ENGLEWOOD, Colo. —With Thanksgiving on Thursday, Broncos players and coaches took time to talk about spending time with family and friends, and making time to come together during the holiday.

For Head Coach John Fox and some players, it was a special time to look back on how far they've come from health concerns a year ago.

"I was in the locker room the other day. It was a Thursday, we were weighing in and I was standing there with Derek Wolfe and Rahim Moore along with myself. It is amazing what a year brings and how thankful you need to be," Fox said. "Rahim had a very serious injury that he was recovered and recuperated and playing at a high level. You know and Derek Wolfe went through some seizures that they had to get figured out medically. So yeah I think it brings you back to earth for sure."

And it's also been a special time of the year for players to help in the community. Fifteen players took 42 children from 14 branches from the Boys and Girls club of Metro Denver to shop at Sports Authority, with each child treated to $125 gift cards at the store. Some also helped out with a Thanksgiving meal giveaway, and DeMarcus Ware spent time with an eight-year veteran as part of the Salute to Service month, and gave his family tickets to an upcoming Broncos game.

"I think it's good that we have a lot of guys doing that," Peyton Manning said. "It's an opportunity to help those that are going through tough times and having some struggles. I think Thanksgiving's important to have a meal hopefully with some type of family or have some fellowship there. We have a lot of players doing good things and it makes you glad to be a part of a good group of guys."

And then, of course, there's the food and family.

"Whether my family's here or not, I'm going to eat," Terrance Knighton said, noting that the food is his favorite part of the holiday. "I'll be stopping at a few of my teammates' houses. Whoever has the best cooking, I'll probably stay there the longest."

For himself, he's going to give making his mother's macaroni and cheese recipe a shot, but knows it won't be the same without her in town to make it.

And though many players won't be able to go home and share the day with their family, most said they'd spend the holiday with their locker room family, sharing the day with their teammates.