Replacement refs. 🙄#BroncosCamp | @thekidmcmanus pic.twitter.com/vAy7I7PoY3
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 20, 2020
Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus served as a referee for part of Thursday’s practice session. His teammates got a kick out of it, as the above video shows.
McManus caused some controversy when tight end Albert Okwuegbunam catch a pass in the end zone and McManus ruled it a touchdown. The defense disagreed but McManus had a very prudent explanation for his decision.
“If I call it incomplete, it’s not reviewable,” McManus said. “I’d rather let the booth decide.”
McManus said in an interview with the team’s official website that only the team’s equipment staff knew he was planning to officiate practice.
“Once I had done my job [kicking to] the returners, I went in and got changed and came out in the ref outfit,” McManus said. “It was funny, a lot of people were like, ‘Wow, where did the ref come from all of a sudden?’ They had no idea initially it was me.”
McManus went 29-of-34 on field goals in 2019. Denver’s coaching staff is probably hoping McManus will keep his day job as the team’s kicker.
