ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) 鈥� One of the favorite parts of Sean Payton’s job as head coach is getting to call his players to inform them they earned Pro Bowl bids or All-Pro honors, and one such opportunity this season was especially gratifying.
Safety Devon Key, who went undrafted out of Western Kentucky in 2021 and bounced around several teams’ practice squads before finding a home in Denver two years ago, was named first-team as a special teams ace at age 28.
鈥淓very week we give awards,鈥� Payton said. 鈥淪pecial teams game balls, offensive and defensive game balls. His name comes up, and even in his play (in Week 18) when he came in on defense. He just steadily, quietly …”
Goes about his business 鈥� and now he’s considered the best in the business.
Key led the league with a franchise-record 26 special teams stops, besting the mark of 24 special teams tackles set by Keith Burns during several seasons in the early 2000s.
鈥淲hen I hear something, 鈥榠n the history of,鈥� depending on where you鈥檙e at, but when you鈥檙e at Denver and you say, 鈥榠n the history of,鈥� well then that means something,鈥� Payton said. “This place has played a lot of good football for a long time, and he鈥檚 tackled more people in the kicking game than anyone In The History Of.
“I think there鈥檒l be a lot of former special teamers, former defensive players, that would be like, 鈥榃ow. That鈥檚 something.鈥� There鈥檚 a grit to that and a toughness to that. Devon鈥檚 one of those guys that 鈥� remember, it鈥檚 not like the opponent doesn鈥檛 recognize who they have to double team. So, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 impressive.鈥�
Like any special teamer, Key would love to carve a bigger niche from scrimmage, but he embraces his role.
鈥淔or sure. I mean we鈥檙e the first play of the game, it鈥檚 either going to be kickoff or kickoff return,鈥� said Key, one of six Broncos to earn All-Pro honors this season. “So, just from the first play we can go out there and force a fumble on the kickoff team or bust a big return on the kickoff return team and start the game the right way.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of the mindset that I have, just go ahead and get the guys hyped, get the crowd going.鈥�
Whether it’s springing Marvin Mims Jr. for a big return or making a jaw-rattling tackle to bury the opponent deep, two things he aims to do again Saturday when the to kick off the NFL’s divisional playoff weekend.
鈥淗e鈥檚 playing at a Pro Bowl, All-Pro type of level,鈥� special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been a cornerstone for us this entire season, just been the model of consistency, particularly in coverage. .. People probably look at the stats, but his leadership and just his consistency are two things that just jump out to me. I鈥檇 be on that bandwagon for sure. I think that he鈥檚 playing as well as anybody right now in the core teams in the league, for sure.鈥�
Key has proven to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the dynamic kickoff rules changes over the last two seasons in the NFL, which have revived the era of special teams aces having huge impacts on games.
鈥淚 feel like the kickoff rules changes have definitely helped me because we’re not kicking touchbacks anymore,鈥� Key said. 鈥淚f you have a touchback it’s coming out to the 35-yard line and I think one of the coaches this year said there’s at least 1,500 more plays now just on the kickoff/kick return phase. So I think that’s a big part of special teams as far as making more aces.
鈥淏efore, you saw guys just running through the end zone for touchbacks and OK, here comes the defense. Now, you kind of get excited because you’re like, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 going to happen on this play?’鈥�
Invariably, it’s Key who’s been in the middle of it.
___
AP NFL:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
