UNREIN AT A GLANCE:
• A second-year player who has played 30 games (2 starts) and made 27 tackles, one fumble recovery and caught one touchdown pass in his first two NFL seasons.
• Saw time in 14 games as a reserve defensive lineman with the Broncos in 2011 and collected seven tackles (5 solo) along with one special-teams stop.
• Became the first defensive lineman in Broncos history to catch a touchdown pass with his 1-yard reception from Peyton Manning vs. Tampa Bay (12/2/12).
• Competed with the Texans during training camp as a rookie in 2010 before being signed by the Broncos and spending the final 11 weeks of the season on the club’s practice squad.
• Received honorable mention All-Mountain West distinction in each of his final three seasons at the University of Wyoming, where he totaled 162 career tackles and 10.5 sacks.
• Named the Defensive MVP of the New Mexico Bowl in 2009 after collecting six tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Cowboys.
• Joined the Broncos as a practice-squad signee on Oct. 20, 2010.
• Entered the NFL with Houston as a college free agent on May 7, 2010.
UNREIN AT A GLANCE:
• A second-year player who has played 30 games (2 starts) and made 27 tackles, one fumble recovery and caught one touchdown pass in his first two NFL seasons.
• Saw time in 14 games as a reserve defensive lineman with the Broncos in 2011 and collected seven tackles (5 solo) along with one special-teams stop.
• Became the first defensive lineman in Broncos history to catch a touchdown pass with his 1-yard reception from Peyton Manning vs. Tampa Bay (12/2/12).
• Competed with the Texans during training camp as a rookie in 2010 before being signed by the Broncos and spending the final 11 weeks of the season on the club’s practice squad.
• Received honorable mention All-Mountain West distinction in each of his final three seasons at the University of Wyoming, where he totaled 162 career tackles and 10.5 sacks.
• Named the Defensive MVP of the New Mexico Bowl in 2009 after collecting six tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Cowboys.
• Joined the Broncos as a practice-squad signee on Oct. 20, 2010.
• Entered the NFL with Houston as a college free agent on May 7, 2010.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Houston as a college free agent 5/7/10; Waived by Houston 9/4/10; Signed by Denver (practice squad) 10/20/10; Signed by Denver to a future contract 1/3/11.
Unrein’s Single-Game Highs
(Postseason in parentheses)
Tackles — 3, twice, last at Oakland, 12/6/12 (3 vs. Baltimore, 1/12/13). Sacks — None (none). Sack yards — None (none). Interceptions — None (none). Interception return yards — None (none). Receptions — 1 vs. Tampa Bay, 12/2/12 (none). Receiving yards — 1 vs. Tampa Bay, 12/2/12 (none). Receiving touchdowns — 1 vs. Tampa Bay, 12/2/12 (none).
2012: Unrein played 16 regular-season games (two starts) and made 20 tackles with a fumble recovery to mark career highs in each category... Saw time on offense as a fullback in short-yardage situations and became the first Broncos defensive lineman to catch a touchdown pass... Made his first career start as Denver opened the game with a goal line package at Atl. (9/17)... Started and finished with two tackles and one quarterback hit at N.E. (10/7)... Lined up at fullback and threw a key block on RB Willis McGahee’s 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter vs. N.O. (10/28)... Caught 1-yard touchdown pass from QB Peyton Manning to mark his first career reception and score, while adding a QB hit on Josh Freeman that forced an interception that LB Von Miller returned for a touchdown vs. T.B. (12/2)... Tied a career best with three tackles and recovered his first career fumble that led to a Knowshon Moreno 1-yard rushing touchdown at Oak. (12/6)... Made three tackles in Denver’s Divisional-Round game vs. Bal. (1/12).
2011: Unrein played 14 games (0 starts) for the Broncos in the regular season and totaled seven tackles (5 solo) along with one special-teams stop... Saw action in both of Denver’s playoff games and collected one tackle.
2010: Unrein, who entered the NFL with Houston as a college free agent on May 7, was waived by the Texans during final roster cutdowns before signing with Denver on Oct. 20 and spending the final 11 weeks of the season on the club’s practice squad.
COLLEGE: Unrein totaled 162 tackles (67 solo), 20.5 tackles for losses (75 yds.) and 10.5 sacks (75 yds.) with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 48 career games (38 starts) for the University of Wyoming… Garnered honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference accolades in each of his final three years for the Cowboys... Registered 41 total tackles, including six tackles for a loss (21 yds.) and four sacks (17 yds.), as a senior and was named the Defensive MVP of the New Mexico Bowl in 2009 after collecting six tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
PERSONAL: Unrein earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and senior at Eaton High School in Eaton, Colo., where he was also among the top wrestlers in the state... Mitch Unrein was born on March 25, 1987, in Eaton, Colo.
