NEW ORLEANS — Samaje Perine is not the kind of guy who has to go around wearing a name tag. He has a beard that could double as an Eagle’s nest. And he’s easy to recognize on the field with legs that should come with mudflaps.
Broncos fans became acquainted with Perine in 2023 as the veteran running back who turned into a favorite third-down target and a two-minute weapon for Russell Wilson. He figured he could fill a similar role for Bo Nix, who piqued his interest in OTAs.
As Perine stood on the Superdome field during Monday’s media night, he reflected on where he is and where he’s been. Cut by the Broncos on Aug. 26 after the team drafted Audric Estime, Perine now serves as a critical reserve for a Kansas City Chiefs squad trying to become the first Super Bowl team to three-peat.
“It really came down to that first conversation with coach (Andy) Reid. He told me he had been watching me through the years, that he would love for me to come here. It really didn’t take much, you know,” Perine said. “I have been on the other side of what they have been able to do the last few years. I knew wherever I went I could contribute something. I am so lucky to have ended up here.”
Only 29, Perine has the face of a respected elder. Despite joining the Chiefs two weeks before the season and three days after the Broncos cut him, he has found a niche on the field and in the locker room.
“He is a selfless player. He’s here to win. To see how he prepares throughout the week, the way he takes this game so seriously, it’s phenomenal to have a guy like that in our building,” Chiefs center Creed Humphrey said. “He’s someone I got to watch at OU (Oklahoma). Just hearing the stories of him in college and now having him as a teammate, I have a ton of respect for him.”
Perine rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries. He also caught 28 passes for 322 yards. None was bigger than in the AFC Championship game. Needing a first down to seal the victory, Perine lined up in the backfield behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He had played nine snaps before this play, touching the ball on exactly zero of them.
On third-and-9 from Buffalo’s 35-yard line, Perine sneaked out into the flat and took a short pass for a 17-yard gain, securing the Chiefs’ fifth Super Bowl berth in the past six seasons.
“That play says a lot about him. He waited until his number was called and was ready,” running back Kareem Hunt said. “He brings a toughness, an attitude. He is a guy who is going to pick up every blitz and make a big play when given the chance.”
While the volume rose during training camp that the Broncos were going younger at running back, Perine tuned out the noise. He hoped he was safe. And besides he was really looking forward to playing with Bo Nix.
“He’s very mature. I haven’t been around that many rookie quarterbacks, but he and Joe Burrow, as far as maturity, are in the same group. Bo came into OTAs with a good grasp on the playbook and all the terminology. He was ready to go,” said Perine of Nix, who won the starting job and threw for 29 touchdowns. “I think if you were inside that building when he first got there, his success was not a surprise. He came in laser-focused. I think he’s just going to keep getting better.”
Perine hopes the same applies to his career. Getting released stung, but it led him back to the sport’s biggest stage. As a member of the Bengals, he lost Super Bowl 56 to the Rams.
This time he is on the favorite, something he doesn’t take for granted.
“You never know what can happen in this league. When I was with Denver, I kept pushing. It was all I could do. I didn’t read too much into the offseason and draft and all that. It was out of my control,” Perine said. “But to be here with a chance to win a ring, it would mean everything. Just everything. You dream of moments like this.”
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