Landow provides Broncos world-class experience
Before the NFL’s free-agent market officially opened, the Broncos snagged one talent who is widely regarded to be among the best at his position.
On Monday, Loren Landow reported for his first day of work as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. The Centennialbased trainer and founder of Landow Performance has worked with current and former Broncos players, as well as dozens of other NFL players, Olympians, majorleague baseball and NHL players, and mixed martial artists in his 22 years of experience. He takes over for Luke Richesson, who had spent six years with the Broncos before leaving this offseason to become the Houston Texans’ senior director of sports performance.
“If you’re locally born in my field, it’s a no-brainer that that’s a position that at some point in your career you’d like to have,” Landow told The Denver Post. “It’s the utmost honor, and I’m really humbled by the opportunity.”
For the Broncos, it was a nobrainer, too.
In 2011, it was Landow who, in partnership with Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins, held team workouts for Broncos players when they were prohibited from using the team’s facility during the NFL lockout. In 2016, when Peyton Manning retired from the NFL and joined “a health club,” it was really joining with Landow, who became his personal trainer. In 2017, it was Landow who helped running back Christian McCaffrey prepare for his headturning NFL combine performance. And during NFL offseasons, it’s Landow who works with the majority of Broncos players and NFL prospects at his facility less than two miles from the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters.
So, when Richesson departed last month, one of the Broncos’ first calls was to Landow. He was offered the job almost immediately.
“I love Loren and think that’s a brilliant hire,” said Broncos linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who has been at Landow Performance regularly to prepare for the upcoming season. “He had me in the best shape of my life, literally. I felt the best I have ever felt — the fastest
and the leanest.”
Added McCaffrey, the Panthers’ first-round pick and offensive rookie of the year contender in 2017: “I’m kind of surprised it didn’t happen sooner. He’s such a legend in his field. … He’s been there for me anytime I’ve needed him for anything. He’s been a great mentor, great friend and great trainer, and he’s going to do unbelievable things for the Broncos.”
The transition to Landow, a trainer and biomechanics specialist known internationally, could have a positive impact on a Broncos team reeling from two playoffless seasons and a 5-11 finish in 2017.
Outside of positional coaches and the medical staff, a strength coach is often more than what the title bears. For players’ whose livelihoods are dependent on their health, their trust in the team’s strength coach is paramount. Landow has already established that with many in the Broncos’ locker room.
The relationship between the strength coach and football coaches, who will rely on Landow’s assessments, is just as key. Landow’s experience with not just current Broncos players, but also aspiring pros, provides the club valuable insight to potential selections in the upcoming draft.
“He’s the man. Period,” said former University of Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay, who has been training with Landow since December and ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at CU’s pro day in front of Broncos general manager John Elway and coach Vance Joseph last week. Lindsay added: “Loren is honest about things. He wants greatness out of you, and he’s not going to stop until he gets it. … For us, it’s about trusting the process, and that’s the first thing he told us when we walked in there is, ‘Trust what I have to do.’ ”
In joining the Broncos, Landow will continue to own Landow Performance but will remove himself from daily operations of the facility. However, his methods, which focus on movement and biomechanics to decrease the risk of injury, will follow him to the Broncos.
“I have a holistic view. How we move is really the No. 1 performance indicator of success,” Landow said. “The weight room is obviously important, but movement is very important and we use the weight room to support what we do in movement, where I think some people put the weight room as each and everything and they don’t address mechanics.
“The Broncos are an organization that has a tremendous amount of talent on the coaching side, on the players side. I look at it as we have one common goal and we have to go after it.”
So while Manning may be losing his “health club” — “I had to hand him off to a coach who’s better than me,” Landow said with a laugh — the Broncos are gaining a coveted free-agent talent.