After near unblockable performance in Kansas City, Bonitto asserting himself as a premier pass rusher

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Play after play, Nik Bonitto was a high-speed train circling the bend from the right edge.

Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Wanya Morris had gone down with a knee injury early in the game and Bonitto quickly began to abuse the backup, Kingsley Suamataia. Bonitto sacked quarterback Patrick Mahomes once for a 9-yard loss, and had him again for minus 11, only to have that sack negated by a late ticky-tack hand infraction called on safety Brandon Jones.

Two other times Bonitto had Mahomes, only for the superstar quarterback to duck or throw it away. Bonitto was causing so much havoc on the Chiefs’ offense, coach Andy Reid had no choice but to put the gimpy Morris back in for their final offensive possession of the game.

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“I really wanted the starter to stay in there because me and him went to school together,’’ Bonitto said in an interview this week with 9NEWS. “I was going at him the whole time but it just kind of worked out how it did. But I definitely wanted Wanya some more.”

Morris and Bonitto were Oklahoma Sooner teammates for one season in 2021. Bonitto was then the first player picked by the Broncos, last selection in the second round, in the 2022 NFL Draft. He struggled as a rookie as he didn’t have the strength to shake off those big and strong NFL tackles. After hitting the weight room, Bonitto started figuring it out last year, using his incredible speed and flexibility to record 8.0 sacks in 15 games.

There was uncertainty in training camp, though, as to how effective Bonitto would be in his third season as he missed considerable time with a back injury. He returned in time for the season opener but didn’t have a sack through the team’s first two games.

“Definitely worried some especially knowing there were days I really couldn’t do anything,’’ Bonitto said. “Couldn’t move as much as I wanted to. But when I got back, continuing to know where I need to be, fight through the things I was fighting through and eventually I knew I would get back to a point where I’d get back to my old self.”

He now appears on his way to a career year with 7.0 sacks in his last eight games to rank tied for 8th in the NFL.

“Knowing how we practice and then going out there in the games, seeing all the repetitions, all the work we do in practice pay off, it’s definitely really good to see that,’’ Bonitto said. “And then also thanks to the coaches and the other guys I’m with that help put me in that position.”

His outside linebacker mate Jonathon Cooper is right behind Bonitto with 6.5 sacks. Cooper was the team’s leading sacker through the first six games, but then Bonitto put together a five-game sack streak to take the lead.

“I told him today I’ve been keeping him in so he’s real lucky right now,’’ Bonitto said with a smile. “We’re just two competitors who are trying to keep the standard going in the room, from the guys who were there before us.”

Despite Bonitto’s Von Miller-like dominance, the Broncos suffered an excruciating, 16-14 loss to the Chiefs last week as a short field goal attempt by Denver kicker Wil Lutz was blocked on the final play of the game. Bonitto’s reaction at the time?

“I was on the sideline holding hands with the other guys,’’ he said. “It’s a little thing we do. Obviously wasn’t expecting that but it’s football. Guys are going to make plays. Hats off to them but we’ll be back.

“Yeah, it hurt but coach (Sean Payton) always says we’re going to be playing in bigger games down the road. We’ve just got to keep the focus, keep going after what our goal is.’’

Which is to snap Denver’s eight-season playoff drought. The Broncos will be in great shape to make it as a wild card if they can beat the Atlanta Falcons today at Empower Field at Mile High. The challenge will be to mentally and emotionally get past the anguish of last week’s loss.

“You’ve got to especially in this league because I promise Atlanta’s not going to come in here feeling sorry for us,’’ Bonitto said. “Turn the page, move on quickly and prepare for the next opponent.”