Marvin Mims Jr. proved in his second year with the Denver Broncos that he's not only here to stay but truly a force to be reckoned with. As the first draft pick of the Sean Payton era, the Oklahoma product made the Pro Bowl and garnered All-Pro honors as a rookie returner, though his offensive contributions were few and far between.
Fast forward to January 2025, and Mims is now a back-to-back Pro Bowler and All-Pro. That accomplishment earned him a rare seat next to Von Miller as the only Broncos to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons. Ever.
“It’s pretty cool," Mims said of joining Miller in the team's all-time annals. "Any time I can be recognized in the same stat as him, it's amazing."
Mims also became the first Bronco since 1982 to lead the NFL in punt return average (15.7 yards). Before Mims, the Broncos had two previous returners selected to the Pro Bowl, one of whom is Ring-of-Famer Rick Upchurch, who was the last guy to lead the NFL in punt return average before Mims.
The other Broncos returner to make the Pro Bowl was Glyn Milburn back in 1995. It's kind of surprising, as the Broncos have had some awesome returners over the years, especially Trindon Holliday in 2012-13.
What's cause for even more excitement, though, is Mims' rise as a playmaker on offense. After starting the season with very little offensive output due to Payton and the coaches not using him, Mims exploded from Week 10 on.
In the second half of the 2024 season, Mims caught 32 passes for 447 yards and six touchdowns. He punctuated the season with back-to-back two-touchdown games. If that wasn't a statement to Payton, I don't know what could be.
The message: Hey, Coach. This is what I can do and don't forget it as we go our separate ways into a long offseason.
“I think most of it is just the opportunities and making the most out of them," Mims said at season's end. "That’s a huge thing for receivers around the league. When you get that chance, make the most out of it and then you'll start to get more.”
We can trust that Payton got the memo. The Broncos will be looking to build the nest around Bo Nix this offseason, and continue to add playmakers at the skill positions.
But Mims' historic first two years, even though primarily lauded for his third-phase contributions, can't be ignored or overlooked by the Broncos. One of Payton's missions in 2025 should be figuring out how to scheme touches to Mims, because the dude just makes plays, wether as a returner, a running back, or as a wide receiver.
That's something the Broncos could rely on down the stretch: Mims' propensity for making the big play when his number was called. There's every reason to believe the team can continue to count on him moving forward as a key contribution on offense in a similar vein as Deebo Samuel in San Francisco.
“It's kind of a tough thing to do," Mims said of his evolving offensive role. "Honestly, it's just memorization for the most part... Things change over time, but at the end of the day, it's just memorization [with ] receiver, running back and return stuff. It's really just being a playmaker and making plays [in] a certain situation. It's never just picture-perfect. At the end of the day, you just have to take what's there.”
It's great to see a young player have such a mature outlook and insight into the game.
