Denver Broncos | News

Children's Hospital Colorado's junior reporter Braden Roome had the opportunity to have a one-on-one interview with safety David Bruton Jr., watch practice and take a tour of the UCHealth Training Center last week. This is his story. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – This story starts like all great American adventures, in the drive thru at McDonalds! I’m in the passenger seat eating my McDouble with bacon as we arrive at the Broncos Facility. I am nervous but excited at the same time about what is about to happen. We are met in the parking lot by Christy of Children’s Hospital Colorado who made this possible. My Dad and I walk with Christy into the main lobby and there is a wall of trophies and in the middle are the two Lombardi Trophies and the Super Bowl rings (those rings are a lot bigger in real life.) In walks Amanda from the Broncos and she hands me a media pass and a backpack, which coincidentally I needed for school.We head out to the practice fields to see two scrimmages between the 49ers and Broncos taking place. On one field the Broncos offense is taking on the 49ers defense and the opposite on the other field. It is interesting to see another team practice against the Broncos since the media doesn’t show it. I look around and I see right in front of me Peyton Manning, C.J. Anderson, Demaryius Thomas, Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Demarcus Ware, and T.J. Ward to name a few. It is quickly becoming the best day ever! Practice finishes up and David Bruton Jr., last season’s special team’s captain, walks towards me. I introduce myself to him and then I start interviewing him. I was so amazed that a Broncos player was a foot away that it took my Dad to say a question to snap me back in to the moment (thanks Dad.) Since he played at Notre Dame for college I asked him what it was like playing for them. He said it was cold, which I said I can relate to. He also said that the atmosphere was amazing and the whole experience was phenomenal. He also mentioned there was lots of tradition to live up to. The next question I asked was how he thinks the defense improved over the offseason since he is a safety. David said he was excited for the new additions and that the new Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips has a new scheme that fits the defense and he said that it should be exciting to watch.I asked David what his first emotion was when the Broncos drafted him and he responded that he was happy for the opportunity to come to a great organization (which I agree.) It turns out that David had a Terrell Davis poster on his wall as a kid growing up and now here he is wearing number 30, the same number TD wore. I assumed that since he had a Terrell Davis poster that he also liked John Elway, so I asked him what it is like playing for Elway. David said that John Elway is a competitor and will do anything to win. Elway doesn’t just try to sign the offensive and defensive stars but he also realizes how important special teams are and focuses on it as much as he does on offense and defense. I next asked him what his expectations for the team are for this season. He gave me the answer I was hoping for, to win a Super Bowl. I would like David to know that I am available to interview him at the Super Bowl when that occurs. I surprised him and the onlookers when I then asked David how long it took him to adjust to the Colorado altitude. About a month and a half David explained, but also said that whenever the Broncos came back from a road game that he felt like he was starting all over again. I started to ask my next question but was distracted as I saw Peyton Manning out of the corner of my eye. I told David that I was sorry that I got distracted by seeing Peyton to which he said do you want to try and meet him. Of course I said yes and he brought Peyton over to where we took a picture together and signed my #18 jersey I was wearing. Did I mention this is the best day ever?I wanted to know what David’s goals for himself are for this season. He said that there is a safety battle and that he wants to become a starter this season. He then said he will do whatever it takes to help this team win. My last question to David was who his favorite football player was growing up. He answered “Sweetness” Walter Payton and he liked Sean Taylor when he was in college. In the backpack that I mentioned earlier there was a white football and I asked David to autograph it for me. Without me asking he volunteered to go to the locker room to get other Broncos to autograph my football. After a few minutes of waiting he returned with a ball covered with autographs of pretty much every Pro Bowler on the Broncos and then some. I really appreciated him taking the time to do that for me! After David left we were taken on a tour of the training facility. I saw the cafeteria, the new indoor practice facility, the quarterbacks meeting room, and the main auditorium where they study film and have press conferences. At this point my time was over for the day but I left with a lifetime of memories. This was without a doubt, THE BEST DAY EVER!

Denver Broncos | News

Children's Hospital Colorado's Jr. Reporter: Without a doubt, the best day ever!