Broncos reveal team captains for the 2025 season

Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed the eight players who will be team captains for the 2025 season. The voting, which was done Tuesday, revealed three offensive players, four defensive players and one special teamer as the leaders of the team.

The eight captains are Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, Quinn Meinerz, Pat Surtain II, Talanoa Hufanga, DJ Jones, Alex Singleton and Will Lutz.

HC Sean Payton has announced our 2025 captains as chosen by the players. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/SMcyNjoGZf

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 3, 2025

Hufanga is the only new face in the building to be named a captain, while Jones was named a captain after not receiving the nod a season ago. The other six were also captains last year. For Sutton, this is his fifth consecutive season being a team captain, as he has established himself as the veteran leader of the team year after year. Singleton joins Sutton as the only players to have more than two seasons as a team captain, as he was also named one for Philadelphia in 2021.

Payton emphasized that just because these players are the captains, that doesn’t mean that other players can’t step up and be leaders in the locker room.

“I thought it was said, well last night by one of the captains, you know, the comment was, you don’t have to be a captain to be one of our outstanding leaders. And I agree with that,” Payton said after Broncos practice Wednesday.

Hufanga receiving the honor in his first season in the Mile High City speaks volumes on his character.

“I don’t ever get surprised,” Payton said. “You know, when the votes come in, and we kind of tally them up, you know, it’s how this team feels. And obviously we don’t take that vote until we have the cut down. I think leadership can be something that evolves as well. I don’t think you’re either born one or not. I think there’s learned behavior in that training, in that experience and I’m proud of him. I’m excited for him.”

Jones is the other first-time captain, and Payton said that a variety of traits played into that.

“He’s got a veteran presence, his experience, his football IQ is high for what he does. He comes to work. He’s got a good sense of humor. He’s coachable and reliable, dependable, all those traits that are important to have in this league,” Payton said.

The team feels that these eight guys, six of which were the leaders of last season’s squad that outplayed its expectations, are the fittest to be the top dogs once again. Their leadership will be on full display on Sunday when the Broncos open the season against the Titans at home.

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