Broncos' Opener Full of Firsts for Rookie RB Jonah Coleman

It will be a momentous day for Coleman.

Oct 4, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) carries the ball against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Rookie running back Jonah Coleman isn't just making his NFL debut when the Denver Broncos kick off their regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.

It will be the first professional football game the former Washington star has ever attended. In any capacity. And by design.

"I'm not gonna go to an NFL game until I make it to the NFL. And that's what the whole mindset was, when I kind of thought about it," Coleman said during a recent interview with Good Morning Football. "Like, I've never been to an NFL game, you know? Obviously, I was in Seattle, and the Seahawks were right there; they always had games. I had opportunities to go, but it's like, I want to experience the moment to myself and feel all the emotions and all the hard work paid off. Because I still feel like this whole process is surreal to me. Even now, it's still kind of hard to believe. And I feel like once I run out that tunnel for the first time, that's when I'm gonna be able to take it all in."

Coleman (5-8, 220) began his collegiate career at Arizona before transferring to Washington for his final two years of eligibility. A compact and powerful runner, he tallied a combined 3,892 yards from scrimmage and 37 total touchdowns (34 rushing) across 50 appearances, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

The Broncos made the California native the 108th overall pick in April's draft. On Wednesday, Coleman officially agreed to terms on his four-year, roughly $5.61 million rookie contract, which included a $1.234 million signing bonus.

Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) is stopped short of the goal line by Boise State Broncos defensive back Ty Benefield (0) in the first half of the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Projected Week 1 Role

No doubt, Denver views Coleman — a true three-down back, with the ability to run, catch, and pass-protect — as a potential future successor to incumbent starting RB J.K. Dobbins, who returned to the team on a two-year free-agent deal this offseason.

Initially, however, Coleman (assuming he leapfrogs Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin on the depth chart) could be a distant third in the pecking order, little more than a breather back behind Dobbins and sophomore R.J. Harvey.

It's anyone's guess as to how Broncos head coach Sean Payton and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb will divvy up the touches between the trio in Week 1. But it's pretty safe to assume that Coleman will be involved on some level, in some capacity, as he absorbs the full NFL experience.

“Just do my job and be able to be a sponge," he said of his offensive impact during this month's rookie minicamp. "Take in information, be coachable and show up every day as the same person.”

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