Broncos OLB Dondrea Tillman logs two sacks in NFL debut as part of dominant defensive outing against Buccaneers

TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Dondrea Tillman could hardly get the words out over the ruckus in the Denver Broncos’ postgame locker room.

He smiled as he tried to put his dream NFL debut — two sacks in a dominant 26-7 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — into perspective.

Mostly, his teammates did it for him.

From down the row of lockers came chants of “TILLLLLL.” Hoots and howls. Comments on everything from his braids to his smile — “That boy cheesin'.” heard loud and clear — to the gaggle of reporters around him, compliments of OLB Jonathon Cooper, DL John Franklin-Myers and others.

“It feels great,” said Tillman, who was just promoted to the Broncos’ active roster from the practice squad earlier this week after Baron Browning injured his foot in Week 2 and landed on injured reserve. “It’s been a lot of time. I’ve been waiting for this. It’s a dream come true. It’s really a blessing.”

On a seven-sack day for a dominant Broncos defense, Tillman logged his first career sack against Baker Mayfield in the third quarter and then got him again in the fourth.

“I honestly didn’t know if he got the ball out or not,” Tillman said of his first sack. “So my first thought was just, ‘Wow, OK, I guess it’s happening now.’”

Tillman, 26, played three years for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and signed with the Broncos over the summer. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster and spent the first two weeks on the practice squad before the promotion.

Cooper and Franklin-Myers each logged a sack, too, as did outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman Zach Allen and safety Devon Key.

That pressure helped lead a forceful effort in which the Broncos allowed just 223 yards and seven points to a Bucs offense that had been dangerous early in the season behind Mayfield.

“I think we made (Mayfield) hold (the ball),” head coach Sean Payton said after the game. “That’s a credit to coverage. I have to see the tape, but I think we made him hold it.”

Indeed they did. As a result, the Bucs generated just 132 net yards on 40 Mayfield drop-backs.

“I feel like we played extremely well today but I also think there’s another level that we can get to as a defense,” Cooper said. “We’re just scratching the surface. We’re just scratching the surface. We can be dominant.”

They showed it on Sunday. And then they celebrated by showering love on Tillman afterward.

“It means a lot,” Tillman said. “My group of guys, they gave me the confidence and they told me all week that I can go out there and do it. Just trust myself and do what I do.

“Shoutout to my crew, for sure, for giving me that confidence.”

Day of firsts. The Broncos logged several “firsts” against the Buccaneers in addition to Tillman’s first sacks. Of course, it was their first win of the season and it doubles as Payton’s first win in the month of September as Denver’s head coach.

In the first quarter, rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin logged his first NFL catch with a 6-yard grab.

Jones’ big outing. Safety Brandon Jones has been solid for Denver so far and he broke out in a big way Sunday afternoon.

The former Miami safety, who signed a three-year deal this spring, picked Mayfield off in the first quarter and recovered a fumble forced by cornerback Riley Moss late in the game.

Inactives. The Broncos listed rookie receiver Devaughn Vele as a full participant late in the practice week but he was inactive Sunday after cracking a rib in Week 1 against Seattle.

The rest of the Broncos’ inactives: QB Zach Wilson (emergency third quarterback), S JL Skinner (ankle), TE Lucas Krull, DL Eyioma Uwazurike, CB Kris Abrams-Draine and RB Blake Watson.

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