Broncos’ Callahan ready for comeback
Ex-Rice standout is ‘full go’ following rehab for broken foot
Bryce Callahan stuck each landing with confidence, bounding from left to right while catching some serious air during a strenuous workout.
The veteran Denver Broncos cornerback and former Rice standout displayed just how far he’s come in his lengthy rehabilitation from a broken foot that required surgery and interrupted a thriving NFL career last year.
Changing directions fluidly, the Cypress Woods graduate went through a series of backpedaling and agility drills at the direction of Dr. Minh Luu at Ollin Athletics. Callahan performed weighted lunges and showed range of motion and strength in his leg muscles, ankles and, most importantly, his foot after spending his first season with the Broncos on injured reserve.
Callahan is determined to make up for his lost season, a year of frustration that followed the for
mer undrafted free agent’s being rewarded with a breakthrough contract. Signed to a three-year, $21 million free-agent deal in March 2019 that included $10 million guaranteed and reunited him with Broncos coach and former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Callahan can’t wait to play his first snap in a game with his teammates, including former Texans defensive backs Kareem Jackson and A.J. Bouye.
“Coming off of last year, it was a big disappointment,” Callahan said. “I don’t want to say I’ve got something to prove, but I’ve got something to prove to myself. I’ve never been more excited to get back out on the football field. This was my first year in 20-something odd years that I didn’t play football, so it’s a big year for me. I’ve never worked this hard in the offseason.
“I’m ready to get back out there. I’m full-go with no limitations. I’m not really even thinking about my foot. Everything is moving in the right direction. I just want to play all 16 games, stay healthy and ball out.”
Callahan initially broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot in December 2018 while playing for the Bears against the Los Angeles Rams. He underwent surgery to repair the damage, having a screw inserted to aid the healing process. In a rare setback for this kind of injury, Callahan’s comeback was abruptly halted when the screw bent inside his foot and had to be replaced.
“I was talking to my doctor last year, and he said that rarely happens,” Callahan said. “Sometimes you can play through it, and sometimes you can’t. That wasn’t normally the case where you have to go in and get it fixed again.”
When healthy, Callahan is one of the top nickel corners in the game. In 2018, he recorded 45 tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions. His 81.4 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked seventh among NFL cornerbacks.
Callahan’s work with Luu has been invaluable. Unable to travel as frequently due to the coronavirus pandemic that effectively canceled all team activities this offseason, Callahan has remained in Houston to train.
“I don’t want to say it’s a blessing because of all of the bad stuff that’s going on, but to be able to stay home and get this constant work with Dr. Luu instead of being back and forth for OTAs has probably been the best for me,” Callahan said. “This year is the best my body has been feeling.”
Callahan’s contract was renegotiated March 22, 2020, as he agreed to convert $1.75 million in base salary and $250,000 in pergame roster bonuses into a $2 million playtime incentive. For 2021, the Broncos added a $382,353 roster bonus that represents one-seventeenth
of his $6.5 million base salary contingent on the NFL season’s being expanded to 17 games and his being on the roster for any game that season.
Callahan is eager to get on the field soon for a private workout with Bouye, Jackson and safety Justin Simmons whenever their schedules align and Jackson is out of quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus.
“We’ve already been in talks,” Callahan said. “We have groups in Houston. We’re trying to get a good day to all get together and get on the field and talk about stuff. We have to wait for Kareem to quarantine. We’re all good communicators, smart guys, no egos, no ‘me players.’
“Having coach Vic and (defensive coordinator) Ed Donatell helps, too. It’s a blessing to be going into my sixth year in the same defensive scheme. It should be exciting.”
A former all-state selection, Callahan went undrafted out of Rice in 2015 despite intercepting 13 career passes to finish tied for second in school history. A former freshman All-American, Callahan was later named AllConference USA and selected to play in the East-West Shrine All-Star Game.
“I don’t want to throw too much shade at Rice, but let’s just say it was difficult,” Callahan said. “The academics, I wasn’t prepared for how hard that would be. The group of friends I made are some of the best friends I have in life. It was really good, but the environment at Rice was a little different than what I was aiming for.
Rice is a good academic school. They don’t really care about athletes. The academic side was challenging.”
Callahan began his first NFL season on the practice squad but was quickly promoted and wound up starting three games and finished with 21 tackles, four pass breakups and a sack. In his second NFL season, Callahan started 10 games and had 32 tackles.
By his third NFL season, Callahan was making a larger impact as he notched his first NFL interception against former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and returned it 52 yards. He also scored a touchdown on a fake punt against the Minnesota Vikings and had two interceptions and one sack that year.
From humble beginnings, Callahan has proved himself.
“It’s a weird thing being an underdog,” said Callahan, who intercepted eight passes as a high school senior. “Obviously, it puts a chip on your shoulder because you have to prove yourself. It’s a good thing because you don’t have all that pressure on you. Being an underdog worked in my favor.”
When he isn’t concentrating on his craft and his health, Callahan has remained busy and engaged in what’s happening around the nation. The deaths of African Americans George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, among others, prompted Callahan to participate in marches in Denver and Houston to protest police brutality and systemic
racism.
“It was more emotional than I thought it would be,” Callahan said. “You can really see people hurting out there. It’s a real issue that I’m glad we’re finally touching on and having real change. It’s bad that it happened. It’s good that change is happening, too.”
Callahan is encouraged that more players are contemplating kneeling during the national anthem to raise awareness about social justice issues, as former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has acknowledged that the league was “wrong” in not allowing players to peacefully protest in the past. Texans coach Bill O’Brien recently told the Chronicle he plans to kneel with his players during the anthem.
“A couple of years ago, people were looking down on kneeling during the anthem, and now I see coaches are talking about (how) they’re going to take knees with their players,” Callahan said. “(Broncos team president) Joe Ellis had a deep talk, a heartfelt speech with us, and you can tell he actually does care about the situation. We’re making moves in the direction.
“I feel like it’s more open now. Back then, people were like, ‘You’re disrespecting the flag.’ Now, people’s eyes are more open that it’s about protesting police brutality. Maybe more people are woke now. You can see it.”