ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey brings Super Bowl experience and a track record as a winner in his first season in Denver.
In his five years with the San Francisco 49ers, McGlinchey started six playoff games and suited up for the 49ers at right tackle in Super Bowl LIV. The Notre Dame product knows the factors that contribute to sustained winning and shared his concept of a winning culture after Wednesday's training camp practice.
"I don't know if you can exactly define it, but you can certainly feel it," McGlinchey said. "It's an attitude, it's a mindset, it's the way that you come into work every day, it's the way you prepare, it's the way you respond to adversity, it's the way you lift your teammates up, it's the way you compete — it's all those things all mixed into one. If you do that at a high level and at the best that you can every single day, that to me is a winning culture."
McGlinchey has seen the Broncos progress in that direction and said that Head Coach Sean Payton has made building a winning culture a priority.
"That is something we're building here, that's something that [Payton] and the rest of the coaches really believe in and it's something they've obviously had a lot of success with," McGlinchey said. "It's our job as players to buy in and direct that message across, especially to the young guys. There are a lot of things here that haven't happened the right way in a long time. You can feel the change in the building and how hungry guys are to make this right."
Along with attitude, a winning culture requires results, and McGlinchey was confident in the Broncos' ability to dominate in two aspects of the game that are crucial to winning: establishing the run and developing a strong pass rush.
McGlinchey was a standout blocker on San Francisco teams that made running a major part of their offensive identity, and he said the Broncos' backfield looks strong with running backs Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine leading the way. But he also made sure to emphasize that building a fearsome rushing attack requires all 11 offensive players.
"I firmly believe that you have to win games by running the football and you command the whole flow of the game by being able to run the football," McGlinchey said. "… I think we're built to do it. I think we have a great stable of backs, I think we have a great offensive line and coaches that are getting us all on the same page. It takes all 11 guys on offense to be able to run the ball well, it's not just the offensive line. I think we have a really great shot to do it, and I love the mindset from Coach."
The inclusion of pads in practice has given the offensive linemen the opportunity to match up against a talented front seven with more physicality, and McGlinchey said he has high expectations for the pass rush's production this season.
"I think [the pass rush] could be special," McGlinchey said. "It has been [before].… It's gonna be a unit that can rush as a unit, and I think that's how you have the most success in the NFL, is when you have all four guys creating pressure and rushing on the same plan."
With a strong offensive line and an equally fearsome rush, the Broncos' front lines could help bring Denver's winning mindset to life.
