SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As Denver worked Thursday in a competitive joint practice, Levi's Stadium stood not so far in the distance.
Ten years ago, the Broncos bathed in confetti as they celebrated a Super Bowl 50 win in that building. And on Feb. 8, they hope to be back again.
Denver will officially begin its preseason slate on Saturday, and Head Coach Sean Payton acknowledged their ultimate goal is to close the year in the same stadium in Super Bowl LX.
Yet — as Payton mentioned earlier in training camp — the focus is on the more immediate path ahead.
"It's the goal," Payton said Thursday. "It's always the goal, but I think it starts really more in the division. It starts with playing in your division well, having a chance to compete to win your division and then the next goal is seeding. Then the final goal would be trying to get to the championship game."
Quarterback Bo Nix also acknowledged the necessary work — both as it relates to winning a championship and his ability to push himself into the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.
"I want to give my best shot at going out there and doing that," Nix said. "Not just obviously for [Payton], for our team [and] for this organization, but for myself. We put a lot of hard work into this. Each and every day is a battle and a grind. We just want to see the fruits of our labor, and so I think that's obviously our goal. We talk about Super Bowls, talk about winning culture; that helps a lot in being the best that I can be."
Right tackle Mike McGlinchey certainly sees the potential that Nix brings to the Broncos.
"The Denver Broncos have a real shot because Bo Nix is our quarterback," McGlinchey said.
As Nix looks to make that improvement, he also clearly outlined Denver's goal.
"If we're not trying to win a Super Bowl, why are we here?" Nix said.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga, who experienced playoff success while with San Francisco, said he sees similar traits between those Niners teams and the latest iteration of the Broncos. The schemes may be different, but the attitudes are similar.
"I think, obviously, schematically it is very different, but guys, at least on the defensive end that I've been a part of, are very ferocious guys that are willing to attack and compete every day," Hufanga said. "I think that's the biggest thing. You want to show up — nothing's promised every day, so for us, it's just showing up and being able to compete one on one."
With the Broncos continuing that work, McGlinchey emphasized the importance of Payton's belief in what the team can accomplish.
"I think it's great," McGlinchey said. "I think you want your head coach to believe that and certainly send that message to the rest of the team, because if you don't start the season with that belief, it's really hard to get it as you keep going. I believe it. I believe that we're capable of that. I believe the people we have in our building, the coaching staff that's getting us to the right places. I think the sky's the limit for our football team. Certainly you want a head coach that has that kind of belief, has that kind of confidence in his team. That just radiates throughout the whole team."
With the proper amount belief and the work — and some wins along the way — the Broncos may just be able to make that return trip.
