Broncos inching closer to making history in upcoming Texans game, but one last-second injury could spell disaster
The Denver Broncos were already going to be undermanned heading into the game against the Houston Texans. However, a last-second addition puts the team in a difficult position.
Left guard Alex Palczewski, a fan favorite, came down with an illness and was added to the report with a questionable status. The offensive line has been battling through a host of injuries, especially to left guard.
Both Matt Peart and Ben Powers, fellow left guards, are on injured reserve. Both injuries occurred in back-to-back weeks, leaving Denver already shorthanded at the position. The team now has Calvin Throckmorton as the only remaining official left guard on the depth chart. Backup center Alex Forsyth is another option, as well as some maneuvering to make center Luke Wattenberg move to left guard and Forsyth at center. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how the team navigates it.
Palczewski had been performing well, a brutal blow to the offensive line and quarterback Bo Nix's protection.
With only a few healthy tight ends on the roster, the team activated 41-year-old Marcedes Lewis. Lewis was brought in for a workout and ultimately signed after the team failed to pick up two blocking tight ends through the waiver system.
If Lewis takes the field on Sunday, he will be the oldest tight end ever to do so and the oldest Bronco. Lewis would surpass team legend quarterback Peyton Manning, who has the honor after appearing in the Super Bowl.
Injuries on both sides of the ball for Denver
In the last injury report, a handful of key playmakers on both sides of the football will be missing time.
Superstar cornerback Pat Surtain and All-Pro return man Marvin Mims Jr. were among the biggest names to be ruled out of the matchup. Surtain avoided an injured reserve designation, which would have sidelined him for the team's next four games.
The remaining few are tight end Nate Adkins and safety P.J. Locke.
The team elevated punt returner and wide receiver Michael Bandy in the absence of Mims. It'll be hard to replicate what Mims can do on the field, both as a returner and as a receiver, but Bandy will presumably be given a chance to show what he can do.
Despite the mounting injuries, the Broncos will look to rally around their depth and keep their postseason hopes alive, no matter who's suiting up come kickoff.
A former 49ers quarterback, now 69 years old, still quietly helps maintain Levi's Stadium every morning. He says that when he hears the fans shout “Go Niners,” every ache of age disappears.
Santa Clara, CA – Long after the cheers faded and the pads came off, a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback still reports to work at Levi's Stadium — not to throw touchdowns, but to care for the very field he once led to greatness.
Now 69 years old, he begins each day before sunrise, helping the grounds crew maintain the turf that has seen generations of 49ers players come and go. For him, it’s not about nostalgia — it’s about belonging.
That man is Joe Montana, who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1992, anchoring the offense and leading the team through its most successful years, including four Super Bowl victories. While never one to seek the spotlight, he was the steady hand that guided the 49ers to unparalleled success.
Montana appeared in 192 career games and started 144, earning a reputation as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. His leadership, calm under pressure, and ability to perform in big moments earned him quiet reverence from teammates and fans alike.
Teammates called him “The Comeback King” — not for flashy stats, but for the way he carried the 49ers through some of the most iconic moments in NFL history, including the unforgettable Super Bowl victories.
After his retirement in the 1990s, Montana stayed connected to the Bay Area, working in various business and charitable ventures before eventually returning to Levi's Stadium, the place that felt most like home.
Today, he can be seen walking the field with a rake in hand, fixing divots and checking the turf before each home game. When asked why, he just smiles and says it keeps him close to the game that shaped his life.
For Joe Montana, the roar of the 49ers crowd still carries the same warmth it did decades ago — a reminder that once you’ve been a 49er, you always are.
