Summer is here, and instead the focus shifts to barbeques, the Fourth of July holiday, camping and family vacations.

But meanwhile, at Broncos headquarters and at the facilities of the other 31 teams, preparation is well underway.

With a new head coach in Vance Joseph, the Broncos have been allowed the additional time set by the league to look at veteran players and get ready for training camp and the upcoming season. OTAs ended on Thursday and next week the team has its minicamp.

Then will come some time off for most people.

Some of the rookies will still be around the facility, but for most players, coaches and football staff members, they will head for the hills — figuratively, and in some cases literally — to get some quality down time with their families and friends.

We are about two months away from the annual Hall of Fame game and festivities around the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony that serve as the annual kickoff to the season, but if you look at the league calendar, the "new year" began within a couple of weeks of the last Super Bowl confetti being cleaned up.

There's not as much down time in football as there may seem, and there's always something in the sport for the media to cover.

On Thursday the Colorado chapter of the National Football Foundation met to begin planning for its 25th annual banquet, and the College Football Hall of Fame ballot is out (with eight former Bronco players up for induction).

In the middle of the NBA and NHL playoffs, and with the baseball season in full swing, one of the dominating sports stories was the retirement of Oklahoma football head coach Bob Stoops.

And the Denver media outlets cover every event the Broncos have, with the fans reading and watching every word. It seems like everyone I run into asks about the progress of the rookies, and of course the very mention of the word "quarterback" is sure to set off discussion and debate.

There is a palpable buzz around the Broncos facility these days.

Vance Joseph is a big part of that, with his candor, positive attitude and accessibility, all of which are contagious within the entire organization.

It is easy to see the vibe that has been created, which must be a big foundation for the success the Broncos anticipate having this year.

Of course, on the football side, that excitement begins with John Elway, as it has since he first landed in Denver in 1983. So too has that extended to the hiring of Vance Joseph and the new coaching staff, as well as with the player-acquisition process, including both the draft and free agency, which has fans very excited for the prospects of this new season.

There have been very few days off for the football people, but this is hardly a complaint, as football people love the morning smells of black coffee and freshly cut grass as each day begins.

And in the immortal words of the late Buddy Young, who was a superb running back who followed up with a long administrative career in the NFL, "Every day is a great day in which to excel."

Nothing can be added to that other than to repeat it over and over in one's mind, because football never ends.