Ben Garland’s Debut Was At A Perfect Time

Oct 5, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos guard Ben Garland (63) before the start of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Garland, like most offensive linemen, does not get all the attention of the media like other players do. When the Broncos decided to change up the offensive line ahead of Sunday’s 41-17 win against the Oakland Raiders and inserted Ben Garland into the lineup, the timing of it could not have been perfect.

Today we celebrate Veteran’s Day in honor of all the military personnel that have served our great country. Ben Garland formally attended the Air Force Academy during college and continues to serve for the Colorado Air National Guard while he plays football. The journey that Ben Garland has had since joining the league has been an interesting one. He graduated from the Air Force in 2010 while playing defensive tackle. Because of his commitment to the military, he spent the next two years serving his country, so the Broncos had to wait and see what he was capable of until he was finished with his service.

When he returned in 2012, which is ironically when Peyton Manning joined the Broncos, he spent the 2012 and 2013 season on the practice squad. During his two years on the practice squad, the Broncos decided to convert Ben Garland into a offensive lineman. He would then spend time learning the offensive line skillset and improve his chances of making the roster during the 2014 training camp. With the Broncos needing serious improvement and depth at the offensive line, Ben Garland impressed coaches during the preseason and training camp to earn a spot on the roster.

Due to the depth of the offensive line through the first eight games, Ben Garland did not see any playing time, but as it appeared that the offensive line was struggling, the coaches decided to make a switch. While Ben Garland did not start the game, he was on the field for special teams plays. Making his debut on a weekend where all of our men and women that have served our country was just perfect timing.

We hope to see Ben Garland continue on his journey in the league and we thank him for his service to our country to keep us safe. A huge Mile High Salute to you Ben Garland.