Broncos’ Newly Chosen Team Captains Share Powerful Reactions to Honor

The regular-season opener is just days away. The Denver Broncos will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday to officially kick off the 2025 campaign.

But before the Broncos can take on the Titans, they first have to select their team captains for the season. On Wednesday, following practice, Broncos head coach Sean Payton shared that the players have chosen eight team captains.

“We have named captains," Payton said. "Here are the eight captains: [QB] Bo Nix, [WR] Courtland Sutton, [G] Quinn Meinerz, [DT] D.J. Jones, [CB] Pat Surtain II, [S] Talanoa Hufanga, [ILB] Alex Singleton and [K] Wil Lutz. Those guys voted yesterday. We had our captains’ dinner last night, and they were announced last night.”

HC Sean Payton has announced our 2025 captains as chosen by the players. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/SMcyNjoGZf
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 3, 2025

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Locker Room Elder Still in His Prime

This is the fifth straight year that the 29-year-old Sutton has been named a team captain, illustrating his leadership in the Broncos' locker room and how he's perceived by his teammates. He takes the captainship seriously and views it as a great honor.

"It’s truly a blessing. I know everybody says that it’s a blessing to do whatever it may be, but I told the guys at the dinner how grateful I was for them electing me a captain, somebody who could go out and be a leader for this team," Sutton said on Wednesday. "It’s something that I don’t carry lightly."

Sutton also understands that certain responsibilities come with being a team captain, and just as he has the preceding four seasons, he's willing and able to shoulder them.

"It’s something that I understand the weight that it carries and the responsibilities that come with it," Sutton said. "I told the guys as well, they’re going to get everything I have day-in and day-out, whether it’s in the meetings, at practice, if somebody has a question about a concept in between plays, in the weight room, whatever it may be, I’m going out every day trying to be the best version of myself for me and for all my teammates.”

Nix Appreciates His Teammates' Respect

Aug 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

As for the other seven guys, Nix, Surtain, Meinerz, Singleton, and Lutz were named team captains for the second straight year. Nix is this team's starting quarterback, so the leadership responsibilities come baked into the role, but he views his captainship as a great honor, echoing Sutton.

“It’s an honor, and it’s something that I will never take for granted. What makes it more special is you are voted by your peers, and you are voted by your teammates," Nix said on Wednesday. "It means a lot that teammates respect me and want to put me in that position. I want to be as good as I can be in that spot and make it worth the pick.”

First-Time Captain

Jones was chosen to be a team captain for the first time in his NFL career. Arriving in Denver back in 2022 as a free agent, the Broncos re-signed him this past spring, which will keep him around for the foreseeable future as a physical presence on the defensive line and leader on the sideline and in the locker room.

“I don’t ever get surprised when the votes come in," Payton said of Jones. "It’s how this team feels. Obviously, we don’t take that vote until we have the [roster] 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 in that. I’m proud of him. I’m excited for him.”

Hufanga Already Taking Leadership Mantle

August 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

It's Hufanga's first year in Denver, and out of the gates, he was chosen by his new teammates as a captain. Payton wasn't surprised.

“It happened to Nix last year, and he was a rookie," Payton said. "When they get in during the offseason program and they’re here for the better part of all the way up to the start of the season, I think that players get a better feel for the leadership skill sets. I’m excited for him as well.”

Meinerz Leads by Example

For his part, Meinerz knows that his teammates view him as a leader, and he's ready to be just that for the Broncos. However, don't expect him to be a "rah-rah guy."

“It means that my teammates have the belief in me to be a voice and be a leader of this team," Meinerz said. "I’ve never been the big vocal kind of rah-rah guy. I’m more of the kind of lead by example.”

Surtain to 'Uphold the Standard'

When it comes to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, he was humbled to be chosen a team captain again.

“It’s a very humbling honor, such a prestigious recognition to be recognized as a captain," Surtain said on Wednesday. "Like I said before, I want to keep on being the best leader, the best teammate I could possibly be each and every year and to get voted by my teammates, I don’t take that for granted. I’m going to make sure I uphold that standard and do it to the best of my ability so I’m looking forward to it.”