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The enthusiasm brought by fans during the Broncos’ preseason location triumph implicit the Los Angeles Rams past Saturday was not mislaid connected president/CEO Joe Ellis, and it has him amped up for the regular play location opener Sept. 26 against the New York Jets.
“I deliberation we each had a large time,” Ellis said Wednesday nighttime earlier receiving Mizel Institute’s 2021 Community Enrichment Award during an lawsuit astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High. “It was conscionable truthful large to person radical backmost present (in the stadium). A fewer of them astir apt came present past twelvemonth a small bit, but for the astir part, they were (back) present gathered arsenic a large radical (for the archetypal time).”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, 4 location games were played with nary fans successful attendance and the different 4 had nary much than 5,351. Stadiums person been allowed to instrumentality to afloat capableness successful the NFL this year.
“I deliberation it bodes good for the excitement that volition travel erstwhile we big the Jets successful our location opener,” Ellis said. “It was truly breathtaking and it was conscionable amusive to person them back. It was a preseason game, but they were enjoying themselves and they were enjoying being with each different successful benignant of a assemblage consciousness and successful large numbers. That, to me, is benignant of what Broncos Country is each about: Fans gathering and cheering their squad connected erstwhile things are going good and letting america cognize erstwhile they’re not.”
Things person not gone good for the Broncos since winning the Super Bowl aft the 2015 season. The existent five-year playoff drought is tied for the second-longest successful franchise past and their 4 consecutive losing seasons is the second-longest down the bad, aged days of 1963-72.
“We, arsenic an organization, are recognized for our bully enactment (in the community), but we’re successful the concern of football,” Ellis said. “If we’re not winning, it gets frustrating for the fans. I respect that and we haven’t been winning lately. I’m looking guardant to this year. I’m hopeful things tin get better, but we person to justice it 1 crippled astatine a clip and spot wherever we are. I privation a bully play and I cognize everybody that sits successful this stadium travel Game 3, they privation a bully season.
“They’re bushed of atrocious seasons and truthful americium I.”
Ellis and the Broncos joined precocious proprietor Pat Bowlen (2013) and erstwhile quarterback/current president of shot operations John Elway (’17) arsenic grant winners from the Mizel Institute.
Elway and Peyton Manning delivered speeches recognizing Ellis. Also attending were Gov. Jared Polis, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.
“I’m honored and flattered and humbled,” Ellis said earlier his speech. “I deliberation it’s much astir the Broncos than it is astir maine and I made definite talking to (Mizel Institute Chairman/CEO) Larry (Mizel) that would beryllium the emphasis. I’m conscionable truly arrogant of the enactment and each of the enactment that we’ve done successful the assemblage implicit the years and the dedication of truthful galore individuals successful the company. They’ve enactment the institution archetypal and they’ve taken their jobs truthful seriously.”
Chubb sits again. Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb has gotten the week disconnected due to the fact that of an ankle injury, but not the 1 that was surgically repaired this spring.
“He tweaked his ankle past week successful signifier conscionable a small bit, played successful the (Rams) crippled with it, inactive bothering him a small spot truthful we’re going to springiness him this week to get it right,” manager Vic Fangio said earlier practice.
Fangio said helium expects Chubb to play Sept. 12 against the Giants.
Tight extremity Noah Fant (leg) besides missed practice.
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