Broncos DE Wolfe: Guys caught ‘riding Super Bowl wave’ last season

During a fiery post-OTA press conference on Tuesday, Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe said he didn’t speak up enough during the down season last year that followed up the club’s Super Bowl 50 run the previous year.

“When I saw things, I didn’t speak up and I didn’t say things when I should have. I’m not letting that (expletive) slide this year,” Wolfe told the assembled media at UCHealth Training Center.

On Thursday, the six-year NFL veteran offered a little more insight into the comments on with 104.3 The Fan’s “The Drive,” saying that there wasn’t “anything major” wrong last season, just perhaps a Super Bowl hangover.

“I think we had a lot of guys that were thinking about themselves and still kind of riding that Super Bowl wave,” Wolfe said. “It took a while for us all to get back on the same page, and I think that we realized that we kind of need to get back on that same page this year.”

And among the remedies for righting the Broncos ship includes Wolfe taking on a bigger leadership role, even if it includes things he’s not comfortable doing.

“I’m going to just let my work speak for itself, and I’m going to keep my head down. I’m not going to say anything,” Wolfe said of his general philosophy on leadership. “But, sometimes being a leader you have to do the things you don’t want to do. And sometimes that means calling a guy out when he’s not doing the right things.”

Wolfe said in his press conference that leading that way is something he’s learned from the time he was the Broncos’ first pick in the 2012 draft up until now.

“That’s what I’ve learned, how to be myself. When I see guys not doing the right thing, I’m going to tell them. I’m not going to sit back and let that (expletive) slide. Me, it’s either confrontation, fist-fight, or say nothing,” Wolfe said, laughing.

“I’m learning how to not fight people if that makes sense.”

And he’s got the support of his boss, new Broncos head coach Vance Joseph, who Wolfe said told him to “just keep what you’re doing.”

“I’m right there up in the front lines grinding every day, and I’m putting the work in. I’m pushing everybody I possibly can in these offseason workouts, and I’m trying to take my game to a whole other level,” Wolfe said.

“I’m not content with anything. I’m always trying to get better. You can see guys. They’re always looking at you wondering, ‘What’s Wolfe’s doing? How much weight does he have on there?’ So, I’m going to always continue to push myself.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.