HEAD COACH LIAM COEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025
(On how past games against good defensive fronts have prepared the team to play Denver)
“Yeah, you’ve got a little bit of experience playing some good rushes that also get matched
with the back end and playing their coverage as well. So, it all kind of ties in, but upfront, it
definitely helps being able to go against quality opponents and quality individuals for most
of the season. In a lot of ways upfront, it’s like every week we are doing what it takes, game
wreckers type deal, and it always starts up front and that’s pretty typical for most teams. So
great challenge for our guys, but I feel like, hey, we continue to rise to those challenges, and
those guys up front take it personally.”
(On WR Jakobi Meyers’ contract extension) “Yeah, I think just the obvious connection
between he and Trevor [QB Trevor Lawrence] early on, you could feel that there was
chemistry there and a guy that’s prepared like a true pro since he’s got here. And anytime
you can get guys like that where you have continued chemistry and you feel like it gets
better each week. I’m really happy for the guy.”
(On if he could tell early on how valuable Meyers is) “The first week was pretty impressive
with how he operated in the walkthrough settings and in practice. Actually didn’t end up
winning that game against Houston, but he was a part of that tough time and also made
some plays in that game and you could kind of tell that it was going to be a good fit. It’s
continued to be and really the most important thing is his teammates really like him. The
offensive line loves him and that’s usually where you can kind of check the moral compass
of the person.”
(On if there is a ‘message’ behind Meyers in December) “No, conversations just started to
be able to come between us and Jakobi in terms of wanting to make this thing a little bit
more permanent. It was more so just I think those conversations started pretty naturally, I
guess you could say on both sides and we were able to get to a nice agreement. So, it
wasn’t much of a message, honestly. It’s more, hey, you always want to continue to send a
message, I guess that we always want to pay the person, not the player in a lot of ways. His
teammates love him.”
(On the message that Meyers’ extension sends to the locker room) “Yeah, I think every guy
understands that this is a production-based business and guys can see who does what and
I think the locker room typically knows their peers pretty well. And so, it’s one of those
deals where you always want to try to earn what you get in this league as players, as
coaches, as teams. I think those guys all understand that.”
(On what makes Broncos CB Pat Surtain II uniquely productive) “The combination of the
traits, physical traits along with his obvious pattern recognition, concept recognition, ability
to catch up if he does get edged and the length to finish is definitely something that stands
out and his competitiveness. He’ll come up and crack a play on a tackle on duo and that’s
what definitely makes him a little bit more of that all-purpose can do it all type corner.”
(On if he talks with the team on tendencies of the officiating crew) “Oh yeah. It’s part of
situational masters every Friday, so yeah. We have to be as educated as possible on as
many elements, without clouding their minds with things. You want them to just go play,
but when you’ve got the two highest penalized teams in the NFL going against each other
with a crew that may call a decent amount of specific calls or wherever they rank. Well,
you’ve got to address that and just bring it up and look, we’re trying to be as disciplined as
humanly possible. I want our guys playing on the edge. We’ve talked about that a lot, but
playing in this type of game, obviously with the crowd noise, on the road, all that, it’s
maturity and discipline is going to win this football game in a lot of ways for us.”
(On CB Jarrian Jones and S Antonio Johnson playing after starters returned from injury)
“Yeah, that’s development and depth and competition and guys making the most of some
of their opportunities and you want to continue to foster that growth. The more roles you
can give and provide players to help them stay engaged to use their talents on the field to
help us win is great, as many times and as many guys that you can have find roles for that
they take pride in, that they want to study and know so that on Sundays when their
number’s called, they want to go and execute at a high level. So, credit to those guys on the
defensive staff for being able to continue to find those spots for those guys and the players
for taking advantage of the situations.”
(On if he had to receive treatment on his shoulder after too many fist pumps post-game)
“Oh, (laugh) no. I’m definitely blackout, oftentimes post-game, and so I can’t really be held
accountable for what I say and do. No, I’m kidding. Yeah, it’s been fun actually. Shane [Pass
Game Coordinator Shane Waldron] showed a bunch of games this season and plays from
the games of the season and specifically at the end just showing hey man, it’s fun and
different. It’s the NFL, to win different ways. Some days, some games it’s on a tipped ball on
a two-point play, other games you’re kneeing it out. Other games you’re having to make
miraculous plays on and just around the league, but just finding different ways to win is
what’s kind of been fun about this team.”
(On if the post-game celebration is an ‘exhale’ for him) “For sure (laugh). Yeah, for sure. A
lot of buildup, a ton of prep, emotions, communication, there’s that border of being
exhausted/adrenaline at different points. And so yeah, even as a coach, you want to let it
loose a little bit after.”
(On how the interior offensive line has responded to the matchup this week) “Yeah, I think
those guys have had a good week in terms of understanding that we’ve got good quality
opponents inside, that are matchups where we’re going to have to win some one-on-ones.
We’re going to have to be able to create some movement when we do get double teams
inside and try to take advantage of those things with a good healthy one-on-one matchup
at times. So, they understand what’s at stake. Oftentimes we already know what the edges
are dealing with, with some of the speed and the get off that those guys have. But the guys
inside where they can help and be able to clean the pocket and continue to try to move the
line of scrimmage that way, that’s going to be one of those kind of games this game.”
(On the offensive line depth) “Yeah, I’ve been proud of our group in terms of, if you look at
the totality of the season, being able to do some really good things in the run blocking and
the pass protection. Now, continued continuity and consistency is hey, that next continued
step that we have three more games to continue to work on. And look, not every game
you’re going to rush for 150 or throw for 330. It’s that balance of what kind of game has it
become and how do you have to go win that game. And so, I think our guys have, for the
most part, done a nice job of, okay, it’s become a little bit more of a pass game. Well, we
don’t allow sacks last week, whatever it is. This game, we’re going to have to be balanced
though.”
(On the importance of TE Brenton Strange when facing a multi-faceted defense) “Yeah, with
their ability to play in split safeties and then also getting a single high and Hufanga [Broncos
S Talanoa Hufanga] being able to come and show down and blitz and just do a lot of
different things. And so if you can have a tight end or multiple tight ends, be able to create a
matchup issue or help us in the run game, help us also in protections, whether it’s in drop
back or play action and then utilize that person at the first second level of the defense is
definitely helpful against the team that mixes up, whether they play man or match or vision
zone. So, something that definitely we appreciate about his game.”
(On what makes LB Dennis Gardeck a ‘savvy’ player) “Yeah, that’s the word. He’s savvy,
slippery, but he is also violent. He takes blocks on, he whoops blocks at times and he’s
relentless in his approach. The way that he kind of practices, the way that he plays is
definitely something we appreciate and I think some of those different body type edge
rushers can be a little bit of a pain for some bigger guys. It’s just a different type of player
that’s working edges on you and he’s relentless.”
(On if he tries to ‘reign in’ Gardeck at all) “Hell no. No, no shot. Let him rip.”
