The collision makes it impossible not to recoil when watching.
It was Dec. 11, 2022, a soggy afternoon at Levi’s Stadium when Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady tried to squeeze a pass over the middle to Chris Godwin.
Talanoa Hufanga read his eyes and became a radio player — heard before seen. He slammed into Godwin with his left shoulder so hard it whiplashed the receiver and demanded the exchange of insurance papers.
Watching Hufanga’s highlights, Broncos Country can be forgiven if they drift off to images of punishing safeties Dennis Smith, Steve Atwater, Brian Dawkins and John Lynch.
Heck, Atwater does.
“I see it and I love it,” Atwater told The Denver Post. “You can’t worry about what might happen when you are trying to make the tackle. You just have to do it. (Hufanga) absolutely brings it.”
Thursday’s practice was unusual because among the former Broncos in attendance, no one talked about the quarterback. Bo Nix, in year two, has got this. He is comfortable in his own skin, embraces expectations and is an unquestioned leader.
But when looking for reasons why the Broncos will improve in 2025 — say winning the division and a playoff game for the first time in a decade — let’s not forget a strong safety who brings thunder.
Hufanga plays with passion, sharp instincts and a willingness to inflict jolts of pain. He separates receivers from the football, and ballcarriers from joy.
“It’s free violence,” Hufanga said. “You don’t get in trouble for it.”
The Broncos defense was tremendous last season, and added Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw — the franchise’s first sideline-to-sideline linebacker since Danny Trevathan. Denver is the right fit for their skill set, as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph put it.
What that means is they play downhill. The Broncos led the NFL with 63 sacks a year ago. But pairing Hufanga with the physical Brandon Jones and versatile P.J. Locke should translate to more takeaways. The Broncos ranked eighth with 25. Hufanga posted seven interceptions and forced two fumbles over the past three seasons.
He operates like he is holding a grudge. It’s quite the juxtaposition to the humble, polite person who spoke to team sponsors at an event this offseason.
All of this is why the Broncos wanted him. He brings an edge, high football IQ and character. He also blends confidence with humility — a necessary trait for a team trying to take a step forward while taking nothing for granted.
“It just gives me joy when I step on the field,” Hufanga said. “And I like to endure stuff that is not easy.”
The hard part for Hufanga is counting on a body that has betrayed him. He missed half of the 49ers’ games over the past two seasons because of wrist and knee injuries.
At 6-foot, 200 pounds, his style of play increases risk. He not only grew up admiring Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, someone who has helped him since high school, but he modeled his game after him. It leaves him buzzing him around the ball — he has a knack for the tip pick — but also at the bottom of the pile.
“Going in, you have to understand what comes with it. So every injury that I’ve (had), I think it’s just a testament to who I am, to battle through adversity in those moments,” the 26-year-old Hufanga said. “It is something that I’ve taken in and wear on my sleeve when I go out on the field.”
Hufanga is not the kind of player who tells people to Google him. He is determined to earn his teammates’ respect. These are championship qualities. In Denver, he’s joined former 49ers Mike McGlinchey, D.J. Jones and Greenlaw, his good friend who lockers next to him. That group reached a Super Bowl and won countless big games in San Francisco.
You know, what the Broncos are trying to do in Payton’s third season.
“It’s a clean slate regardless if you’ve been there or not,” Hufanga said. “I have to go out there and show them that I am willing to work, show them things that I have seen in the playoffs that is different than the regular season. But at the end of the day, we have to go through that journey together.”
Talanoa Hufanga (9) of the Denver Broncos speaks during OTAs at Broncos Park in Centennial on Thursday, May 29, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Related Articles
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Atwater won two Super Bowls with the Broncos. His voice rises when talking about this season, this defense, the possibilities. And that includes his mind wandering back to the highlights of the new safety.
“What got me interested in football was that I could tackle people and not get into trouble,” Atwater said. “With (Hufanga), you have a guy who can play man coverage. He can play zone. And he is going to hit you. You know how much I like guys with that mentality.”
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