From Peyton Manning to Will Barton to Charlie Blackmon to stars and non-stars in between, Colorado has been blessed with athletes who go above and beyond their platform.
None were more endearing than a quarterback who never played a game here.
Mark Sanchez, a lucky few around these hills got to know you. They're better for it. Before the Broncos cut him in a move that made sense in both football and financial terms, Sanchez threw his heart into a community in which he had almost zero ties.
There was the time Sanchez broke out a tailored suit and attended prom with patients from Children's Hospital Colorado. Days later, one of his prom dates, gorgeous Grace, attended a Broncos practice and Sanchez made sure she scored access to a VIP tent. There was the trip to Buckley Air Force base, an event he wasn't asked to attend but did anyway. In the past Sanchez met Make-A-Wish families and got them into Broadway shows, or bankrolled laptops for kids going off to college. At a stoplight near Dove Valley, Sanchez was spotted handing a wad of bills to a homeless man. Yes, arguments can be made against that, but you get it.
In his brief time with the Broncos, Sanchez missed one community event hosted by the Broncos _ one! _ and on that particular night he stayed home because he was sick.
As a player, Sanchez didn't fit with the Broncos. There are worse things, and the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday signed one excellent human. On to my annual NFL predictions:
1. Trevor Siemian, the seventh-round-pick-turned-starting-quarterback of the Broncos, will be just fine. Really. Their bigger concern right now is Russell Okung at left tackle.
2. After a 2-2 start to the season, Siemian rethinks his recent decision to join Twitter. Aside from landing a date (sorry, ladies, he's taken) and real-time weather reports (there's an app for that), Twitter has almost no redeemable qualities. Log off, QB1. Before it's too late.
3. Broncos Country has one eye on Houston _ site of Super Bowl LI, home of Brock Osweiler. Who got it right, John Elway or the Texans? One man, in time, will let us know: Paxton Lynch.
4. After choosing a quarterback, Denver's next controversy/competition/conundrum will be at running back. Look for confident rookie Devontae Booker to be a fantasy factor by October.
5. MVP voting, in order: Russell Wilson, Eli Manning, Von Miller, Ben Roethlisberger. (Draft your fantasy team accordingly.) Vonnie Football racks up 17 sacks _ 1.5 shy of his own franchise record _ and pro athletes line up for their turn at offseason training on "Dancing with the Stars."
6. How do you put a $114.5 million contract to work? Von Miller Field at Mile High. The Super Bowl MVP makes it the house that Von bought, complete with a cowboy hat atop Bucky.
7. After careful reconsideration, and with an army of public-relations experts, San Francisco 49ers polarizer Colin Kaepernick finally makes headway on his vague political stance by championing a new law: If you believe police are the problem, check this box. This box means when a bad guy points a gun at your head, the cops needn't respond. You're on your own.
8. National League Cy Young candidate Tyler Anderson gets the start in the Rockies' first playoff game since ... oops. That will be October 2017.
9. Dolphins coach Adam Gase, the former Broncos coordinator, shows why he's the NFL's Brad Stevens. Undermanned and still a year away, the Dolphins contend for a rare playoff spot.
10. Lindsey Vonn, Missy Franklin and Holly Holm return for another cameo on the Broncos' sideline. Is there another team whose female fandom can top four World Cup overall titles, five Olympic golds and a UFC title belt? No wonder the Broncos are champs.
11. Not to let the air out, but the Patriots go 3-1 during Handsome Tom's suspension, and media erect Bill Belichick statues from USA Today to ESPN. Nevermind the three wins will come against the Bills, Dolphins and Texans and their combined record of 23-25 in '15.
12. How to fix our traffic issues on the parking lot formerly known as Interstate 25? Gov. John Hickenlooper proposes that all transplants must store their automobile and ride Light Rail for a period of three years. Five for Raiders fans who still have their license.
13. The Overachievers, relative to their projected win totals in Las Vegas: Cardinals (9.5 wins), Vikings (8), Titans (5.5). Underachievers: Bears (7.5), Raiders (8.5), Colts (9.5).
14. Tim Tebow returns to Colorado _ as a tight end with the Broncos, a left fielder for the Grand Junction Rockies, and, in a spirited twist, as the lead in "Hamilton" at the Buell Theater.
15. The 11-5 Broncos, led by NFL Coach of the Year Gary Kubiak, win a snowy road game at Pittsburgh for the AFC championship. In Super Bowl LI, Denver beats Seattle, 18 to 13.
About the Author
