J.K. Dobbins Vows to Prove Last Season Was No Fluke

The mantra for 2026 at Denver Broncos headquarters is 'G.T.D.' Go the distance.

The Broncos came up short on their Super Bowl aspirations last season, mainly due to some ill-timed injury misfortune. Fans are painfully aware quarterback Bo Nix's extremely inconvenient injury in the divisional round of the playoffs, but the Broncos not having their No. 1 running back for the final seven games and the postseason had an impact, too.

J.K. Dobbins is back, though. The Broncos re-signed him to a two-year, $16 million deal in March. Keeping Dobbins in the fold was a "priority above all others,' per head coach Sean Payton.

Dobbins is healthy and extremely motivated to prove that he can finally stay out of the injury bug's crosshairs. Dobbins has some lofty ambitions, as he told The Denver Post's Luca Evans over the weekend when asked what he wants to show Broncos Country this year.

“What I’m going to show is that last year wasn’t a fluke," Dobbins told Evans. "Like, instead of being No. 3 in the NFL, I’ll be No. 1 this year. And there won’t be any injuries.”

Picking Up Where He Left Off

Dobbins suffered a Lisfranc (foot) injury in the Broncos' Week 10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He ended his season with 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns, ranking in the NFL's top five individual rushers.

With Dobbins in the lead back role, the Broncos' ground game also ranked among the league's best. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry, and despite RJ Harvey's heroic rookie effort to take the Dobbins baton, the Broncos' rushing game petered out down the stretch and was close to a non-factor in the playoffs.

Harvey was great as a receiver out of the backfield and as a red-zone weapon, but he lacked down-to-down consistency as a ball carrier after Dobbins went down. Don't get me wrong; Harvey is always a threat to take to the house any time he touches the ball, but the consistency simply wasn't there.

Harvey scored 12 total touchdowns as a rookie — the third-most in Broncos history — but there's a reason why re-signing Dobbins was the team's top offseason priority. If you're inclined to believe Payton, that is.

Avoiding the Injury Bug

J.K. Dobbins. — J.K. Dobbins 27 of the Denver Broncos, runs the ball during a game between the Las Vegas Raiders. | Kevin Langley / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

At 27 years old, Dobbins is relatively young and is definitely still in his prime. The Broncos have him under contract through the 2028 season, though if the injury bug derails him again this season, the team could move on painlessly next spring because only $8 million of his new contract is fully guaranteed.

As you can tell, though, Dobbins is highly focused on avoiding injury again. It may be an unrealistic expectation, as NFL running backs take a pounding, so it's almost impossible to not get banged up somewhat.

But what Dobbins is hoping for is to avoid a major injury that costs him time. That's been one of the unfortunate themes of his NFL career. He's yet to play a full season since entering the league as a Baltimore Ravens second-round pick in 2020.

However, with the Broncos' highly paid and decorated offensive line, Dobbins has everything he needs to meet his goals. Throw in an ascending quarterback and a supporting offensive cast that was infused with the explosive talent of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle this offseason, which should lead to fewer defenders in the box, and Dobbins will be in the best position of his career to succeed.

The Takeaway

All he needs is a little luck. Here's to hoping it unfolds just as Dobbins wants it to. The Broncos are certainly hopeful, and while there is some confidence there on the part of the team, Jonah Coleman was drafted in Round 4 for a reason.

The Broncos now have a viable insurance policy in the event that Dobbins is snake-bitten again. But he's such a good guy and he's what Payton calls a "force multiplier," helping to make everyone around him better.

It's easy to root for good guys. And so shall I do for Dobbins. Fingers crossed. Knock on wood. You know what to do, Broncos Country.

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