. “But it was out of my control. I didn’t agree with it. But as a player, I just had to make the decision: I could either pout about it, be upset about it, or make the decision to come in every day and work hard and try to improve and just try to practice to the best of my ability, and that’s what I did.”

And the fact that Okwuegbunam felt communication broke down is another indication of what went askew for the Broncos last season. Especially because Hackett not only spoke of the importance of communication; he described it in his job interview as the “most important” aspect of what he termed his “bedrock of leadership.”

Communication. Energy. Ingenuity.

You’re going to love Coach Hackett’s philosophy, #BroncosCountry.

An exclusive 👀 at one of the moments inside the room during his initial HC interview in Green Bay: pic.twitter.com/GxrP0JRK06

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 28, 2022

“My bedrock of leadership is [the] No. 1 most important thing is communication,” he said in a clip shared by the Broncos over their social-media channels last January. “I overemphasize and stress on communication non-stop.”

That seemed to go awry with the Broncos’ coaches and Okwuegbunam.

Which makes what Rosburg did in his two weeks on the job so notable. During practices, he worked one-on-one with Okwuegbunam.

“Really, just a lot of encouragement,” Okwuegbunam said. “Right when Jerry got the promotion, he met with me, and just encouraged me.

“He told me he believed in me as a player. He thought I was really talented. He worked me a lot one-on-one in practice. That was really the biggest thing, just encouraging me.”

Watching from a distance in his previous game-management role, Rosburg wondered to himself what many observers noted: Why is a 250-pounder with 4.5 speed not getting more looks?

“I’ve been in Albert O’s ear because I think he’s a highly-talented individual and I haven’t seen him much on the field this year, and I was just curious as to why that was, because he’s a good-looking athlete,” Rosburg said.

And while the final two weeks of the season weren’t always perfect, Okwuegbunam had flashes that justified Rosburg’s faith. He caught a touchdown pass in Kansas City. He nearly had a big catch when Russell Wilson slightly overthrew him Sunday.

Most importantly of all, he seemed to rediscover his confidence.

Now, he’ll have a clean slate — and, he hopes, better communication as to the decisions made about his use.

“I’m definitely appreciative of the new opportunity, new staff coming in,” he said. “And really, just getting to approach the offseason, working hard and improving on things I need to improve, [I’m] looking forward to who they hire.”

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