Reggie Rivers Speaks At Our September Dinner Meeting

Thanks to Paula Faulkner, our club treasurer, for this report on our recent Reggie Rivers meeting.

Reggie’s opening remarks likened being an NFL football player experience as an engine that runs.  He was and is awed by the fans.  76,000 show up every week.  People from South Dakota and surrounding areas.  People who make $50,000 a year but save money to buy season tickets.
So when he told his marketing team he was speaking at the DBQC they wanted to know about a speaking fee and other such amenities he receives in his corporate speaking business.  And he told them he does not know how all this happens, how this engine runs but he is a fan of the fans and he is going to just come.
Reggie was able to go to training camp one time.  As was most of us he was also rooting for Mark Sanchez to be successful with the Broncos.  It was his job to take.  But Trevor Siemian just kept playing hard.   Trevor has a calm mentality that shows on the field.  In the end Trevor won the job.
Next year will probably be a QB competition with Paxton Lynch.  They can grow up together and provide the Broncos with a one-two punch.
As for the Broncos chances this season, Reggie observes it is hard to repeat.  You have to be lucky to get to the Super Bowl the first time.  Lucky in the weather, officiating, injuries and play calling.  The second year to repeat additional obstacles occur when you lose talent because everybody wants a piece of the Championship team – players and coaches.  The Broncos big salary commitments and salary cap add to this.
The Broncos Defense was a 10 last season.  Performance so far indicates they will be a 9.2-9.6 this season.  The Broncos Offense was admittedly about a 5 last season but anticipate they could be a 7-8 this season if all continues well.  No disrespect to Peyton Manning, Reggie has a lot of respect for Peyton.  However, he was 40 years old and these young LBs and DEs have a faster closing speed and Peyton struggled with this.  Peyton’s mental abilities were still as great as they come.
Trevor throws on time most of the time.  In training camp he observed Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch would throw late more often.  Learning to make decisions faster to protect the WRs will also improve.
The Broncos Defense has the muscle to win in the 4th quarter when behind.  He feels this was the achilles heel for Carolina in the Super Bowl last February.  They had won all year by jumping out and being ahead of the opponent.  They did not have the muscle to fight back as the Broncos had done.  The Broncos wins were for the most part ugly, but they flexed that muscle and fought back.
Reggie admits his son, Malik (12 yrs old), likes Cam Newton.  He recounted a story where they went to a Super Bowl party with about 50 people.  During the season he would root for Cam Newton.  But at the party he explained everybody is a Denver Broncos fan. I told him, “The Broncos have done a lot for me, my career, my family and you.  Today you are not allowed to root for Cam Newton.  LOL!”
The Broncos are in a tough division.  The Raiders and KC always play well against us.  This makes us a better team.
Reggie expects Terrell Davis will get into the Hall of Fame but probably in the next 3 years, most likely 2018 or 2019.  For 2017 the finalist is Ladanian Tomlinson.  The HOF does not like to do 2 RBs in the same year.
Pat Bowlen should get in.  As an owner he has more Super Bowl appearances than losing seasons.  He took care of his players and served on several NFL committees.  There is a very compelling case for his nomination.
Reggie was asked to recount his favorite memory in the NFL.  It was 1993 and he blocked a punt against KC in the 4th quarter.  This setup a game winning touchdown.  The blocked punt was setup the whole game with how we played the game.
Yes, Reggie says, it did hurt to catch John Elway’s passes.  It made players better.  He recounted he was running a route and when he turned the ball was right there.  This had not happened before.  You had to be better to play with John.
The hardest hit Reggie ever experienced was in training camp in Greeley.  He did not remember anything about the play except being on the ground and speaking with Greek, wondering if this is what he really wanted to do.  He had ringing in his head and everything.  When they viewed the film in meetings he then found out he was hit by Steve Atwater.
When Reggie was asked about deflate gate and the money spent to defend it – was it worth it?  Reggie likens the situation like insider trading.  You are messing with the fundamental basic elements of the game.  The NFL has to take it seriously.  He doesn’t blame NE for doing it.  Everybody tries to find the edge.  What he did not like was NE response and then they fired the Equipment Manager.  Reggie gave us some insight to Equipment Managers.  They are not creative and would not be doing it on his own.
An example he gave was Shannon Sharpe’s socks while playing in Denver.  There are different socks for the Defense and for the Offense.  On one game day the Defensive socks were in his locker by mistake.  He took the socks to the Broncos Equipment Manager and traded them for a pair of Offensive socks.  That day he had a great game and the Broncos won.  From that day forward that was part of Shannon’s routine.  He told the Equipment Manager who wrote it down in his book.
This book is passed on from one Equipment Manager to the next.  Nothing is or is not done that is not in this book.  The poor guy in NE lost his job.  He had to try to find a new job after NE dumped it on him.  The guy is not highly paid like the coaches or players and he has to try to support his family with this following him.
Reggie was asked about playing under Coaches Reeves and Shanahan.  He said they are very similar in level of control and play calling.  Coach Shanahan was the best all around coach.  He was innovative in play creation and how he would explain the play to understand.
How do you compare the Offensive line from Super Bowl seasons of 90s and last season?  It is hard to compare as they were different teams.  In the SB team of the 90s the Offensive Line was slow but great blocking.  They had TD running, John Elway was QB and he had many weapons and scheme innovation.
The Offensive Line from last season to this season is hard to compare with the changes in QBs.  Peyton Manning could see the Defense and change the play.  He would help the line to protect him.  Trevor will do less audibles but is more mobile.
Reggie’s advise to kids dreaming of entering the NFL – GO TO COLLEGE!     You don’t know what the future holds, how you will grow and what this will give you, or if you will have injuries.  Grades have to be good enough to be and stay eligible and to succeed in school.
Final question to Reggie was about QB hits and the penalties for hitting below the knees or to the head.  QBs can be moving targets and sometimes they are runners like Cam Newton or Andrew Luck.  Reggie proposes there be a change in the rules that teams have to designate a QB a runner or not.  If they are a runner then sliding is not an option to be fair to the Defense.
As always Reggie Rivers is always a great guest for the DBQC.  The members always appreciate him and he always shows his gratitude for the fans.  Thanks again to Reggie for speaking at our dinner.
Paula Faulkner
DBQC Treasurer