Getty Broncos wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy celebrate a touchdown against the Chicago Bears.
The Denver Broncos have displayed a lack of intensity on the field, contributing to their woeful 1-4 start. A three-time Super Bowl champ has taken notice.
Former Broncos’ Pro Bowl offensive guard Mark Schlereth unloaded on wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton on 104.3 The Fan.
Schlereth began his rant by calling out Jeudy.
“Shame on you because you’re not a professional,” Schlereth said on October 10. “You’re not a professional. And you don’t know what effort is. Your quarterback is under duress, you’re locked up—somebody locks you up in man coverage on an underneath route—to call it trotting would be an insult to trotting. You just quit. You gave up.”
Sutton was next to face Schlereth’s wrath as the broadcaster ripped the wideout for “not coming back to the ball.”
Schlereth said neither receiver would play for him if he had a choice and circled back to criticizing Jeudy.
“Jerry Jeudy couldn’t play on the teams I’ve played on if his life depended on it. He’s not tough enough, he’s not focused enough, he’s not good enough, he’s not anything enough.”
The broadcaster finished by claiming Broncos’ two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Shanahan “would cut him tomorrow.”
Jeudy Claps Back at Schlereth on Social Media; Super Bowl Champ Responds
Jeudy didn’t take long to respond to Schlereth, posting a short reply on X, formerly Twitter.
these old heads be some lame aihh haters
Of course, Schlereth wasn’t silent for long as he delivered a knockout blow with a scathing remark of his own.
Things have gotten remarkably ugly in the Mile High City. Denver’s situation could worsen if the team can’t get their act together.
Following all the brutal remarks Jeudy has endured this season, he needs a big game in Week 6 to silence critics like Schlereth.
Jeudy caught six passes for 50 yards in a Week 5 loss to the New York Jets. The former first-rounder out of Alabama has yet to be named to a Pro Bowl team or record a 1,000-yard campaign in the NFL.
Sean Payton Comments on NFL Trade Deadline: ‘We’re Not Looking to Do Business’
With the NFL trade deadline on October 31, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Broncos traded key pieces like Jeudy or Sutton.
Despite the Broncos’ poor start to the season, Payton is seemingly uninterested in the team opening up for business.
“We’re not looking to do business with any of our players,” Payton said to reporters on October 10. “That doesn’t prevent teams from calling at times. We just — you pick the phone up, but that’s kind of where it’s at.”
Payton’s comments came shortly after Randy Gregory was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on October 6.
Although Payton said the Broncos aren’t in the trade market three weeks ahead of the deadline, Denver is looking ahead to 2024.
“We’ve got a good handle on this current roster and our vision for the roster a year from now. That’s the part about improving and getting better. Until you just said it, I wouldn’t have known it was three weeks away. Three weeks seems like an eternity right now.”
The Broncos play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football to kick off Week 6. Then, Denver has a game against the Green Bay Packers sandwiched around another matchup with the Chiefs to end October.