Drew Lock Fined By Denver Broncos, Says Missing Last Week's Game 'Hurt My Heart, Hurt My Soul'

(CBS4) - As Kendall Hinton was thrusted into the starting quarterback role for the Denver Broncos last week, the team's full-time starter was watching the blowout loss from home. Drew Lock and two other QBs on the roster missed the Broncos 31-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints after the NFL deemed them high-risk close contacts of Jeff Driskel, who tested positive for the coronavirus on Thanksgiving Day. The four quarterbacks didn't wear their masks or keep their social distance, as the league found in looking at surveillance footage.

For missing the game, Lock and the rest of the quarterbacks were fined and undisclosed amount by the team. Lock was apologetic for the incident.

"We came in on that Tuesday and got some extra work in when no one was here, and we got too lackadaisical with it," Lock said. "It ended up hurting us and it hurt this program and I apologize for letting that happen. We could have been better. That's the point of the matter here. We needed to be perfect and we weren't perfect."

Lock's replacement, Hinton came off the practice squad and completed one pass for 13 yards and threw two interceptions.

"Watching it was a gut-wrenching feeling the whole time," Lock said. "It was tough. It was really tough. It wasn't something that I enjoyed doing. I would much rather have been out there on the field helping my teammates out. It hurt my heart, hurt my soul, and it's time to move on and get to Kansas City and get out there and do what I love and that's play football."

The incident goes with the up-and-down season Lock had in his second season. He's thrown for 1,767 yards, seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Two of the interceptions were against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 43-16 loss in the Week 7.

For the Broncos to upset the defending Super Bowl Champions, Lock knows he needs to protect the football. Unfortunately, that has been a major issue as Denver has committed a league-high 26 turnovers.

"If we just keep the ball in our hands and take what they give us, I think we can have a better outing this time to make the difference in the scoreboard. Our biggest focus is taking care of the ball this week and like I said, doing our job one play at a time," Lock said.

The Broncos (4-7) play the Chiefs (10-1) on Sunday at 6:20 p.m.