Now in Super Bowl, Montrell Washington points finger at himself for Denver mishaps

LAS VEGAS — Monday, Montrell Washington took in the sights of Super Bowl media night. He pointed his phone around.

But he did so from a quiet spot — at one end of the Allegiant Stadium field, a good distance from the podiums at which his more prominent Kansas City Chiefs teammates sat.

A player who found himself in the spotlight for the Broncos in 2022 is decidedly in the shadows with Kansas City now, resetting his career on the Chiefs’ practice squad.

Of course, Washington was thrust into a massive role with the Broncos as a rookie — at least for a fifth-round pick who seemed headed for the undrafted ranks before the Broncos chose him.

They made him their immediate starter at punt returner. Just like when the Broncos did that with another fifth-rounder five years earlier — Isaiah McKenzie — it didn’t go well.

Washington’s quickness was obvious, but his ball security was tenuous; he fumbled five times. And when special-teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes was fired, Washington lost his job, too. Interim head coach Jerry Rosburg deactivated Washington for his two games running the show.

Just under four months later, the Broncos drafted Washington’s replacement, Marvin Mims Jr., in Round 2. Mims made the Pro Bowl as a returner.

Still, Washington looked better in practice last summer under Sean Payton. The Broncos’ decision to waive him was mostly a fait accompli, but Washington did demonstrate palpable progress.

So, was. it a frustrating moment when he got cut?

“It wasn’t,” he said.

MONTRELL WASHINGTON PUTS THE BLAME ON HIMSELF

Indeed, Washington didn’t lament about being thrust into action too soon, or the Broncos using their first pick of a draft class with limited capital on a punt returner.

“I guess I just didn’t do enough on my end,” he said.

“You never would blame coaches. You never would blame players, anything like that. It’s always, at the end of the day, it’s all on me. I just was young-minded, I guess, and was not doing as much as I could have to keep myself with the Denver Broncos. But like I say, luckily things worked out. I’m blessed to be here with the Chiefs and in the Super Bowl.”

“It just lit another fire, that’s all.”

Nevertheless, Montrell Washington is still figuring some things out. He played in six games for the Chiefs this year as a practice-squad activation and in a short 53-player roster stint. He fielded eight punts and a kickoff with four fair catches. He had two fumbles — although they came on the same return in Week 6 against the Broncos; he recovered after a muff but then lost the ball out of bounds.

Thirteen kicks or punts fielded with only one seeing a fumble is an improvement. The next step, he hopes, is doing so on the 53-player roster all year.

When Montrell Washington looks back at things not working out with the Broncos, he focuses on himself. “… I just didn’t do enough on my en …at the end of the day, it’s all on me. I just was young-minded, I guess, & was not doing as much as I could have to keep myself (w/ DEN).” pic.twitter.com/TKkm38DWzl

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) February 6, 2024

“It’s time to get back playing each Sunday,” he said. “That’s my only goal.”