The Broncos came away with a not-so-thrilling win on Sunday against the Jaguars. The defense stepped up and put the game away with Bradley Roby‘s pick-six and Von Miller‘s forced fumble with just over a minute left in the game.

Aside from those key plays from the defense, there was another Bronco having a big day.

Kalif Raymond is a rookie out of Holy Cross and played in his first NFL game this weekend as the punt returner against the Jaguars. Raymond didn’t let the excitement get to him and knew it was business as usual.

“It felt really, really good. It felt just like football,” Raymond told Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro of Afternoon Drive on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7. “What I’ve been doing all my life. It wasn’t too big.”

The first punt of his career wasn’t an ideal kick. It was a low line drive that Raymond had to quickly decide whether to play the ball or let it go. Before the kick he didn’t feel nervous and played it as any other kick he had returned before.

“I wouldn’t say there were butterflies,” Raymond said. “I think it just happened to be my first kick and it was definitely the toughest decision I had to make. After having that first kick bouncing the way it did, it definitely added a little more hunger and determination. I knew I wanted to make a play on the first kick. So when that first one was a bad beat, I was even more anxious to make a play for us.”

Raymond was strictly on the special teams in his first game in the NFL, but he is also a wide receiver. He knows the importance of the special teams in any game, because it can help the offense with field position.

“I think that whether our offense is doing very good or very bad, special teams is a very critical part in the game, effecting field position,” Raymond said. “I think that’s a very important part. Even on our side of the ball when Riley Dixon is putting the ball inside the 10. If that’s the best offensive team in the nation, that’s going to affect them driving down the field 96 yards for a touchdown. I think me affecting field position in any way that I can, especially positively, it’s a task in it’s own.”

To listen to the entire interview with Kalif Raymond, including his thoughts on returning a punt for a touchdown or catching a pass for a touchdown, click the podcast below…

https://soundcloud.com/milehighsports/12-5-16-eric-les-catch-up-with-new-kr-specialist-for-denver-khalif-Raymond

Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro Monday-Friday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.