Tag: Mike Burton

Broncos re-sign fullback Mike Burton to 1-year contract

The Broncos are re-signing fullback Mike Burton on a one-year contract.

The Denver Broncos are re-signing in-house free agent Mike Burton to a one-year deal, NFL Network’s Jason McCourty first reported Tuesday. The one-year contract will be worth $1.21 million.

The 32-year-old veteran played 63% of the team’s special teams snaps last season and 18% of the offensive snaps (such is the life of a fullback). Primarily used as a blocker, Burton rushed seven times for nine yards and caught three passes for eight yards, picking up six first downs in 2023.

Burton has spent time with six teams during his nine-year career, including two stints with the New Orleans Saints earlier in his career. The fullback reunited with coach Sean Payton in Denver last March.

Burton ranked No. 1 among ten qualified fullbacks graded by Pro Football Focus last season. PFF gave him an 84.0 grade for pass blocking and a 75.2 grade for run blocking in 2023.

The Broncos have also re-signed safety P.J. Locke, kicker Wil Lutz, linebacker Jonas Griffith, offensive lineman Quinn Bailey and wide receiver Michael Bandy.

We are tracking all of Denver’s free agent moves on Broncos Wire.

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Broncos to sign Chiefs free agent FB Mike Burton

#Chiefs free agent FB Mike Burton is reuniting with his former head coach with the #Broncos

The Kansas City Chiefs officially need a new fullback.

According to a new report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Denver Broncos are signing Chiefs FB Michael Burton to a one-year deal. He’ll be reunited with his former head coach Sean Payton in Denver. The two spent 2019 and 2020 together in New Orleans.

The 31-year-old Burton spent the past two seasons in Kansas City playing a key role on special teams and the occasional offensive snaps for the Chiefs. He had 13 carries for 33 yards and one touchdown. He also caught five passes for 42 yards.

Burton will be remembered for picking up plenty of first downs on short-yardage situations when the team didn’t want to use Patrick Mahomes on a QB sneak. He’ll also be remembered for a key block to spring Isiah Pacheco on the team’s split-back play in Super Bowl LVII.

Andy Reid is a fan of having a fullback in his offense, so don’t expect him to change even if the NFL is changing a bit on that front. The Chiefs are likely to pursue another fullback in free agency or the 2023 NFL draft.

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Broncos signing fullback Michael Burton to 1-year contract

The Broncos are bringing in Super Bowl champion Michael Burton to serve as their new fullback.

The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free agent fullback Michael Burton, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The one-year deal will be worth $1.3175 million, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Burton (5-11, 242 pounds) will replace tight end/fullback Andrew Beck, who the Broncos let walk in free agency this week. Beck agreed to a two-year, $6.75 million contract with the Houston Texans on Monday.

Burton, 31, has spent time with five NFL teams, most recently with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2021-2022. He now lands with a division rival after winning Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs last season.

In Denver, Burton will reunite with coach Sean Payton after he previously served as the New Orleans Saints’ fullback in 2020. Burton also spent time with the Saints in 2019, but only in the offseason.

Through eight seasons in the NFL, Burton has rushed 28 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns and totaled 18 receptions for 123 yards and another score as a receiver out of the backfield. His primary duty is blocking — it’s not a glamorous role, but it’s an important part of Payton’s offense.

After signing two offensive linemen, a blocking tight end, a running back and a fullback early in free agency, Payton seems to have sent a clear message that the Broncos plan to run early and often in 2023.

We are tracking all of Denver’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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Previewing Chargers vs. Chiefs Week 2 game on Chiefs Wire Podcast

On the latest episode of @TheChiefsWire podcast: @goldmctNFL recaps #Chiefs’ Week 1 victory and previews #LACvsKC. Plus our offseason chat w/ FB Mike Burton.

We’re back with an all-new episode of the Chiefs Wire podcast! This week we’re previewing the Kansas City Chiefs Week 2 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Chiefs Wire managing editor Charles Goldman shares his thoughts on the Chiefs’ Week 1 victory and answers questions from our weekly mailbag.  Chiefs fullback Mike Burton joins us to talk about the running backs room, including rookie and fellow Rutgers University alum Isiah Pacheco, and high expectations for the season. Lastly, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes commented on facing the Chargers defense with Khalil Mack back in the division, preparation for Thursday night games, and more from his Tuesday press conference.

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Mike Burton explains how AFC title game loss continues to motivate Chiefs

Mike Burton spoke about the AFC title game loss, plus a look at how the newest #Chiefs are indoctrinated with the “championship mentality.”

The results of last year’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals still weigh heavily on the mind of Kansas City Chiefs FB Mike Burton.

The furthest Burton had advanced in the playoffs prior to last season in Kansas City was a trip to the divisional round with the New Orleans Saints in 2020. They’d be eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Reaching the AFC title game in 2021 with Kansas City, Burton was close to achieving a dream that every NFL enters the league with — to get a chance to compete in a Super Bowl.

“Man, being a game away from the Super Bowl. . . it’s part of that journey,” Burton said. “The dream is the Super Bowl, right? And you were so close to getting there. It just gives you more motivation. Right when the season ended, it’s all you’re thinking about, ‘What do I have to do to get back to that game?’ So, you want to get back to work. You’re highly motivated to make sure, not only that you get back to (the AFC championship) game, but you finish the game in order to get to the Super Bowl.”

The Chiefs fell short of their goal, narrowly missing out on their chance to compete in another Super Bowl. Burton says that he and the rest of his teammates wanted to get to work again the moment the clock struck zero. After taking a step back and now getting back to it in the offseason program, the team has a fresh perspective on what they can do to ensure that they’re playing in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona next February.

“It was a great learning experience,” Burton continued. “The type of guys and coaches that we have in this organization – in this culture – (they) understand that we can do better and we can finish. We’ve taken that to heart this offseason. Guys have been working extremely hard to make sure that we’re on top of every single detail, to make sure that the game is finished and we’re playing in the Super Bowl.”

One of the challenges every year in the NFL is that rosters are rarely left intact. Only seven players who were starters in Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers remain on the Chiefs’ roster this offseason. There is a newness to the group of players who will be out there in 2022. How can all of the new guys in the locker possibly understand the expectations and what it’ll take to compete and win a Lombardi Trophy?

Well, Burton had a unique perspective on that situation because he lived it a season ago.

“I was that new guy last year,” Burton said. “They’d won a Super Bowl (LIV) and they’d been to a Super Bowl (LV), you kind of learn quickly when you get there that the culture is – this is a championship mentality every time you step foot in the building. (The Super Bowl) is the expectation, and you kind of have to fall in line. If you don’t, your time might not last there. Those are the types of guys they want in this organization – championship mindset, mentality guys.”

Beyond the foundation laid by this championship mindset, Burton trusts that the front office is bringing in the right type of guys with the quality of character and work ethic necessary to win. He also knows that all of the new faces will also learn by example, just as he did a year ago in his first season with the Chiefs.

“If you’re coming into that organization, it’s because the coaches and Brett Veach and his staff are bringing the right caliber players that have that mindset,” Burton explained. “Guys that have been here can help explain it or talk to them about what it takes to get there, but it’s also just shown by example. It’s putting in the work every single day. It’s taking the classroom seriously. It’s taking all the phases seriously and just understanding the sacrifice that it takes to be a championship.”

The Chiefs kick off Phase III of the offseason workout program this week, which puts them one step closer to their ultimate goal. The work that the team puts in right now, influenced in many ways by that AFC title game loss, will be pivotal to the outcome of the 2022 NFL season.

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Chiefs FB Mike Burton pumped for second season under RB coach Greg Lewis

#Chiefs FB Mike Burton is excited to see what the running back room will accomplish in its second season under Greg Lewis.

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Ahead of the 2021 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs made a surprising coaching decision.

After spending four seasons as the wide receivers coach in Kansas City, Greg Lewis was to take over for Deland McCullough as running backs coach. Prior to his time in Kansas City, Lewis had spent eight seasons as a receiver in the NFL, three seasons as a wide receivers coach in college football, a season as an assistant receivers coach in New Orleans, and one season coaching receiver in Philadelphia.

He’d never once coached running backs before.

Chiefs FB Mike Burton was also new to the running back room in Kansas City last season. He says that working with Lewis has been great, and whether he’s coaching receivers or running backs or any other position, he’s incredibly capable.

“It has been an awesome experience being with Coach Greg Lewis,” Burton told Chiefs Wire in an exclusive interview. “He is a football coach. I am a firm believer that he could coach any position, offense or defense. He’s an extremely intelligent guy, a hard worker.”

Andy Reid explained the switch from receivers to running backs as Coach Lewis looking for a new challenge. Well, he certainly had a challenging year in his first coaching the running back position. His starting running back, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, dealt with a serious illness in the offseason and injuries during the season. His second- and third-string backs, Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon, also dealt with injuries during the course of the year.

Lewis attacked those challenges head-on and his own unique coaching style really helped keep the group afloat all season long.

“He puts in the work to understand it, not only within himself, but he puts in the work to be able to communicate it to the players so that we understand it better,” Burton explained. “I think that’s one of his strengths, that he makes it very easy for us to understand. Whether it’s the run game, the pass game, the protection game – all of that stuff is communicated extremely well from Greg to us. It allows us to then go play fast, which makes our group better.”

Having been a former player himself, Lewis is able to relate to his players on a different level. That already gives him a bit of an advantage when it comes to communicating.

“He was a player himself,” Burton said. “So, he has that side of him that he can bring to us and (use) to help us. He’s been in our shoes before, which is just another addition that makes him such a great coach too. I can’t speak highly enough about him. It has been an unbelievable experience playing for him thus far.”

As players have returned to Kansas City for the offseason workout program, there is an air of excitement in the building, but especially in Lewis’ running back room. He has a full season of experience coaching the position group under his belt, plus some new faces in the room.

Burton anticipates that the Chiefs fans will be very pleased with the results on the field under Lewis in his second season as running backs coach. He’s quite excited to see it all come together himself.

“They can expect a great running back room,” Burton said. “Everyone competing, putting their work in. Everybody is just a joint committee of great, great backs. The addition of RoJo (Ronald Jones) has been great. We already have Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Derrick Gore. We have a stable of backs that can do a lot of different things. They’re all very versatile. They can catch the ball, they can run, pass protect. So, I am very excited for this group.

“And you know what else? They’re great teammates. They’re great people. They work, they sacrifice, it’s really important to them. So, I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this room. I’m very, very excited for the games to come and to watch these guys put it on live TV.”

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Mike Burton thinks this ‘special’ quality in Isiah Pacheco will help Chiefs

In an exclusive interview with @TheChiefsWire, #Chiefs FB @MikeBurtonFB spoke about the “special” quality in fellow Rutgers alum Isiah Pacheco.

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When the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Isiah Pacheco in the 2022 NFL draft, he’d become the second player from Rutgers on the roster.

Chiefs FB Mike Burton was drafted out of Rutgers by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He first joined Kansas City in 2021, re-signing with the team on a one-year deal this offseason.

While the two Scarlet Knights didn’t get an opportunity to play together in New Brunswick, Burton is quite familiar with the Chiefs’ new running back.

“I am familiar with him,” Burton told Chiefs Wire in an exclusive interview. “I missed playing with him at Rutgers, but the years that I’ve gone back for a spring game or spring practices in my offseason, I have been able to meet with him, talk with him, watch him practice. I talked to the coaches who were there about him and things like that. I definitely know him and I’m very familiar with him.” 

When the Chiefs draft a player, they typically have a cut-up or highlights of that player that are made available for the rest of the team. In the case of Pacheco, Burton already knew exactly the type of player and person that the team was getting when they turned in their draft card.

“He is a physical, hard-nosed runner, who also has great speed,” Burton said of Pacheco. “When you watch his tape, he’s running away from guys. From a physical standpoint, he has the tools, and I noticed that probably two years ago when I was at a Rutgers practice.”

Beyond the tools — which are great in their own right — there is something special about Pacheco that Burton noticed while watching him play at Rutgers. It’s something that he thinks the rest of the team will be able to learn from and utilize themselves. He isn’t the only one who picked up on this special quality either, with Chiefs northeast area scout Cassidy Kaminski saying something quite similar about Pacheco.

Pacheco plays the game with passion.

“Just the way he runs the football — his passion — I mean he’s running every carry like it was his last,” Burton said of Pacheco. “I think that’s very special. Guys feed off of that, so that’s going to be great for the locker room.”

Even as a late-round draft pick, Burton expects Pacheco to be a contributor in Kansas City. Upon the suggestion of a third-down role as a pass-protector, Burton agreed that the rookie has the chops to play that role in the NFL.

“He’s a big kid,” Burton said. “He definitely has the size and strength. I think he hit 27 reps on the bench at his pro day. He’s definitely got that strength and that mentality to be a pass protector, there’s no question about it.”    

As Pacheco takes the next step, he’ll have a friendly, familiar and supportive face to rely on in the Chiefs’ locker room. It’s something that will surely help him acclimate as he makes the jump to the next level.

“He has a great personality off the field as well, just a great kid,” Burton said of Pacheco. “I’m very excited to have him coming here whenever the rookies get here.” 

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