McManus on Missing Voluntary OTAs: 'I Get Paid to Make Kicks in September'
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Although he acknowledges the utility of Organized Team Activities, Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus — the team's longest-tenured player — feels no obligation to attend each and every voluntary practice.
Because ... well, they're voluntary. And, ironically enough, McManus showed up on the final day of OTAs to hammer that point home.
“This is the biggest transition of a coaching staff and players for me," he told reporters last Friday. "I’m trying to learn all their names. I’d say that and being a sounding board as well is key. It’s always tough to quantify how much this means to each team. With ‘Russ’ (QB Russell Wilson) here, it’s great. With Coach Hackett here, everyone needs to install their stuff to get ready for the season. [P] Sam [Martin] and I both live in Florida. I just moved to Florida now. We worked out and kicked together. Do we get paid now? Yes, but I get paid to make kicks in September, October, November, December and hopefully into February this year.”
Objectively speaking, McManus isn't the only Broncos veteran to skip voluntary work (see: Gordon, Melvin), and rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett claimed he excused those who chose to stay away from the UC Health Training Center this spring.
Indeed, McManus' job is to make kicks when real bullets are flying, coming off a 2021 campaign in which he nailed 83.9% of his field-goal tries. In 2022, his age-31 season, McManus will be under the guidance of new special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes, a hard-nosed deviation from laissez-faire predecessor Tom McMahon.
“I haven’t spent much time here. Just getting to know him the past two weeks during OTAs has been great," he said of Stukes. "I’ve talked to him on the phone. He has a ton of energy. He’s going to motivate players. He’s been a special-teams player himself, which is great in reciprocating what it is. We see all these college players. Those are the best players on their team when they come here. Obviously, there are great players here already, so they’re not going to be the No. 1 player here. We have incredible players. Their role to help this team is going to be special teams. I think that’s difficult for a lot of players to realize. Some of them love it, some don’t. I think having Stukes here will help with that transition, [especially with] being a former player and also motivating these guys. [S] Justin Simmons was a four-core special teamer and now is [one of] the highest-paid safeties. Some people say you have to pay your [dues] to the game, but someone like [CB] Patrick Surtain [II] doesn’t have to play special teams as a first-rounder (laughs). I think that’s what Coach Stukes will do—help motivate his guys.”
Presumably uninterested in risking potential fines, McManus should participate fully in Denver's three-day mandatory minicamp, set to run Monday through Wednesday — the final slate of practices until late-July training camp.
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