Denver, CO
Denver Broncos’ rookie QB will make his highly anticipated regular season debut
The Denver Broncos hope Bo Nix is ready for the moment.
The rookie quarterback and the Broncos will face the Seattle Seahawks in their regular season opener at Lumen Field, one of the most intimidating stadiums in the NFL. The fans can be loud, making it difficult for the opposing team to communicate, resulting in penalties, particularly false starts by the offensive line.
Nix could be rattled by the noise and the pressure of playing in his first regular season game. However, Denver wide receiver Josh Reynolds isn’t worried. He said Nix has played in tough environments in college and possesses the poise to handle the crowd noise.
“Seattle is definitely a tough environment. But I think Bo, he’s played in big games. He’s played with crowds that kind of compare to this Seattle fan base,” Reynolds told reporters Monday. “I think he’ll adjust perfectly.”
Reynolds not only praised Nix for his mental toughness, he has been impressed by the rookie on the field.
Reynolds, 29, is playing in his ninth season. He previously played for the Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams. He has caught 220 passes for 2,933 yards and 19 touchdowns in his career, with most of passes coming from Jared Goff and a few from Ryan Tannehill.
Reynolds said Nix’s throws compares favorably to Goff and Tannehill.
“Bo Nix compared to anybody else I played with, he’s got a beautiful ball, man,’’ Reynolds told reporters. “He can place it wherever he wants to. He can put it on a line, he can have some touch with it. He’s got an amazing arm.”
The Broncos used their first-round pick (No. 12) to select Nix in the 2024 NFL draft. Denver coach Sean Payton named Nix as the Week 1 starter over veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson. Nix will be the first rookie to start at quarterback for Denver in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983.
Payton’s decision to name the rookie as the starter didn’t come as a much of a surprise. Payton had been connected to Nix since he saw the quarterback during a pre-draft workout in March. Nix is being compared to Drew Brees, a future Hall of Fame inductee after spending 14 seasons with Payton in New Orleans.
“I’m excited to see how he progresses and continues to take charge of this offense,” Reynolds said.
Denver, CO
Hundreds of flights delayed in Denver. Is yours one of them?
Elf on the Shelf VIPs surprise sisters amid Christmas flight delay
Two sisters got a surprise when Nashville flight crew brought their delayed Elf on the Shelf aboard for takeoff cheers.
USA TODAY
More than 300 flights at Denver International Airport were delayed, and three were canceled as of 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 3, according to flight tracking website Flight Aware.
The first significant blast of wintry weather in Denver for the season could lead to ground stops through the day, with the need to de-ice aircraft already contributing to the delays, according to the FAA. Denver only saw its first measurable snowfall last week, one of the latest recorded first snows in the city’s history.
Delays were expected across the country on Dec. 3, as post-Thanksgiving travel was hampered by a series of storms.
How busy is Denver International Airport?
Denver International Airport was the third busiest in the U.S. in 2024, setting a record for passenger traffic with more than 82.3 million passengers using it. About 45% of those passengers were making connections there, with the rest using it as an origin or destination.
What to do if your flight gets delayed or canceled
Travelers passing through DEN can track their flight status in several places, including the airport website.
If your flight is canceled, Scott Keyes, founder of Going, recommended using the airlines’ mobile app to rebook as soon as possible. If passengers need to speak with someone by phone, Keyes suggested calling one of the carrier’s international lines.
“The best thing travelers can do is to be as proactive as possible switching to a new flight,” Keyes previously told USA TODAY. “When a flight gets canceled, all of a sudden hundreds of passengers need new itineraries. There may only be a handful of seats left on the best flights, and it’s a first-come, first-(served) endeavor.”
If your flight is delayed, you should also contact the airline quickly and see if it offers any compensation or can rebook you for significant delays. The Trump administration eliminated a rule proposed under the Biden administration that would have required cash compensation for delays under certain circumstances, but airlines may still provide some kind of assistance if you’re going to be stuck for a while.
USA TODAY Staff writer Nathan Diller contributed to this report.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
Denver, CO
Denver prepares for first big snow of the season; most residential streets won’t be plowed
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver is bracing for the first significant snow of the season, and city officials warn the worst impacts could hit right during Wednesday’s morning commute.
The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure says most residential streets — including many in the city’s core neighborhoods — will not be plowed overnight. Instead, crews will focus on main roads and known trouble spots as snow moves in late Tuesday into early Wednesday.
“This is definitely… that feeling of here we go, winter has begun,” said DOTI spokesperson Nancy Kuhn.
Kuhn says pavement temperatures ahead of the storm aren’t freezing yet, meaning light-to-moderate accumulations can be managed without deploying residential plows.
“Since the pavement temperatures are not freezing yet, we don’t think that we’re going to need to deploy those residential plows,” she said.
Drivers should expect snow-packed and icy conditions in neighborhoods through the morning rush, she added.
“People may have forgotten … what it’s like to drive on snowy, wet roads, and so definitely we ask people to slow down,” Kuhn said.
DOTI says plow drivers will begin reporting at 10 p.m., with full staffing by midnight.
“Our drivers will start coming in tonight at 10, everyone will be in by midnight, so we will be ready to go when the storm hits,” Kuhn said.
Denver metro commuters preparing for delays
Some residents tell FOX31 they’re already planning for a difficult commute.
“Tomorrow I am blessed that I don’t work until 3:00, so I am praying that some savior will shovel all the … all the snow away from my car,” said Capitol Hill resident Morgan Najm.
Westminster resident Celia Bell said she doesn’t expect to arrive on time.
“Yeah, I’m not … I am going to come in late. Because what is the point?” she said.
Bell urged drivers to take it slow.
“Avoid it if you can, trust your brakes… don’t take them for granted,” she said. “I’ve been inches and seconds away from like a semi… and been like skidding into the intersection.”
Najm says leaving early can make all the difference.
“Just leave an hour earlier… even a half hour earlier… whatever you are comfortable with,” she said. “It gives you more time so you can casually get to your destination instead of being reckless on the road and risking it for others who are petrified!”
Reminder: shovel your sidewalks or risk a fine
Denver also requires residents and businesses to clear their sidewalks after the snow stops falling — or face potential fines.
“Businesses should start clearing as soon as they can; residents have 24 hours,” Kuhn said.
When reminded of the rule, Najm joked she wasn’t fully prepared.
“We are reminding people they need to get their shovels out,” FOX31’s Hanna Powers told her.
“Is that me? Like, do I have to do that?” Najm laughed. “I should go buy a shovel right now.”
Some of the heaviest snow is expected before sunrise, creating potentially hazardous conditions on unplowed residential streets. FOX31’s Pinpoint Weather Beast will be out throughout the morning commute, providing live updates on road conditions across the metro area.
Denver, CO
Denver Public Schools students attend AI conference to learn responsible habits
Students in Denver Public Schools attended their first-ever artificial intelligence conference at CSU Spur on Monday. About 100 students attended the conference to learn how to use AI.
Those who hosted the conference said AI can be used for health care, to sustainability, and other tasks in the students’ day-to-day lives.
Teachers say they want to make sure the students learn how to use AI responsibly amid the rapidly-changing technology.
“I would say most of our students are coming in already knowing how to use AI and really we’re just trying to bring students together to have them collaborate and innovate around ways we can push more just and inclusive ways of using AI,” said one person at the conference.
The theme of the conference is “Imagining a More Just and Inclusive Future with AI.”
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