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Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden has a way with words. His description of the Broncos’ pass rush is colorful and unexpected, capturing something real about Denver’s defensive identity.
The Denver Broncos pass rush has been the most dominant force in the NFL over the past two seasons. Former head coach-turned-content creator Jon Gruden made sure everyone knew it during his AFC West overview ahead of 2026 training camp.
Gruden covered plenty of ground on the Broncos during his breakdown. He touched on quarterback Bo Nix, coach Sean Payton, the addition of wide receiver Jalen Waddle via trade, and more. But nothing hit quite like his rant about Denver’s pass rush.
“131 sacks in the last two seasons by the Denver Broncos,” Gruden began. “Nobody else in the NFL has over 100. You guys see what I’m talking about now, don’t you? Well, where’s the pressure coming from? They got edge pressure from (Nik) Bonitto and (Jonathon) Cooper. They got inside pressure from (Malcolm) Roach and Zach Allen; they got pressure because of these blitzes. Good God, they come from everywhere, and they got pressure because of sheer effort, man. Second effort production. A lot of guys get blocked. They’re like, ‘Ah, shit, I’m blocked, or ah shit, I’m getting double-teamed.’ Ask Zach Allen about that. These guys are relentless asskickers, and I love watching them play defense.”
Denver racked up 131 sacks over the last two seasons, a staggering total that is more than 30 sacks ahead of the next-closest team. They had 68 sacks alone in 2025. For the rest of the NFL and especially the AFC West, that number should set off alarms. Can they maintain it in 2026, though?
Gruden channels his inner Will Ferrell with Broncos pass rush praise
You might recall an iconic quote from the 2007 comedy “Blades of Glory” starring Will Ferrell. In the movie, Ferrell’s character insisted on playing the Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps” for his routine. When questioned about the nonsensical lyrics, he defended the choice with a famous line: “No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative. It gets the people going.”
Gruden’s description of the Broncos pass rush as “a colony of ants” evokes that same energy. Or maybe it’s more Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander.
“And these 68 sacks – it doesn’t just come from Bonitto,” Gruden continued. “It doesn’t just come from Zach Allen. It comes from a community, like a colony of ants. Man, they got 17 different guys on their team that recorded at least a half a sack. You ever see a piece of food on the ground? The ants just swarm all over it. That’s like playing Denver. Hell, they got four guys last year with over seven sacks. I mean, Benito had 14, Cooper had eight, John Franklin-Myers had seven and a half, and Zach Allen had seven. Then you turn on the film. There’s two or three other guys. You’re like, ‘Holy shit, who are they?’ They do an excellent job blitzing and playing multiple coverages from all over the place.”
Comparing the pass rush to “a colony of ants” is classic Gruden. It’s colorful, it’s unexpected, and it captures something real about Denver’s defensive identity. The Broncos don’t rely on one superstar pass rusher to carry the load. They get pressure from everywhere.
Edge rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper lead the charge, while interior players like Malcolm Roach and Zach Allen create havoc up the middle. On top of that, Denver generates free rushers through creative blitz packages, twists, and stunts. The sack totals aren’t a fluke. They’re the product of a system designed to overwhelm offensive lines with volume and variety.
What the Broncos look like heading into 2026 training camp
Denver is coming off a season that fell short of its Super Bowl aspirations. Nix suffered an injury in the AFC Divisional Round and was unable to play in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. The way last season ended left questions about the offense, but the defense remains the foundation of everything Sean Payton is building.
The Broncos enter 2026 training camp with high expectations and a clear goal of getting back to the conference championship and beyond. They want to be in the hunt for Super Bowl LXI, and their pass rush gives them a legitimate path to get there.
There are roster questions to sort through, though. Franklin-Myers will no longer be with the team after free agency. The Broncos have an off-field situation to navigate with Cooper. Losing two contributors from a pass rush that dominant would concern most organizations, but Denver has players waiting for their opportunities. Will some of the unknown commodities step up and fill the void in 2026? It seems the team has an ever-replenishing arsenal of pass-rush weapons. Que Robinson, for instance, is expected to step up and rotate into a larger role.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: ‘Like a colony of ants' - Jon Gruden says what needs to be said about the 2026 Denver Broncos in a way that only he can
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