Denver, CO
Broncos HC Sean Payton not expecting “flowers and warm fuzzies” in return to New Orleans
Sean Payton is glad for the short week.
Not only does the Broncos head coach have less time to dwell on an ugly, 23-16 loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Chargers, but there’s also less time for considering all of the emotion and history that will come with his return to New Orleans when Denver plays there Thursday night.
“It will be unique. One of the things we talk about with our players is trying to handle all this stuff ahead of time,” Payton told reporters Monday. “I have a great wife — (the) tickets are done with, family, my children. I think those around us know how challenging the short week is as compared to as if it was a full week.
“Certainly, there will be emotions going back there. … The amount of time I was there, I understand it.”
The history, of course, barely needs to be revisited. Payton spent 2006-21 coaching the Saints, won a Super Bowl in 2009 and paired with Drew Brees to form one of the most prolific coach-quarterback duos in NFL history.
Thursday night, naturally, includes a celebration of Brees, who is being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.
Payton acknowledges all of that but figures most of the adulation will be for the retired quarterback rather than the head coach standing on the visiting sideline.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of flowers and warm fuzzies for yours truly, and I get it,” he said. “Listen, I can’t stand losing. It’s about our team and me as the head coach of the Broncos getting ready to play on an early week and trying to play one of our better games.”
Payton knows that challenge well. The Superdome is one of the louder venues in football. Both Denver and New Orleans are coming off losses and need to win to get back on track.
Then there’s, well, everything else.
“Fortunately it’s a short week because I haven’t had the chance to dive into all the other stuff,” he said. “Drew is going into their Hall of Fame. They also have a ring of honor, so that’s a separate event — (and soon he’ll be inducted to) the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I have already reached out to him, congratulated him and said, ‘This is the first of many.’
“I say this, but it’s about the game. It’s about the win. The significance of us playing our best football on a short week. It’s about our team. I’ll address that with them tomorrow morning. ‘Hey, let’s understand the significance of getting our fourth win.’ I think that’s the No. 1 thing and then go from there.”
This story will be updated.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.
Denverites looking for a stellar cup of Joe don’t need to travel far to savor the flavor of excellent coffee.
That’s according to The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, a website that rates global hospitality establishments where coffee lovers can find better brew. The website recently announced its 2026 list of the best coffee shops in North America, Central America and the Caribbean and two local companies made the list.
Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters came in at No. 43, while Queen City Collective Coffee ranked No. 61. Not bad for a list that includes must-hit destinations in places like Guatemala and Costa Rica, which are known for their exports of coffee beans.
The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops decided the ranking through a mix of nominations and voting by both the public and experts. Places were evaluated based on the quality of coffee served, barista expertise, ambiance, sustainability practices, and innovation among other criteria, according to the website.
Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, which came on the scene in 2013, helped usher the so-called fourth wave of coffee locally, which focuses on honoring the beans’ agricultural roots and using techniques like pour-over to extract more flavor from each brew. The company started with a wholesale roastery and retail shop in Lakewood before expanding to Arvada through a merger with another company called Two Rivers, and later to Westminster. In 2022, Food and Wine magazine named Sweet Bloom’s Westminster locale the best coffee shop in Colorado.
Queen City Collective has certainly earned the popular vote among Mile High City coffee drinkers if the company’s expansion is an indication. Since opening its first retail location in 2018, in a spot shared with Novel Strand Brewing Co., Queen City has expanded to seven locations between Denver and surrounding suburbs, including Wheat Ridge and Aurora.
To see the full list of must-hit coffee shops across the globe, visit theworlds100bestcoffeeshops.com. For additional recommendations, check out our list of Colorado’s best coffee shops with picturesque patios and views.
Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.
DENVER (KDVR) — With the mild winter and warm start to spring, beekeepers are seeing swarms earlier in the year and expect the season to be longer than usual.
Gregg McMahan is a dispatcher for the Colorado Swarm Hotline. It’s usually his job to send a beekeeper to collect a swarm when someone calls, but on Sunday afternoon, he decided to handle one himself.
“Nice little swarm,” McMahan said. “It’s tricky, though, because it’s hanging on a fence.”
A warm winter and spring mean swarm season has begun four weeks early.
“Never seen it like this ever,” McMahan said.
This call is to a house on Denver’s east side. When McMahan arrived, he saw a swarm had taken up residence on the fence.
“Absolutely typical, it is on the small side,” McMahan said.
He got to work, first luring them into a box when he spotted a good sign.
“See all these girls, they got their butts up, they’re fanning their wings. That’s telling us the queens in here,” McMahan said.
With the queen in hand, the rest began to follow her into the box.
McMahan said two years ago, he had 400 calls like this. Last year, only 100, the Swarm Hotline was as unpredictable as the weather, which has caused bee activity earlier in the year than ever.
“It makes it hard on the bees, you know? Two days ago, I’m collecting swarms in the snow,” McMahan said.
Rescuing them is integral to Colorado’s ecosystem. McMahan hopes people give a beekeeper a call instead of spraying them or harming them in any other way.
“They do a phenomenal amount of pollination within this state. Not only our native flowers but all the other flowers that people bring in,” McMahan said.
Slowly but surely, the swarm left the fence and moved into the box. McMahan loaded them into his truck to deliver them to their new home.
“Westminster to the Stanley Lake Wildlife Refuge, so these girls will have lakefront property tonight,” he said.
As he wrapped up, McMahan’s phone was buzzing more than the bees. Just another call to start a swarm season, he thinks, could be a long one.
“This year I’m already 20 swarms deep, so I’m expecting way more than 100 this year,” McMahan said.
To have a bee swarm removed for free from your property anywhere statewide, the Swarm Hotline number is 1-844-SPY-BEES.
-
Detroit, MI23 minutes agoMan jumps into action to save girlfriend in crash involving teen driver fleeing MSP
-
San Francisco, CA35 minutes agoSanta Rosa: The 1906 earthquake almost lost to history
-
Dallas, TX42 minutes agoJohnston scores twice, Stars hold off Wild in Game 2 to even West 1st Round | NHL.com
-
Boston, MA55 minutes agoBetween Providence And Boston Is A Vibrant Massachusetts Town Bursting With Diverse Entertainment – Islands
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoMinnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Apr 20, 2026 Game Summary
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoAthletics Beat Mariners in Seattle 6-4
-
San Diego, CA1 hour agoEl Cajon crisis unit opens, bringing county’s total to eight
-
Milwaukee, WI1 hour agoWhat to know about Michael Lock as police execute warrant on his former home