Spiritguy
07-30-2010, 10:24 AM
There was a time when earning a Pro Bowl spot fueled Elvis Dumervil. Well, he's done that.
Or it was the desire to lead the league in sacks that pushed him through the rough spots. He's done that too.
Or it was having his team step up to the negotiating table and say he was an important piece of its future. Check, again.
With all of that coming from his work in the 2009 season, Dumervil says he can move on to bigger things.
"I've been blessed," Dumervil said Thursday. "The most important thing right now, the thing I think about the most is I just kind of want to win games and that's it. Go to the playoffs, that's where I'm at.
"I want to be part of a championship team, to be a part of bringing back that winning atmosphere."
After his 17-sack season in 2009 — which led the league — and his consistent, no-nonsense work ethic during contract negotiations in recent months, the Broncos signed Dumervil to five-year, $58.3 million extension last week.
But with that deal, and because he is the reigning NFL sack king, Dumervil knows expectations and pressure are coming his way.
"I know that and, I've been saying I welcome that," Dumervil said. "In the personal life, it's good to know you can take care of my family, my mom, it's been a long struggle for them, so it's a blessing to be able to handle those kinds of things.
"On the field, I know every team is going to be saying, 'Wow, he got this big deal.' They're going to see if you can handle that."
Dumervil has been working out in the Broncos' Dove Valley complex this week as the team's rookies and players returning from injuries go through workouts. He said his 17-sack total could have been higher with a little better performance down the stretch last season.
The Broncos were 2-8 over their last 10 games, and Dumervil had only two sacks — both against Philadelphia — in the last four games.
"I missed some things," Dumervil said. "I want my conditioning to be better, I think you can always get better, and I don't want to undermine 17 (sacks), but I'm my biggest critic.
"I know maybe some more attention comes now, but I'm confident in what I can do. I want to play football. I want to win. I'm doing what I want to do."
link (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15636138)
Or it was the desire to lead the league in sacks that pushed him through the rough spots. He's done that too.
Or it was having his team step up to the negotiating table and say he was an important piece of its future. Check, again.
With all of that coming from his work in the 2009 season, Dumervil says he can move on to bigger things.
"I've been blessed," Dumervil said Thursday. "The most important thing right now, the thing I think about the most is I just kind of want to win games and that's it. Go to the playoffs, that's where I'm at.
"I want to be part of a championship team, to be a part of bringing back that winning atmosphere."
After his 17-sack season in 2009 — which led the league — and his consistent, no-nonsense work ethic during contract negotiations in recent months, the Broncos signed Dumervil to five-year, $58.3 million extension last week.
But with that deal, and because he is the reigning NFL sack king, Dumervil knows expectations and pressure are coming his way.
"I know that and, I've been saying I welcome that," Dumervil said. "In the personal life, it's good to know you can take care of my family, my mom, it's been a long struggle for them, so it's a blessing to be able to handle those kinds of things.
"On the field, I know every team is going to be saying, 'Wow, he got this big deal.' They're going to see if you can handle that."
Dumervil has been working out in the Broncos' Dove Valley complex this week as the team's rookies and players returning from injuries go through workouts. He said his 17-sack total could have been higher with a little better performance down the stretch last season.
The Broncos were 2-8 over their last 10 games, and Dumervil had only two sacks — both against Philadelphia — in the last four games.
"I missed some things," Dumervil said. "I want my conditioning to be better, I think you can always get better, and I don't want to undermine 17 (sacks), but I'm my biggest critic.
"I know maybe some more attention comes now, but I'm confident in what I can do. I want to play football. I want to win. I'm doing what I want to do."
link (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15636138)