ENGLEWOOD — Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw learned to “clear the clutter” and thrive in his rookie season.

Crawshaw enters his final game before the playoffs with the NFL’s third-most punts (29) downed inside the 20-yard line. His 76-yard boot in Week 9 against Houston was the league’s second-longest punt of the year. Crawshaw finished third in Pro Bowl Games fan voting.

The Broncos (13-3) host the Chargers (11-5) on Sunday at Empower Field with confidence in their 24-year-old punter from Australia. Call it earned trust over the course of a sometimes-challenging Broncos debut.

“I came into preseason and everything thinking I needed to do bigger and better,” Crawshaw told The Denver Gazette. “I kind of just swung myself into inconsistencies. Gone through the first couple of games and realized that’s not what the NFL is about.”

Crawshaw, over three preseason games, attempted six punts. He averaged 43.6 yards per boot — with a long of 61 yards — plus one touchback and none downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Broncos never wavered in their public support of Crawshaw. They used a sixth-round draft pick (No. 216 overall) to draft him from the University of Florida with every intention of him becoming the starting punter. The Broncos did not add a veteran to compete for the job.

Crawshaw rewarded their patience with a bounce-back season focused on “placement and consistency.” He’s already thinking about ways to improve next season.

“It’s been very up and down to learn exactly what it takes to be a punter at this level,” Crawshaw said. “It’s different from the college level. I know we’re finishing out the season as strong as we possibly can, and I know what we’re going to be working on for the offseason. Come back for next year and just have a clean year.”

Behind the scenes, Crawshaw enlisted the help of what he called a “mental coach” to help flip his rookie season. It stems from a significant challenge unique to punting.

“You have a bad punt, and you go: OK, what can I learn from that? What’s the quick rebound? How do I get the next punt to be better?” Crawshaw said. “It’s learning to rebound. I do a lot of work with a mental coach that helps with just cues and being present in the moment and getting the most out of it. … Having somebody else to have perspective on what you’re seeing is huge. Because when you get into a moment, and there are emotions, you kind of get a bit cloudy and can’t see the whole picture properly.

“So, having him there to just clear the clutter, it’s more about getting out of your own way.”

Crawshaw is committed to the process. In Week 10, he shanked a punt for just 30 yards in a win over the Raiders. In Week 11, he downed three punts inside the opposing 20-yard line — with a long of 58 yards — in a victory over the Chiefs.

“To be able to stay levelheaded and come back from that is impressive,” kicker Wil Lutz said in November. “That’s when you know you have the right guy in the room. I’m proud of Jeremy for sticking with it. It’s pretty cool. I’ve been in his shoes before and I’m happy for him.”

Crawshaw appreciates everyone who showed support in the Pro Bowl Games fan vote. He’s quick to credit his punt coverage team for personal success. It’s just the beginning.

Did he make any resolutions as the new year flips to 2026?

“I’m looking forward to this run that we’re trying to hopefully make here,” Crawshaw said. “All attention on this.”