49ers Superstar Dre Greenlaw Opens Up About “Dark Moments” During “Tough Year” With The Broncos
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Dre Greenlaw recently shared details about his difficult year with the Denver Broncos. The linebacker described several dark moments during that season. He left the San Francisco 49ers after six years and signed a multi-year deal in free agency.
Things did not go as planned in Denver. Greenlaw suffered a severe quad strain just two days into OTAs. The injury forced him onto injured reserve for the first six games.
He later dealt with a hamstring issue as well. Greenlaw played only eight games total and recorded 43 tackles. He also faced a suspension after an altercation with a referee.
Dre Greenlaw Felt Isolated During Broncos Tenure
Greenlaw told The Athletic he often felt alone. He spent more time with trainers than teammates. He sensed coaches losing confidence after the early injury.
“There were some dark moments,” Greenlaw told Michael Silver in a recent interview. “It’s tough, because I never got a chance to give them all I had. There’s so much anger, frustration, and you just want to go out there and prove [your worth] to everybody, but you can’t. There were times when it was like, ‘Man, I don’t want to show my face in this building.’ Tough year.”
He also struggled with the altitude in Denver. Dry air affected his sleep and recovery. Greenlaw said he was fighting demons left and right. Weight gain from limited activity added to the frustration.
Close friend Azeez Al-Shaair noticed the change. The Houston linebacker said Greenlaw’s mind got the best of him. Adjusting to a new scheme and culture proved difficult after years in San Francisco.
Dre Greenlaw Embraces Return to Familiar Surroundings
The Broncos released Greenlaw in March. He quickly signed a one-year deal worth $7.5 million to return to the 49ers.
Greenlaw takes full accountability for how the Denver year unfolded. He pushed too hard too soon while still recovering from previous Achilles and calf injuries. He wanted to prove his worth after the big contract.
“I don’t blame anything on the Broncos,” he told Silver. “Coming off the Achilles and the calf [injuries], I just wasn’t in the shape that I needed to be to go out there with them and give it all I got. I should have taken it slow. [But] naturally, they’d just paid me, so that’s all I wanted to do — go show them what I could do. And it bit me in the a–, the second day I got there.”
California air feels different, Greenlaw noted. He can run all day and feels at home again. Al-Shaair believes Greenlaw thrives with the right group around him.
The linebacker now sees a happy ending. He plans to keep proving people wrong, just as he has throughout his career. Greenlaw is back where he belongs and ready for the upcoming season.
