Jonah Coleman Reveals Deeper Meaning Behind His Mile High Salute

Jonah Coleman is a young man who knows his history.

That knowledge and understanding were illustrated in Coleman's first career touchdown with the Denver Broncos — a go-ahead score that helped ice their Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Following his fourth-quarter touchdown, the rookie running back wasted no time throwing up the 'Mile High Salute' that Broncos Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis created in the '90s and made famous on his way to two Super Bowl titles, an NFL MVP award, and a 2,000-yard rushing season.

The rookie Jonah Coleman gives the Broncos a fourth quarter lead 🐴

JAXvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wpnL52qLn8
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

"I mean, you've just got to pay respect to the guys that come before you," Coleman said post-game from the locker room, via Broncos social. "Terrell—me and him—we've talked before. Talked a couple times. He's one of the best to ever do it. And I just feel like I had to pay my dues and pay my respect because, at the end of the day, you're playing for something bigger than yourself."

Maturity Beyond His Years

Bo Nix hands off to Jonah Coleman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's good to know that Coleman has sought out a connection with Davis. It's another example of the level of maturity that belies Coleman's rookie status.

We've heard Broncos head coach Sean Payton say time and time again, "You don't feel a rookie," with Coleman. That has been confirmed from the outside looking in, just two games into his NFL career. Beyond his Mile High Salute in Week 2, Coleman showcased his football IQ with a heads-up play to fully salt the game away for Denver.

On a 2nd-and-11 with 2:35 left in the game, the Jaguars had just called their final timeout. The Broncos led by seven and were driving down the field, looking to clinch the game with their four-minute offense.

The Broncos leaned heavily on Coleman to do so, with J.K. Dobbins injured in the game and RJ Harvey being ruled out with a hamstring prior to kickoff. On that 2nd-and-11, Coleman took the ball, turned the left corner, and picked up 12 yards to get the first down.

But instead of trying to make more of the run or seeking contact that close to the sideline — which would have run the risk of him being knocked out of bounds and stopping the clock — the rookie wisely just slid down on his rear end after picking up the first down. It was a clutch run and decision — very heads-up.

“He played well. Then the very end, that last carry was… We work on four-minute [situations], but that certainly didn’t feel like a rookie series, if you will," Payton said post-game. "He came up big, and we needed it."

Looking Ahead

On Monday, we received a positive report that Dobbins and his hamstring injury are "good," and that he avoided major injury. Harvey is coming off the first missed game of his NFL career, and with the Los Angeles Rams coming to town this weekend for a Sunday Night Football tilt, it's unclear how many backs the Broncos will have available.

If the Broncos have to rely on Coleman again, Payton sounds like a coach fully prepared to do so, including him alongside Dobbins and Harvey as a true "bell cow" running back.

"I think all three of those players we’re discussing can be bell cow [and] handle a majority of the carries," Payton said on Monday. "Yes, I think there’s a lot ahead of us this week relative to who our runners are going to be.”

The Takeaway

It was auspicious to see Coleman make so many big plays in his debut in front of the Mile High Faithful. He led the Broncos with 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown, to go along with three receptions for 19 yards.

Keep in mind, as a ball-carrier, Coleman didn't really start seeing the field until deep in the third quarter. He caught a few passes in the first half, but after Dobbins's exit, the Broncos leaned on their fourth-round rookie and he answered the bell.

If I were Dobbins or Harvey, I'd be a lot more leary about missing any more time due to injury — not that they can control that. And in all honesty, Dobbins is a young leader and a veteran savvy enough to have figured out months ago that Coleman has RB1 upside.

The way the football fates wrote it, though, it just so happened that Coleman got the chance to showcase that in his second NFL game. Good things.

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google