Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller hosted his fourth annual pass-rush summit Thursday in a virtual format amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Miller was joined by former NFL defensive end Chuck Smith, who works as a pass-rushing coach, for the nearly two-hour session.

Here's a look at some of the attendees, per NFL.com:

• A.J. Epenesa (Buffalo Bills)
• Arik Armstead (San Francisco 49ers)
• Bradley Chubb (Denver Broncos)
• Calais Campbell (Baltimore Ravens)
• Cameron Jordan (New Orleans Saints)
• Chandler Jones (Arizona Cardinals)
• D.J. Reader (Cincinnati Bengals)
• Isaiah Simmons (Cardinals)
• Khalil Mack (Chicago Bears)
• Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns)
• Shaquil Barrett (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Smith provided a brief behind-the-scenes glimpse at the session:

The event benefited Miller's campaign to provide food to people struggling with hunger amid the COVID-19 pandemic, per NFL.com. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus in April and described the experience to Kent Babb of the Washington Post after he recovered in May:

"Not being able to breathe. I got asthma, but it was past the asthma attack—like my lungs were constricting. My asthma nebulizer helped, but it still didn't feel like it was supposed to. That was the most frightening part. Just going to sleep knowing that my oxygen level could drop and I could wake up and have to go to the hospital.

"You can't really taste. You can't really smell. That in turn kind of messes with your appetite, so you're not really eating like you're supposed to. The first four, five days I was honestly nervous. I wouldn't say that I thought I was going to die or anything like that, but it did cross my mind a little bit."

Miller has established himself as perhaps he league's best edge-rusher since the Broncos selected him No. 2 overall in the 2011 draft. His 106 sacks since his rookie season are 10 more than any other player over that span, per Pro Football Reference.

His resume includes eight Pro Bowl appearances, seven All-Pro selections (three first team and four second team), the 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and a championship from Super Bowl 50.    

The dress code at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, apparently isn't optional—even if you're Peyton Manning.

On Tuesday, The Athletic published an oral history of Manning's 2012 free-agency saga.

Following Manning's visit with the Denver Broncos, general manager John Elway offered to take him out for a beer. They traveled to Cherry Hills, which presented a minor problem for Manning because of his limited wardrobe, as he recounted:

"We pulled into Cherry Hills [Country Club] and I remember Elway said, 'You can't wear jeans here. Do you have any other pants?' I said, 'No. This all happened so fast. I just packed one little overnight bag. All I got is jeans.' And he said, 'That's OK. It's a $50 fine. I'll pay the $50 fine.' And all [director of player personnel Matt] Russell had on was like an athletic sweatsuit. So it cost John $100 to take us over to have a beer."

Brandon Stokley, a friend of Manning's who was also a free agent, received an invite to the outing and hurried to find something appropriate to wear after Manning alerted him to the no-jeans rule.

Unfortunately for the veteran receiver, he might have been overdressed.

"I show up in a full suit and Russell is in a tracksuit, John Fox is in blue jeans and I'm just like, 'Wait, what? What is going on?'" Stokley said.

Whatever embarrassment Stokley might have experienced didn't preclude him from joining Manning on the Broncos that offseason.

Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has tested positive for COVID-19.  

The 10-year veteran has "cold-like symptoms" but is expected to fully recover, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Mike Klis of 9News reported that Jackson began feeling congested two days ago and experienced chills soon afterward. The positive test result was revealed on Wednesday morning, and he will now enter quarantine for two weeks.

Jackson recently helped lead a June 6 protest in Denver alongside Broncos teammates and coaches to end systemic racism and police brutality following the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody, but his appearance is not to blame for his COVID-19 diagnosis.

Per Schefter, none of the Broncos teammates who protested with Jackson have tested positive. Jackson also spoke with Klis and said his doctor did not believe the march was the cause.

"No, the doctor said with the congestion starting two days ago that I picked it up this weekend. It definitely wasn't from the march," he told Klis.

Per Klis, over 50 Broncos and all 25 team coaches were at the protest.

The 32-year-old is one of numerous NFL players and coaches who have tested positive for COVID-19, including teammate and linebacker Von Miller, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

Jackson, who played for Alabama, suited up for the Houston Texans from 2010-18. He joined the Broncos during the 2019 offseason and amassed 71 tackles, 10 passes defended and two interceptions last year. He also scored a defensive touchdown versus his former team in a 38-24 road win.

The Jackson news comes shortly after comments made by NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills to reporters on Wednesday regarding the league's developing COVID-19 protocols and testing guidelines, per Nick Shook of NFL.com.

As Shook wrote:

"Those guidelines weren't ironclad, though, and Sills said protocols are still being developed, with a very likely chance the testing strategy will look different from start to end of season as science evolves, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The plan as of now is to also test everyone who will be exposed to players and coaches—officials, for example—just prior to gameday.

"The overarching theme of the process is essentially everything remains fluid. The NFLPA and NFL 'are working to figure out how to apply the principals of the recommendations (from a special task force) as it relates to the calendar and schedule,' Sills said, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport."

The league and NFLPA released a nine-page protocol for the 2020 season on June 7 regarding club facility protocol safety guidelines.

As of now, most teams are scheduled to begin training camp on July 28, per Schefter, with a typical four-game preseason slate preceding the regular season, which starts in September.

Numerous coaches are concerned about the current schedule, however, in light of Elliott and other Cowboys and Texans players testing positive for COVID-19, per ESPN's Ed Werder:

The regular-season opener is currently slated to take place between the visiting Houston Texans and host Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 10.

Denver Broncos President and CEO Joe Ellis announced Monday the team would observe Juneteenth—celebrated on June 19 every year—as a permanent paid holiday.  

The UCHealth Training Center and Empower Field at Mile High will both be closed for the holiday.

The Kansas City Chiefs also announced Juneteenth as a company holiday Monday:

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced last week the league office would be closed in observance of Juneteenth:

"This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed. It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future."

Juneteenth is not currently recognized as a national holiday, though Washington D.C. and 47 other states recognize it as a day of observance or as a holiday.

The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865—more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation—when Union Major General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed the state's slaves they had been freed by executive order.

The Emancipation Proclamation itself didn't automatically free slaves in all parts of the country, as it "only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control," per Elizabeth Nix of History.com.

As for Texas, since the state didn't host major battles during the Civil War and didn't have a large presence of Union forces, slavery continued in the state after the Emancipation Proclamation and after the Civil War ended until Granger's arrival. 

Juneteenth was followed by the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery, on Dec. 6, 1865. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 came shortly after, which extended citizenship to emancipated slaves.

Denver Broncos rookie Jerry Jeudy still can't practice with his team, but the wideout is not just waiting around for facilities to open.

The 6'1", 193-pound Jeudy showcased his quickness and athleticism Thursday in a workout video posted to Twitter:

The No. 15 pick of the 2020 draft was a star at Alabama, totaling 2,478 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns over his final two years in college. He won the Biletnikoff Award in 2018 as the best receiver in the country.

Though the Broncos are excited about his future, the NFL offseason has been mostly virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic. Aside from individual workouts, players aren't allowed to take part in any organized activities.

Jeudy showed he can still be productive on his own while putting the rest of the NFL on notice.

Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller says he is hopeful that the outrage and unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd result in structural change against racism and discrimination against black people that did not happen in similar situations in the past. 

Miller shared his thoughts in an op-ed for Time: 

"Many of us have seen this day coming, but let's not get it twisted. The social upheaval we are witnessing is not about one horrific incident in Minneapolis. This has been building up for years, decades, generations. We can either confront it for what it is and make it an inflection point in the arc of our nation's history, or we can become complicit in the perpetuation of our disease because we refuse to admit we are ill. This time may be different. I pray that it is different. This time, many of the protesters are not black. This time, the entire country is engaged. This time, the entire world has taken notice. We have really begun to talk with each other, not just 'at' each other. If we can find the strength to come together as a people and fight for healing and change, then together we can enjoy the sunshine of our American ideals. If we do not choose this course, we can expect the darkness to remain."

Floyd died in police custody on May 25 when Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. In video footage that went viral the week of his killing, Floyd is heard telling Chauvin he cannot breathe.

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Two pathologists have determined Floyd's death was a homicide. Three additional officers who were involved with the arrest were fired and charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.   

Miller, who has asthma, also explained the impact of knowing any time he's needed assistance when he couldn't breathe, he's always received help, but George Floyd didn't, which made him reflect on the effect racism has had on him since a young age.

"I cannot even imagine what it would be like to get no help. Since George Floyd died, tears have overcome me at least once a day," Miller wrote. "And then, as I thought about it, I have felt this pain in varying degrees for as far back as I can remember—at least since the first time I was called a n----r in elementary school. The pain sears me every day, now. It's an emotional pain. It's a physical pain. It is the pain of oppression in a country that's supposed to be free."

Protesters have poured into the streets across the world since Floyd's death to demonstrate against police brutality and racial discrimination against black people.

Floyd's killing has been compared to that of Eric Garner in 2014. Like Floyd, Garner repeatedly told New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo he could not breathe while being placed in a chokehold. No criminal charges were filed against Pantaleo, leading to widespread outcry across the United States, including in the world of sports. 

Colin Kaepernick began peacefully protesting during the national anthem in the 2016 season. While many players have joined him, Kaepernick was vilified in some NFL circles for leading an issue that was divisive to fans. Kaepernick has not been signed by an NFL team since opting out of his 49ers contract after the 2016 season. 

While the NFL has been more supportive in wake of the current protests—commissioner Roger Goodell posted a video Friday saying the league was wrong in its attempts to quell peaceful demonstrations—Miller wants to see follow through with actions. 

"While it's great that the NFL made an official statement in support of Black Lives Matter and the right to peaceful protest, it will ultimately be up to the team owners to put league policy into action and walk the walk," Miller wrote. 

The Tennessee Titans traded five-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey to the Denver Broncos for a seventh-round pick this offseason, and the veteran defensive tackle isn't happy about it.

Appearing on the Double Coverage podcast, hosted by New England Patriots defensive backs Devin and Jason McCourty, Casey said the trade made him feel like he was thrown away "like a piece of trash" (h/t Turron Davenport of ESPN):

"The part that is so crazy is that you give so much to them. Especially when you come up on free agency and have opportunities to go somewhere else. Especially the way it was going when we were there, 2-14, 3-13. Those were some rough times. When you're a loyal guy and you feel like things are going in the right direction and you're that centerpiece, you got no choice but to fight it through. My mindset was to stick it out and things would get better.

"For us to get to that point to get better and to be a main focus of that and then you just throw me away to the trash like I wasn't a main block of that ... Coming off an injury the year before and playing the whole season for ya'll. No complaints, I did everything you wanted me to do and you throw me like a piece of trash. At the end of the day, none of these businesses are loyal."

Casey also said he found out from his agent that the Titans were shopping him. The team not only didn't reach out to him directly with that news but also only reached out to him "like 30 seconds before the trade went down."

"It was a blow to the heart because I would have thought that one of them would have hit me up," he added.

Casey, 30, registered 44 tackles (five for loss), five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries in 14 games last season. It was another solid year for Casey, who remains one of the league's more solid interior lineman. 

He doesn't come cheap, however. Over the next two seasons, he has cap hits of $12.2 million and $13.8 million, per Spotrac.com. For a Titans team that paid big bucks to keep quarterback Ryan Tannehill and will eventually have to do the same for running back Derrick Henry, that cost became prohibitive. 

And so Casey was shipped off to Denver. But he won't have to wait long to exact his revenge—the Broncos host the Titans in Week 1 on Monday Night Football. 

Several Denver Broncos players and staff marched as part of a protest against police brutality and racial inequality Saturday.

The Broncos tweeted videos of the players and coaches marching together in downtown Denver:  

Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reported that 50 Broncos players and all 25 of the team's coaches, including head coach Vic Fangio, were part of the protest:

Klis tweeted a photo of Broncos superstar pass-rusher Von Miller taking part, who later spoke to the crowd:

Also, Klis provided video of Broncos quarterback Drew Lock discussing the importance of the team being unified and part of the Black Lives Matter movement:

Protests have been held in major cities across the United States for nearly two weeks following the death of George Floyd on May 25 while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Floyd was killed after officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee pressed against the back of Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and laying facedown on the ground. Floyd said he couldn't breathe on multiple occasions.

Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his actions. The other three officers on the scene—Thomas Lane, J.A. Keung and Tou Thao—were charged with aiding and abetting.

The march in Denver came one day after Broncos general manager John Elway tweeted a statement in which he supported the team's players in their fight for racial equality:

The Broncos have missed the playoffs in each of the past four seasons after winning Super Bowl 50, but there are heightened expectations surrounding the team entering the 2020 season.

They have a strong defense led by Miller and a defensive-minded coach in Fangio, and the offense figures to improve significantly with Lock in his second season, running back Melvin Gordon joining the team in free agency and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy coming in as a first-round pick.

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway said Friday he's "not going to stay on the sidelines" during the fight against racial injustice.

Elway, who led the franchise to a pair of Super Bowl titles during his playing career, posted a statement on Twitter after conversations with members of the Broncos organization:

He noted his discussions over the past week changed his perspective.

"I always thought that since I grew up in a locker room, I knew everything there was to know about understanding teammates from different backgrounds and walks of life," he wrote. "What I've realized is that I could not have been more wrong."

Elway's comments come amid nationwide protests seeking racial equality and an end to police brutality after the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody last week.

Athletes from across the sports spectrum, including those from around the world, have joined the fight.

Broncos linebacker Von Miller was among those to release a statement supporting the movement:

Meanwhile, Denver head coach Vic Fangio received criticism for saying he didn't see racism in the NFL:

He later apologized.

Elway, 59, was the Broncos' quarterback from 1983 through 1998 and returned to the organization in 2011 to serve as general manager.

Members of the Denver Broncos have organized a peaceful protest on Saturday at the Colorado State Capitol.

Per Troy Renck of Denver's ABC 7, Broncos players and coaches will meet at the Capitol around 12 p.m. local time and could potentially speak with local law enforcement and government officials. 

Safety Kareem Jackson told reporters on a Zoom call earlier this week that it was time "to put some action behind the conversation" amid ongoing protests across the country after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin:

"Because if not, those things will continue to happen. But that's definitely unacceptable. It's horrifying to see those types of things and just to think about his family and for them to have to watch that. I know how it affected me; I know how it affected some of the other people around the world. Just to think about his family and them having to watch that, it's sad."

The Broncos are the second NFL team to organize a protest. The Jacksonville Jaguars held one on Friday, marching from their own stadium to the steps of the local sheriff's department. 

According to Renck, Denver citizens are also planning a peaceful protest that will begin at 3 p.m. local time that could also include members of the Broncos organization.