ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Before Jonah Coleman had his first in-person question-and-answer session with Denver-area media as the Broncos’ newest running back, he paused to make sure he had a proper greeting and introduction to the reporters around him.
One by one, he shook hands, getting everyone’s name. The usual rapid-fire question-and-answer pas-de-deux, a rote aspect of big-time professional sports that engender intense public interest, would have to wait, at least for a moment, while Coleman took time for a moment of courtesy and a proper welcome.
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It may not seem like much, but it mattered to him.
“It’s just a respect thing,” Coleman. “That’s how I grew up and how my dad raised me. The first thing he talked to me about was respect. So, just showing respect to everybody and treating everybody the same is what I’m about.”
One already knew Coleman wasn’t your typical rookie running back arriving in the NFL. His proficiency at pass protection, for one thing, makes him an outlier among backs who typically arrive at this level in need of plenty of work at that discipline. But he’d long since shown that he had a vision and maturity beyond his years.
This is a man who took some of his NIL money and donated it to his high school in Stockton, Calif. He was honored with the community-service award bestowed by the University of Washington football program. And he graduated from UW with a 3.93 GPA, to boot.
To say Coleman is a sharp, diligent young man barely scratches the surface. He oozes maturity. He possesses ample leadership qualities. But he also is blessed with humility, which will serve him well as he steps into the NFL world, one where he must earn his respect anew, where his 37 college touchdowns, his 5.5-yards-per-carry average and even his afore-mentioned work in pass protection don’t mean much.
After all, what was good enough at that level won’t be adequate here with the Broncos. He knows he must have what he termed a “growth mindset” when it comes to that part of his game.
“Yeah, I did a lot of pass pro in college, but I’m not in college any more. I’m in the NFL,” he said. “A lot of guys who’ve been playing football a long time. So … just being able to take coaching and tweak the details that I need to work on is what it’s all about.”
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He’ll have work to do, but there’s no doubt that he’s ahead of most rookies when it comes to that area of the game.
Added Broncos coach Sean Payton: “Most of the time when you’re drafting or signing a college running back, there’s going to be a learning curve with protections. Certainly the complexity sometimes maybe of what they see, but that was a strong suit when you were looking at his tape different than the rest of the class.
“He just had more opportunities on third down, and to release and also to block.”
HOW HE TRAINED TO BE READY FOR THE BRONCOS
The last few months since he wrapped up his college playing career, he’s been focused on conditioning — first for pre-draft workouts, and now for Broncos rookie minicamp and offseason practices that get under way early next month.
It took a different approach and mindset to what he had before.
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“I’ve been doing a lot of boxing, a lot of cardio, running on a treadmill, doing the little things that I can do,” Coleman said. “It’s tough when you get out of college. You don’t got all these strength coaches and everything that you have provided for you in college. So just working with what I got and doing the little things going back to when I was in high school and I didn’t have all that — running on the street, running on the road and doing certain things like that, just to stay prepared for minicamp.”
He even wore a sauna suit at times to help prepare for the elevation — although his 179-yard performance against CU in 2023 while with Arizona, when he averaged a robust 16.3 yards per attempt — shows that he can handle the air well enough.
But it’s the boxing drills that could have the most profound impact.
“I really just do a lot of pad work,” Coleman said. ” mean, I had like a passion for boxing when I was younger. Then it kind of drifted away once I stuck to football. So, I just got back into it because it really teaches you how to think when you’re tired and when you’re exhausted.
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“So, Coach is throwing these combinations at you and you gotta remember it and if you don’t, you ultimately get hit and I don’t want to get hit. So, that’s what it’s all about: just training your mind to do things that are going to show up when [it’s] fourth quarter, fourth down, and it’s fourth=and-1 and the snap count may be on two — just having discipline.”
Discipline shouldn’t be hard for Coleman, though. Not for someone as diligent about the little things — including social graces — as he’s already shown to be.
It’s easy to see why the Broncos wanted him in their building. For a team that prioritizes fit within the locker room, emphasizes culture-building, and values character more than raw measurables, Coleman is a walking epitome of what the Broncos seek.
He’s their kind of player. But more importantly, he’s their kind of person. And if you didn’t know that before, you understood why after you looked him in the eyes and shook his hand.
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