A former first-round draft pick, Denver Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles has been a major disappointment in his 2+ years in the NFL. He had a hideous start to the 2019 season, highlighted by a game featuring four holding penalties in Week 2.
As bad as it was, it could have been even worse – up to six holds to be exact. One was declined, and another was falsely applied to an unfortunate teammate of his.
After A LOT of local and national criticism, he cleaned up his act and was playing much better, even rating as the fourth best OT in the league one week.
But the ‘old Bolles’ reared its ugly head again on the national stage on Thursday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
On top of contributing three holding penalties in a blowout loss, Bolles was also responsible for a healthy share of the blame for nine sacks on the night.
There was also plenty of guilt to be shared by his fellow linemen, tight ends, running backs and quarterback Joe Flacco for an embarrassment of sacks, hurries, and knockdowns — especially since they came against a struggling Kansas City defense (the Chiefs accounted for 45% of their 2019 sacks in one game against the Broncos).
It was a major missed opportunity for the Broncos as they could have easily pulled back into the AFC West race with a win. A home game, reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes going down with a knee injury, and a major momentum shift all provided Denver with the perfect chance to take charge of their own destiny.
Instead, fans got to see an embarrassing performance in all phases of the game.
Here’s to Bolles figuring it out – I’m always the biggest fan of redemption stories. But with Mike Munchak (one of the best in the business) hired to fix things on the line, yet seeing the same results, it’s hard to imagine the experiment lasting much longer.
In the meantime, there is no one else for the Broncos to turn to, with right tackle Ja’Wuan James still out, and no starting-caliber offensive tackles sitting at home waiting for a midseason phone call.
So, here’s to hoping the big boy can keep his hands to himself, and finding a way to shut down his personal “hold party,” which may soon transition into his “going away party.”
This cartoon originally appeared in Mile High Sports Magazine.
Karl F. Wimer is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator of sports, business, and all things random, published in books, magazines, and newspapers across five continents. His experience as a two-sport college athlete and youth coach provides unique perspective on the world of sports. Years of work in the trenches as a marketing executive inform his visual commentary on the business world. A favorite recurring role with a strong fundraising element is his annual effort detailing the adventures of the mascot of the US Paralympic Ski and Snowboard team. See more of his work at karlwimer.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Geez did you see Matt Driskel in the last game against the Bears? I mean, I’m just going to say it. He’s no Matthew Stafford. I hope we see some improvement over the next few games.
Hi Zona, I assume you’re responding to the prior Lions related toon. The hits keep coming for the Detroit faithful. Crazy hard to find a reliable starting QB, much less a backup in the NFL. Maybe he’ll grow into something special – stranger things have happened…