Broncos’ Garett Bolles on Von Miller’s playoff reunion: Sweetest moment

Von had been arriving for a long time.

“I like him a lot. I totally think of him,” Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles said with a smile Sunday after Denver’s playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs, when asked about reuniting with the passer of the Bills and Broncos legend Von Miller next Sunday.

“I bet he was also excited for us to win that game because he’s a Bronco for life.”

Huge victory. Small world. Who said NFL writers don’t have a sense of humor? The Broncos (10-7) are headed to the playoffs for the first time since Super Bowl 50. Vonster was the MVP of that game in February 2016 — a tilt that, in hindsight, marked the end of a era in Broncos country. .

While Bolles is blocking his blindside, rookie quarterback Bo Nix has just put his stamp on a new one. Nine long, hard, painful years later.

“I think it made me who I am today, made this organization what it is today,” Bolles, who was drafted in 2017, said of his journey to his first-ever playoff appearance this Sunday in Buffalo, where the seventh-seeded Broncos will visit Miller and his 13-4 Bills.

“Sometimes when you have these kinds of moments, you look back and wonder how you got here. And it’s just because of all these amazing people in this organization, from (general manager) George (Paton) to coach (Sean) Payton…but being in this moment, getting this franchise back to where it belongs, in the playoffs and being one of the longest-serving Broncos – that’s the sweetest moment I can think of. And I’m just extremely grateful.

At 32, Bolles is the oldest player in Denver’s locker room and the one for whom orange and blue hearts have felt the most empathetic joy. No. 72 has played for five head coaches, if you count adult interim Jerry Rosburg, since the summer of 2017. During that span, he’s been stuck for 14 starting QBs, the bridge on the blind side of Denver from Trevor Siemian to Nix. He didn’t have a winning season before this one. Before Payton and Nix arrived, he didn’t have a playoff game to prepare for either.

“We’ve been through some tough times,” Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton, who joined the team in 2018, said Sunday. “For us to be able to see that other side … it’s really awesome.”

Getting thinner and thinner, Bolles lost a lot of games here before this season. He rarely lost his youthful zeal, especially in moments of triumph, even after a broken leg, after a sore knee and elbow.

“Everyone, even the big sports radio hosts, including (ESPN’s) Jeff Saturday, said they didn’t want us to be here,” Bolles said. “Well, you can watch us next week. So you can enjoy it, brother. Shannon Sharpe, sue him for that one. But I’m just grateful for it.

Once a playoff spot was assured, the former Utah Utes star left the sideline raising his arms and jumping for joy. Bolles waved a big blue flag in the end zone, planted the thing in the Empower turf like there was no tomorrow, then headed down the tunnel.

“Guys like him and (Sutton), I’m so happy,” Broncos guard Ben Powers said. “Playoff football is such a special thing to experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s at the end or the beginning of their career, as I was lucky enough to be able to do. It just matters that you get there one day.

For 72 years, it is now. With a victory in Buffalo, Bolles could surprise the world again. Is it really great?

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