Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Garett Bolles of the Denver Broncos greet one another ... More after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 12, 2023. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
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Before the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West nine consecutive years, the Denver Broncos owned the division from 2011 to 2015.
Having reached the playoffs in 2024 for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50, the Broncos now are trying to regain control of the division from the Chiefs.
“You want to take down the big dog,” Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles exclusively shared, “because then you become the dog.”
While giving his perspective on the AFC West, Bolles spoke on behalf of USAA’s Protect the Pocket, brush-clearing event. To help protect against wildfires, he spent an hour on June 24 clearing debris and feeding brush into a wood chipper at Eagles Nest Ranch, a horse ranch ministry about 40 miles away from Empower Field at Mile High. The ranch provides equine-assisted therapy and life support for military members, first responders and their families.
“It has been awesome,” Bolles exclusively shared. “Me being a protector day in and day out, I had to join the movement.”
In addition the military has special meaning for Bolles, whose father, Grove, served in the Navy.
“(It) has been part of my family,” Garett Bolles said, “and will always be part of my family.”
Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles helps protect Eagles Nest Ranch from wildfires as part of USAA's ... More Protect the Pocket initiative.
USAA
Young Broncos
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Entering his ninth year, the 33-year-old Bolles is a veteran of a different kind on the Broncos.
He was the oldest starting player on the team last year, and he and fellow offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey were the only offensive starters 30 or older.
“I just lead by example,” he said. “Everyone knows that I love them, that I’m here for them and they can always come to me if they ever need anything. I pride myself off that: To be available for my teammates.”
Bolles’ leadership was critical on a young 2024 wild-card team led by quarterback Bo Nix. The rookie Nix became the Day One starter after the Broncos released their 2023 starter, Russell Wilson, who they previously had signed to a five-year, $242.6 million deal.
To compensate for [the $53 million salary cap hit](https://milehighsports.com/we-now-know-how-broncos-will-eat-russell-wilsons-85m-in-dead-cap-over-next-two-years/) (or 20.6% of their total cap) in 2024 for Wilson, the Broncos ended up starting 12 rookies or second-year players on their rookie deal.
“A lot of young players got a chance to play,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said during minicamp.
Chasing the Chiefs
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That year of experience should bode well for the young Broncos in the AFC West, but the reigning AFC champion Chiefs present a formidable challenge in 2025.
They have been to five Super Bowls since 2019 for a reason.
“You have a Hall of Fame coach in Andy Reid, and then you have another Hall of Famer named Patrick Mahomes,” Bolles said. “Then you have another Hall of Fame receiver named Travis Kelce.”
The two rivals have split their two matchups the last two years, as each team won at home.
Last year the Chiefs blocked a last-second field goal to preserve their 16-14 victory at home, but the Broncos won 38-0 in the final game of the regular season, though the Chiefs rested almost all of their starters.
Bolles and the Broncos are hoping to not only hold serve at home again, but also overtake the rival Chiefs in the AFC West.
“The Broncos have dominated this division for a long time, and now the Chiefs took it over,” Bolles said. “Now we’re trying to get it back.”