Brandon McManus is happy to be the newest member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former Denver Broncos kicker was so interested in joining the team that he tracked down the phone number of Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell and gave him a call after he became a free agent.
“I loved Heath and I loved our conversation, but I don’t know that he was the draw,” McManus said Tuesday after his first practice with the Jaguars. “This team is up and coming, a lot of young roster here. A phenomenal run to close out the season last year as AFC South champions and then an incredible comeback in the playoff game.
“I’m a big fan of Doug Pederson as well, what he was able to do in Philadelphia, win a Super Bowl. A lot of that culmination here, obviously it’s a beautiful place to live here in Jacksonville, Florida. And Heath was a bonus. It’s always nice to like your boss.”
McManus, 31, said he didn’t exactly call the Jaguars blindly. After finding out that general manager Trent Baalke had expressed interest to his agent, McManus tracked down Farwell’s phone number by reaching out to Joe DeCamillis, a veteran special teams coach who had stints with the Broncos and Jaguars.
In nine seasons with the Broncos, McManus made 40 field goals from at least 50 yards and 223 total field goals.
