LITTLETON, Colo. — A subtle reminder of his growing fame found Nik Bonitto this summer inside a mall in South Florida.
After another muggy offseason workout near Miami, the newly minted Pro Bowl and All-Pro outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos found himself being spotted and called to as he escaped into the air conditioning of a vast shopping plaza.
“I was surprised just how many people recognized me,” Bonitto said Sunday as he prepared to host his first youth football camp in Denver, at Columbine High. “In Denver, I kind of expect it a little bit. But in Florida, I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool.’ So, yeah, it’s kind of changed a little bit, but my main focus is just football.”
As he enters his fourth NFL season, Bonitto could soon experience a more bountiful reminder of how quickly his standing among the league’s pass rushers has changed. The 25-year-old is coming off a season in which he produced 13 1/2 sacks — only Trey Hendrickson and Myles Garrett had more — scored two touchdowns and forced two fumbles. His breakout campaign earned him his first Pro Bowl berth and a second-team All-Pro berth. It also put him in line for a potential massive contract extension as the 2022 second-round pick enters the final season of his rookie contract.