Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton walks the sidelines during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025.

Denver Broncos: Evan Engram Reacts to Sean Payton’s ‘Joker’ Label

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 4:55 AM ET

The Denver Broncos have veteran tight end Evan Engram among the new additions to the team over the offseason. After three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Engram will be playing with his third team in the pros, having also played with the New York Giants before.

About to turn 31 years old in September, Engram still has some juice left. It was not that long ago when he last earned a Pro Bowl nod, which was during the 2023 campaign. Engram’s versatility is also something that Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes makes him a “joker” of sorts for Denver’s offense that ranked 10th in the 2024 season with an average of 24.0 points per game.

While Engram doesn’t seem to mind being called as such, he appears to prefer being referred to as a “cleaner.”

Via Aric DiLalla of the Broncos’ official website:

“I like to call myself a cleaner,” Engram said Thursday. “A guy that’s going to come in every single day and do what he’s asked at the highest level possible. A guy that’s going to embrace adversity, embrace challenges, but also bring a great amount of energy and leadership even in those times of adversity and humbleness in times of success. I want to earn everything that’s going to come my way, and hopefully, God willing, I can stay healthy and stay on the field and do what I do best, which is make plays with the football.”

Why Engram chose to sign with the Denver Broncos

Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, Engram did not last very long on the free agent market after he got cut by the Jaguars in March. Within a week of his release from Jacksonville, Engram was inked to a two-year contract worth $23 million by the Broncos.

“It’s a great organization there, as well,” Engram said (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “I had a great visit with them, but the best place for me and my family was here in Denver. Just with the offense, the history here, the way the organization takes care of its players. Like I said, I could go on all day. I’m really blessed to be here. It was a crazy process, and I just credit God for putting me in the place that he sees fit.”

In 2024, Engram had 365 receiving yards and a touchdown on 47 catches and 64 targets through just nine games, as he missed some action due to a shoulder injury.

Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) runs with the ball against the Houston Texans in the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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