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.
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DENVER — More than 24 hours after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Coloradans are continuing to express their feelings about what the attack means not only for the world, but here in our state.
For the second straight day, Coloradans expressed their opinions on the steps of the state Capitol about the attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
But instead of anger, as was the case on Saturday, the tone on Sunday was more cheerful.
“Today it’s a celebration about like getting our freedom back, and we would love to have people to be happy with us,” said Forzun Yalme, who helped organize the event with Free Iran Colorado.
For some Iranian-Americans, the news of the attack brings a new sense of hope that freedom is near.
“For me to be Iranian-American, in 47 years here, I learned about democracy and human rights and what I like,” detailed Amir Tosh, another member of Free Iran Colorado. “I want to transfer what your values are for democracy, human rights, freedom to my country, my motherland.”
Denver rally shows divided feelings over U.S.-Israel action against Iran
“My uncle and grandma, grandparents, they were all so happy about what happened, because we can, like, now feel the freedom,” explained Yalme.
But some Iranian-Americans are more cautious.
Colorado’s only Iranian-American state representative, Yara Zokaie, doubts the operation will have a significant impact to Iran’s leadership.
“I’m sympathetic to people who want regime change by any means necessary, but I think we also need to stop and realize what this actually means,” said Zokaie. “Regime change is not something that can happen in one airstrike.”
Zokaie admits she herself was elated to hear Iran’s supreme leader and other top officials were killed in the attack.
But she hopes Coloradans remember the innocent people who have already been killed and those who are more likely to come.
“I ask that we remember the humanity of people in the Middle East as this news unfolds. I ask that we call for a peaceful resolution that we empower Iranian people who will bring change from within, and that we call for no war with Iran,” said Zokaie.
Several people at today’s event at the Capitol approached our Denver7 team. They shared their gratitude for President Donald Trump, the US military, and the Israelis for their action in helping bring freedom to Iran.
They hope others will see that as well. They plan on being here for the next hour and a half or so.
Denver police are looking for information that could help them identify the suspect in a fatal assault overnight.
Officers were called to the scene in the 9700 block of E. Hampden Avenue around 2:08 a.m. They said an injured man at the scene was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he has been pronounced deceased.
DPD says they’re investigating the case as a homicide. They did not provide the identity of the man who was killed or further details on the case.
Police encouraged anyone with information about the attack or the possible suspect(s) involved to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
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