AFC Notes: Garett Bolles, Justin Herbert, Andy Reid, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Broncos LT Garett Bolles entered the league as a 25-year-old rookie and is now about to turn 33. He told reporters that he plans to play until he is at least 38 or 39 years old.

“I take really good care of my body,” Bolles said, via BroncosWire.com. “I thrive on that. I make sure that I’m doing everything I can to make sure that I can play on Sundays. I feel like I’ve been one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the league. I don’t miss games and I think it just speaks for how I eat and how I train. Not only that but the team that I put together outside this building to put me in the best positions to come in this building with the mindset of dominating. That’s just my mindset of doing whatever I can just to dominate and to put myself in positions to help this team win. I love this team more than anyone. You can probably ask anyone. The Denver Broncos, to put on that uniform and to play in front of our amazing fans and to be here for so long, it’s just amazing. To do that at a high level with my age — I have so many more years to prove myself, to be better and to continue to stack seasons after seasons. I want to play as long as I can. I’m here for 12 years and hopefully I have two or three more years after that. I’m just going to enjoy this time of having an amazing time. I’ve been through a lot. You know how it is. The last eight years haven’t been great. This year it just puts a different pep to my step of just winning. [I just] want to win and bring this state what it deserves, [which is] a championship.”

Chargers

Chargers S Derwin James says that QB Justin Herbert doesn’t deserve the criticism he receives and that any player would feel lucky to play with such a quarterback.

“He don’t deserve it,” James said on Micah Parsons’ “The Edge” podcast. “We play a team sport. When you’re the quarterback, you’re the D-end, or, like I’m the safety, it all lies on our shoulders. When it ain’t going right or if it is going right. I just feel like it’s always going to be on [No.] 10’s shoulders no matter how the guys are playing around him or how he’s playing. It’s always going to be on his shoulders.”

“Y’all stop disrespecting him,” James added. “I promise you. I can’t wait for y’all to see this next season when I know we’re going to do what we do, for y’all really get to see the real 10. I know how hard he works. I wouldn’t rather have no other quarterback.”

Chiefs

Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt dismissed the idea that HC Andy Reid would be retiring after the season and beyond.

“Yeah, I was always surprised when I heard those rumors because I know how much fun Andy’s having,” Hunt said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “He in a lot of ways I think is rejuvenated by the success the team’s had, certainly he’s matched with the quarterback that’s a perfect complement for him in Patrick, and I know he loves what he’s doing. I’m glad we haven’t heard any of those rumors this year, I know for a fact he’s going to be back next year. So we’ll get there when we get there, but I think Andy loves what he’s doing and is going to do it for a long time.”