Hello Broncos Country! I hope you were able to watch the game on Sunday even though it was at 11:00 a.m. instead of the usual 2:05 p.m.! The season thus far has seen many of our outstanding veterans become injured and unable to contribute on the field. And out of the adversity of this situation a rare phenomenon has occurred; the young players on our team have been given a unique opportunity. For some this may be the biggest challenge they have faced as athletes. Still trying to prove themselves as professional football players, they are being placed in new positions and unfamiliar roles and are expected to perform as well as players with years of NFL experience. This is an immense physical and emotional task, and I think the stakes are higher than many of us realize.
When a rookie makes a team, he knows that he may be a backup to one or two very strong veteran players. His focus for the year is to keep his roster spot by constantly improving. This year the mission at hand for our rookies has become a different one – assuming the roles of veterans and facing some of the biggest talents in the league at short notice. This past Sunday taught me a lot about the spirit and the character of our rookies - they may be new in the league, but when Coach Shanahan put them on the field, they delivered performances befitting our proud Denver Broncos Football Club and justified Coach Shanahan’s faith and trust in them. To be a professional football player, it takes more than muscles, speed, and physical endurance – it requires extreme mental strength. No matter how talented an individual may be, if he cannot endure the pressure, stress, and unexpectedness of a game, he simply cannot make it in this league. Sometimes it takes years to acquire the mental toughness needed to succeed in this league, but for our rookies, it is now or never.
The young men on this team have exhibited strength, passion, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to help the Broncos win. I have heard many of them being interviewed after games and a common theme has emerged: they are all willing to play any position and do whatever the coaches require of them. This shows that they all have a strong work ethic, and more importantly, are team players. Football is not an “I” sport; it is a sport that requires the effort of every member of the team. It requires selflessness. Throughout history, countless teams have crumbled because of players who have only cared about their own interests. A successful team beats with one heart – and our proud rookies understand this message.
So although the injuries this season have been devastating for our team, they have also given us a glimpse into the future. And I believe that the future holds many years of success for the Denver Broncos!
In a strange way, we can be thankful for the adversity the team has faced this season, because it has brought about remarkable teamwork and dedication. It may sound strange for me to say that we can be thankful for adversity; however, I believe there is a lesson we can learn from this and apply to our own lives. The fact is that we are all bound to face disheartening obstacles and tough times in life and these situations sometimes impede our ability to recall our blessings. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, let’s make it a Broncos Country mission to take a moment to appreciate the marvelous things in our lives, by thinking of our family and friends, the memories we have made, and the memories which we still have to make.
Before I go, let me say that I am very thankful for all the awesome fans of Broncos Country. Enjoy delicious turkey and a wonderful holiday! And of course - Broncos are atop the AFC West!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Tags: Denver Broncos, Romi Bean
Hi Romi,
I actually missed the Atlanta game on TV - we were flying back home from a wedding in Baton Rouge, LA. I saw enough of the highlights to appreciate the effort of our whole team and especially some of the rookies. Of course Eddie Royal has made a great contribution from day one and I heard about Spencer Larsen playing both linebacker and fullback (not to mention special teams) in that Atlanta game - just to name a couple. You’re right we are going to have our ups and downs the next year or so, but the future is starting to look really bright.
And, thankfully, we’ve got you and your teammates on the field for us - even if things do go south during a home game. You girls do so much to make things better for those less fortunate than ourselves and we’re also so thankful for that.
Hope I’ll get a chance to meet you before the game on Sunday if you’re doing any of the pregame promotions.
Take care - and thanks for staying in touch.
Don
Romi, you are absolutely right. The Broncos will be fine now and in the future. Losing Nate Jackson hurts but I think Scheffler will be fine once again. It’s time to crush the Raiders!
You’re absolutely right…we are a TEAM, and we came together well. The rookies did exceptional, including NFL Rookie of the Week, SPENCER LARSEN!!! I give thanks that I have the opportunity to go to Denver to see them crush the Raiders this Sunday!!!
Hey Romi,
I agree with you. I mean, these Broncos could have gone down the same path as last season… but you can tell there’s people stepping up, and are showing what a team can do with adversity. Character is a big deal down the stretch of the season and the Broncos have shown a lot of it so far (especially those rookies, as you said).
So with that said, GO BRONCOS!! Hope you have a good time at this game and have yourself a great Thanksgiving!
-CB123
Hey Romi, I hope you had a chance to watch the game on Sunday too, even with the 11 am start, but I’m sure you did. I was wondering then which play or series during the game particularly stood out to you that exemplified the young rookies stepping up and assuming veteran roles?
Thanks,
Your fav
Hi everyone! Great to hear from you all!
Don — Sorry I didn’t get to see you today at the game! Hopefully you ran into some of the other cheerleaders around the stadium. Hope you are doing well and have a wonderful thanksgiving!
BuckNBronco - I love your positive attitude! I know today was a hard game, but keep up your positive spirit — fans like you are the best fans around!!
CB123 — I couldn’t agree more with what you said. Our team is full of many men of character, and even if we face tough losses like we did today, we will bounce back because of the caliber of the men on the team. I’m excited to see which rookies step up as leaders within the coming years.
Gobblegobble — I hope you watched the game today against the Raiders even though it was a tough one. Who was your favorite player of the game this week?
Happy thanksgiving everyone!!
Hi Romi,
I was really sorry to miss you at the pregame yesterday also. We had the calendar and camera and were all set, but our bus was slower than expected getting there and it was 1:20 when we finally got to the stadium - so you and the other girls were getting ready for the pre-game by that time. Anyway, it was nice to see you all - even if it was from the “nosebleed” seats. And thanks for another great performance - as always.
Like you said, there will be ups and downs with a young Broncos team and yesterday was definitely the latter. Thanks for helping us keep things in perspective. I still think this team is going to be good - we, as fans, just have to stay patient and be as loud supportive as we can in the meantime.
I’m hoping to catch up with you and some of the other girls at some of your between games appearances around town. Looks like you’re going to be signing on December 10th, if I read that right? Of course I still am going to try to see as many of you as I can before the KC game.
Romi, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for the many blessings we have and so thankful to you and your teammates for all the community service work you do and all of the support you have given our troops over the years.
Don
With the poor performance and Nate Jackson injury, it’s tough to pick a new fave. It certainly was not any of the washed up ex-broncos; ashley lelie, javon, or gerard warren, so I will go with Brandon Stokley. Who was your favorite player of the game?