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AFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza, Chris O’Leary, Broncos, Chargers, Raiders
Jun 28, 2026Logan UlrichNFL Trade Rumors
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Broncos The Broncos look to become Super Bowl contenders after reaching last year’s AFC Championship game. Denver OT Mike McGlinchey said they have already turned the page on last season and feels like he has a lot to prove going into the ninth year of his career. “Nothing about the year before matters to this one,” McGlinchey said, via Aric DiLalla of the team’s site . “Nothing about what we accomplished last year has anything to do with what we’re doing moving forward. … I still need to learn. I’m going into Year 9; I still have things I need to improve on. I still have things I need to learn here. If everybody can do that and come in trying to improve every single day, the success will come. It’s about day-in and day-out work. It’s about daily goals. It’s not about the overarching picture of a Super Bowl or anything like that. It’s about what’s in front of your face right now. If we can keep doing that for seven, eight straight months, we’ll be where we want to be.” McGlinchey said they have extra motivation after losing to the Patriots in the playoffs. “They hurt,” McGlinchey said. “They all hurt. … But the idea is to let it motivate you moving forward. There’s only one team that winds up being happy at the end of the year. All the other 31 are just finding a way to get there. That’s what we’re going to do. The only thing to do and the only response possible is to put your head down and keep working for it.” As for QB Bo Nix ‘s return from his fractured ankle, McGlinchey said it was difficult to lose their quarterback ahead of the AFC Championship and has been impressed by how Nix has attacked his rehab. “Obviously, it was a really hard situation for all of us,” McGlinchey said. “You work so hard to achieve the opportunity to play late in the year, and he didn’t get to participate, and that stinks. A bunch of us live here full time, and we train here all year — and he’s been here every single day grinding and grinding and grinding to make sure he is ready to go. Watching him and his work ethic and his spirit as he’s gone through this has been awesome. I’m really excited to see what he’s going to do moving forward, and [it] gives us a lot of juice seeing [No.] 10 in the huddle when he’s across from you.” Chargers Chris O’Leary enters his first season as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator following his time in the same role at Western Michigan. Los Angeles HC Jim Harbaugh said O’Leary has done well to make his own imprints on their defensive system. “I’ve seen it. It’s going really good, ” Harbaugh said, via Eric Smith of the team’s site. “I probably should stay away from scheme talk too much but I think it’s what we needed.” Harbaugh said O’Leary is an intelligent coach, has a lot of energy, and is a good communicator. “Like he was born to do it,” Harbaugh said. “I know I mentioned it before, but really high level, smart but doesn’t try to act smart. High-level energy giver but not fake, it’s just who he is. Just a really good communicator but not trying to be, he just is.” Raiders The Raiders enter the season with veteran QB Kirk Cousins serving as a mentor to rookie QB Fernando Mendoza . Cousins said his counterpart at quarterback is doing well, learning, and asking a lot of questions. “He’s doing a great job, working hard, asking questions, learning the system, doing everything he should be doing,” Cousins said, via Vincent Bonsignore of the New York Post. Raiders assistant HC Mike McCoy pointed out that they are looking to buil…