Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad

In the grueling 17-game NFL season, the bye week is more than just a break—it’s a strategic opportunity for teams to reset, recover, and refocus before the stretch run. For the Denver Broncos, this midseason pause has become a critical part of their success, allowing players to heal from nagging injuries, coaches to refine game plans, and the entire squad to reconnect away from the pressure of weekly games. Unlike a typical off week, the Broncos’ bye week is a structured mix of rest, work, and team building—designed to leave the squad physically refreshed and mentally sharp. Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad explores how the team maximizes this time, from personalized recovery programs for players to strategic adjustments that address early-season weaknesses.

Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad first delves into the physical recovery aspect, which is tailored to each player’s needs and position. For high-impact players like running back Javonte Williams, who endures dozens of tackles per game, the bye week focuses on active recovery: low-intensity workouts like swimming or yoga to maintain muscle strength without adding stress to joints, combined with daily sessions with the team’s physical therapists to address tightness or soreness. For linemen—both offensive and defensive—the focus shifts to mobility work, with drills to improve hip and shoulder flexibility, which tend to degrade over the first half of the season. The Broncos’ sports science team uses data from wearable devices (like GPS trackers and heart rate monitors) to design these plans, ensuring each player gets exactly what they need. “The bye week isn’t about being lazy—it’s about smart recovery,” said Tom McMahon, the Broncos’ head athletic trainer. “A running back needs different care than a kicker, and we make sure every player’s plan is personalized to their body and their position.” Even healthy players benefit: quarterback Russell Wilson, for example, uses the week to focus on core strength and throwing mechanics, correcting small flaws that can accumulate over weeks of games. By the end of the bye week, 90% of Broncos players report feeling “fully recovered” from pre-bye soreness, according to internal team surveys.

Mental refreshment is another key component of Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad, as the mental toll of the NFL season can be just as draining as the physical one. The Broncos prioritize giving players time to disconnect from football—whether that means returning home to family, taking short vacations, or pursuing hobbies outside the sport. Linebacker Von Miller, for instance, often uses the bye week to visit his foundation’s youth football camps, a break that he says “reminds me why I play this game.” For coaches, the mental refresh comes from stepping back from day-to-day game prep to analyze the season holistically. Head coach Sean Payton and his staff spend the first two days of the bye week reviewing film from the first half of the season, not just to spot opponent tendencies but also to identify patterns in the Broncos’ own performance (e.g., third-down conversion struggles or red-zone inefficiencies). They then bring in sports psychologists to lead group sessions with players, focusing on mindfulness and stress management—skills that help players stay calm in high-pressure moments later in the season. “Mental fatigue is real,” Payton said in a 2024 interview. “If a player is mentally burnt out, he can’t perform his best on Sundays. The bye week lets us hit reset on that front.”

Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad also includes strategic adjustments, where the coaching staff uses the extra time to refine schemes and address early-season weaknesses. For example, if the Broncos’ passing offense ranked 22nd in the NFL through the first eight games, the bye week would involve redesigning route combinations to better utilize wide receivers like Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, with extra practice time dedicated to timing drills between Russell Wilson and his targets. On defense, if the run defense struggled against zone-blocking schemes, the coaches would create new drill simulations to help linemen and linebackers recognize and counter those looks. The Broncos also use the bye week to prepare for future opponents, with scouts providing detailed reports on upcoming divisional rivals like the Kansas City Chiefs or Las Vegas Raiders. This advance preparation lets the team start practicing specific game plans earlier than usual, reducing stress in the weeks ahead. For the Denver Broncos, these strategic tweaks often translate to improved performance: over the past five seasons, the Broncos have averaged 2.3 more points per game and allowed 1.8 fewer points per game in the eight weeks after the bye week compared to the first eight.

Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad further emphasizes team bonding, an often-overlooked element that strengthens chemistry on and off the field. The Broncos organize low-pressure team activities during the bye week—like a group hike in the Rocky Mountains, a charity bowling night, or a barbeque at team owner Rob Walton’s ranch. These events let players and coaches interact in casual settings, building trust that carries over to the field. In 2024, the team hosted a “Family Day” at Empower Field at Mile High, inviting players’ families to tour the locker room, watch a light practice, and join a post-practice picnic. “When you know your teammate’s kids’ names or what they like to do outside football, you play harder for them,” said safety Justin Simmons. “Those bonding moments make us a tighter group.” The Broncos also use the bye week to integrate new players—whether midseason signings or practice squad call-ups—into the team culture. For example, if the team signed a new defensive back before the bye, they’d pair him with a veteran like Simmons for casual meals and film sessions, helping him get up to speed faster. For the Denver Broncos, strong team chemistry isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a competitive advantage, especially in close games where trust and communication are key.

The final aspect of Bye Week Refresh for the Denver Broncos Squad is the transition back to regular-season routines, ensuring the team doesn’t lose momentum once the break ends. The Broncos structure the last two days of the bye week as a “soft return”: light practices (no full pads), position-specific meetings to review the strategic adjustments, and a walkthrough of the game plan for the next opponent. This gradual shift helps players avoid the “bye week letdown” that plagues some teams, where rust from inactivity leads to slow starts in the first post-bye game. The coaching staff also uses this time to set clear goals for the second half of the season—whether that’s winning the AFC West, improving a specific stat (like third-down conversions), or staying healthy. “The bye week is only useful if we carry that momentum forward,” Payton said. “We make sure every player knows what we’re working toward and how their role fits into that plan.” For the Denver Broncos, this intentional transition has paid off: over the past five seasons, they’ve won 60% of their first post-bye games, well above the league average of 52%. Together, these elements—physical recovery, mental reset, strategic adjustments, team bonding, and a smooth transition—make the bye week a cornerstone of the Broncos’ season, helping them stay competitive deep into the fall and, ultimately, chase a playoff spot.