Broncos Rookies are already engaging with the Community

On Monday, and for the 3rd straight year, the Broncos’ rookies will get their first taste of a very important part of being a Denver Bronco: engaging with and serving the community. Many NFL teams do community outreach, and the Broncos are one organization that puts a genuine emphasis on encouraging their players and employees to get out and get involved.

In the last week alone, the Broncos players and other employees all the way up to Joe Ellis have built a new playground in Brighton, visited pediatric burn victims, and welcomed kids from the Children’s Hospital to the team facility.

The players have embraced this aspect of their role in the community. Von Miller, along with being the face of the franchise, is also probably the most well known Bronco in the realm of community service. His organization, Von’s Vision, has provided tens of thousands of free eye exams, frames, and corrective glasses for low-income youth and college students. Chris Harris Jr, Brandon Marshall, Justin Simmons, Shane Ray, and Garett Bolles are among the other Broncos who’ve taken leading roles in serving both the Denver community and their hometown or college communities.

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

The next round of that begins Monday, when the Broncos’ 2018 rookies will meet with the team’s Community Development department and Athletes for Hope for a private workshop. Once that workshop is finished, the group will head out to the Food Bank of the Rockies to spend part of the morning packing meals for the food bank. Next, the group will head to the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club where they’ll host a pizza party and have the opportunity to tour the facility with members of the Club, and to learn about it via games and activities with the kids.

From there, the rookies will split into two groups. One half will head out for the Children’s Hospital Colorado to meet and encourage the kids there, while the other will go to UCHealth’s University of Colorado Hospital to do the same with adult patients.

Hopefully this will be just the first of many opportunities the newest Broncos will take to engage with the Denver community and use their role & influence in the community to help serve those less fortunate.

From the Broncos’ press release, here’s some info on the various organizations the team will be partnering with on Monday:

• Food Bank of the Rockies: “A non-profit organization, FBR distributed nearly 49 million meals last year through direct service programs and partner agencies, serving clients in Northern Colorado, including Metro Denver, and the entire state of Wyoming. One in 10 Coloradans, including nearly one in six Colorado children, struggle with hunger. Since 1978, FBR has provided more than 615 million meals to people in need in our community. Food Bank of the Rockies is a member of Feeding America. For additional information, please visit www.foodbankrockies.org.”
• Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver: “The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is to empower every Club member, through safe and impactful experiences, to: graduate high school with a plan for college or career, contribute to their community and live a healthy life. Since 1961, BGCMD has been helping kids, ages 6 to 18, achieve academic success, live healthy lifestyles, and develop good character and citizenship. The organization operates 15 safe neighborhood sites throughout metro Denver, and one residential summer camp. Learn more at www.GreatFuturesDenver.org.”
• Children’s Hospital Colorado: “Children’s Hospital Colorado is a leading pediatric network 100 percent dedicated to the health and well-being of children, adolescents and young adults. It is at the forefront of research in childhood disease and pioneering treatments that are shaping the future of pediatrics, as well as offering everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. Founded in 1908, Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and Southern Colorado. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org.”
• UCHealth: “UCHealth is an innovative, nonprofit health system that delivers the highest quality medical care with an excellent patient experience. With more than 100 clinic locations, UCHealth pushes the boundaries of medicine, providing advanced treatments and clinical trials and improving health through innovation.”

Horse Tracks

Broncos host Children's Hospital patients at practice
Broncos players and coaches welcomed patients and families from Children's Hospital Colorado for a meet-and-greet session following practice.

Broncos wrap up OTAs, meet with Children's Hospital Colorado burn patients
The Broncos finished the week of practice and their final OTA session on Thursday and then met with patients from Children's Hospital Colorado's burn unit.

Broncos join community partners to build KaBOOM! playground
Several players and around 40 Broncos employees helped build a playground in less than six hours on Friday at the Shopneck Boys and Girls Club in Brighton, Colorado.

20 fantasy predictions with huge fallouts (if wrong) - NFL.com
Le'Veon Bell's health ... Saquon Barkley's production ... and more. These feel like foregone fantasy football predictions for 2018, but all have HUGE implications if wrong. See Michael Fabiano's top 20 here.

2018 fantasy sleepers, bargains, breakouts and more - NFL.com
Michael Fabiano has compiled his top 10 fantasy football sleepers, bargains, busts and breakouts for 2018 into one article just for you. Study these lists before your fantasy football draft this summer!

The best fantasy football draft strategy for 2018 - NFL.com
Winning a fantasy football championship starts with a successful fantasy draft. Michael Fabiano shares with you the best fantasy football draft strategy to use for the 2018 NFL season.

NFL Division Power Rankings: NFC South easily reigns supreme - NFL.com
Heading toward the 2018 campaign, Gregg Rosenthal ranks the NFL's eight divisions. No. 1 is easy, but how do the rest of the quartets shake out? Which division brings up the rear?

NFL's 10 most talented teams: Eagles, Jaguars lead the way - NFL.com
Gil Brandt lists the 10 most talented teams in the NFL heading into the 2018 season. Can anyone top Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles?

NFL's top five committee backfields; Tyrann Mathieu's new role - NFL.com
With Dion Lewis joining Derrick Henry, the Titans suddenly boast one of the top 1-2 backfield punches. But that's not the No. 1 RB duo. Bucky Brooks provides his rankings. Plus, the Patriots' new defensive play caller, Tyrann Mathieu's new role and much more.

NFL players take a lot of crap, but are doing amazing things, too - SBNation.com
Friday’s Rise ‘n Grind takes a look at the incredible things NFL players are doing off-the-field.

Terrell Owens snubbing the Hall of Fame is the perfect end to his career - SBNation.com
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has snubbed Owens in the past, so he’s snubbing them — just in a different way.

Texans safety Andre Hal diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma - SBNation.com
Andre Hal signed a three-year, $15 million deal with the Texans in August.