Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick has battled through serious injuries in the past two seasons. Patrick tore his ACL in the summer of 2022, leaving him sidelined for the entirety of the season. He was ready to mount a comeback the following year, but in a cruel twist of fate, he would tear his Achilles during training camp in 2023.
Patrick would put in months of rehab and hard work. Now, he is confident about his return to the field in 2024. In fact, he feels like he is going to pick up right where he left off in 2021.
“I felt like myself. I felt twitchy,” Patrick said following practice. “Honestly, I think I'm right there where I was three years ago, right now.”
Patrick isn't letting the fact that he was sidelined for two consecutive seasons affect him. Instead, he is boasting a newfound confidence and believes 2024 could be a career year.
“This is a new me,” said Patrick. “Just watch.”
A new number for a new beginning for Broncos' Tim Patrick
Seeking a fresh start, Tim Patrick has changed his jersey number from 81 to 12, similar to his collegiate switch at Utah after battling injuries. He believes this change signals the start of the “best stage” of his career.
“81 was my first football number ever, so I feel like 81 brought me all the way to this point,” said Patrick. “Now, for me, in my next stage of my career and the best stage of my career, I feel like 12 is going to be the one that brings me home. … I came out and I had 12 [at Utah], and I came out on fire. I just plan on bringing that same good mojo with me.”
Patrick's journey with the Broncos has been marked by resilience. After joining the practice squad in 2017, he eventually emerged as a big-bodied, reliable receiver. He would develop into one of the Broncos' top receivers, leading the team in touchdowns in 2020 and 2021. This success helped Patrick sign a three-year contract extension in 2021 with the Broncos.
But then came the back-to-back season-ending injuries.
“The toughest day was definitely the first day [after the Achilles],” said Patrick. “It was probably the most negative I've ever been in my life. Once I talked to the doctors and he told me the time span of how long it would take me to get back to myself, I kind of reset and just found a way to contribute to the team without being on the field. I didn't really want to get away from football too much, because I felt like if I got away too much, I would've started thinking about retiring. I wanted to stay as much into football as I possibly could.”
Patrick's two-year absence certainly hindered the Broncos' offense. But with Patrick finally on track to make a return in 2024, he's confident his play style will help provide a much-needed boost to the offense.
“I pride myself on being able to do a little bit of everything, and I feel like when you have that wild card on the field, a defense can't hone in on ‘This guy's going to do that, this guy's going to do that,'” said Patrick. “I think I can help with just keeping drives longer with tough catches on third down and making those plays that people don't expect you to make for touchdowns, for first downs. … The biggest thing I'm going to bring is keeping the offense on the field for longer and more plays, so that means more opportunities for touchdowns.”
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