Broncos grow as a team off the field

The world is a polarized place. We take up sides on every issue, and we have a tendency to dig in when challenged. None of us likes to have our beliefs, or principles questioned. It is difficult to look inward and really think about what we believe, and whether or not we should change.

Sports are usually a great escape from these questions, but sometimes they intersect. When they do, it can make people uncomfortable.

Broncos Country has seen players step into the Black Lives Matter movement. Von Miller wrote an incredible article for Time. Justin Simmons joined protesters in his home town. It has become an issue that is very important to many people - including our Denver Broncos.

So I am going to offer a football take on something that a few people may not have agreed with last week. During the BLM protests that took place across the country, Broncos Todd Davis and Kareem Jackson organized their own march at the Civic Center Park in Denver. They wore shirts that Jackson had made. They wore masks with similar sayings. They marched with the people. They marched together.

They marched as a team. Players, coaches, and executives…together.

That word, together, is the key to all this. You may have not agreed with their decision to march in the protests. You are entitled to that point of view. You may have been happy to see it as you agree with the stance they took. However, in regards to football, what I saw was something I hope we can all get behind.

I saw a team.

Miller, Simmons, A.J. Johnson, Davontae Harris and others stood up and spoke to the crowd. As they did, they had their team behind them.

Drew Lock talked about putting things into action. Dalton Risner spoke about coming together.

What I saw was a group of men who came together for a common cause to support each other. Just like a team does every game-day weekend to win.

When the 2020 season eventually arrives there will be no question about where the Denver Broncos stand, because they stand together. They came together because of a cause that was important to them. That unity can only bleed over into the locker room, and eventually, onto the field.

When the season hits a rough patch, and it will, we already know that this team will support each other. They will lift their teammates up, put them on their backs, and carry them when needed. It’s truly amazing how a rallying cry, or even an issue, can galvanize a team and propel it to success.

Broncos Country watched a group of young men come together for a cause. We witnessed the creation of unity. We will continue to see this group work as a true team, on and off the field.