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Kiszla: If Russell Wilson drove Sean Payton nuts, does Broncos coach have the patience for a rookie quarterback?

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Kiszla: If Russell Wilson drove Sean Payton nuts, does Broncos coach have the patience for a rookie quarterback?


Broncos coach Sean Payton has a better chance of being hilarious on “Hard Knocks” than being victorious in a playoff game during the 2024 NFL season.

I kid you not.

But let’s hope Payton does indeed possess a healthy sense of humor we’ve yet to see, because a young quarterback this team needs could well be available with the second-round pick in the draft that the Broncos don’t own because they traded it to the New Orleans Saints for Payton.

You must remember this: Long before he surrendered 70 points to Miami or benched Russell Wilson, Payton poked fun at the New York Jets for appearing on “Hard Knocks,” the television series that takes fans behind the scenes with a pro football team.

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Now Payton wants us all to believe he left the door open to Wilson’s return to the team during his end-of-season exit interview with a veteran quarterback he could barely tolerate.

“Otherwise,” Payton insisted, “it would have been like, ‘Hey, goodbye.’”

Really? Those words might be a strong contender for the funniest ever uttered by Payton during his tenure as coach, with one possible exception.

About five seconds after he dumped Wilson for “Sparky” Stidham during the holidays, Payton conveniently forgot his disdain for the NFL’s version of reality TV, all because his ego was dented by criticism for a move nobody in their right football mind believed would make the Broncos a better team.

“I think it’s part of the deal, and I understand it,” said Payton, who wants us to believe he has been miscast as a grumpy old man. “I get it. It’s the only thing that makes me once in a while want to do ‘Hard Knocks.’ There’s a perception. That would be the only reason to get an inside look as to this whole ‘old school’ approach. Shoot, you don’t do this this long if you’re not adjusting, funny, creative — all those things. I think I am all those things.”

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Well, we’re fixing to find out.

For the good of the Broncos, Payton now needs to do something never previously required of a veteran coach with 160 regular-season victories on his NFL resume.

He won big in New Orleans with Drew Brees, who’s bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And he clashed loudly in Denver with Wilson, who also has a real chance to be enshrined in the Hall.

Payton, however, has never been forced to exercise the patience needed to develop a young quarterback.

While swallowing all of the dead money from the regrettable contract extension given to Wilson, the Broncos could settle for Stidham, or shop in the bargain bid of the veteran free agent market for Gardner Minshew, Sam Darnold or Drew Lock.

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Truth be told, maybe Payton could coax the Broncos to the playoffs with a journeyman quarterback running the offense. But Denver isn’t getting back to the Super Bowl that way.

And ever since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset after his last rodeo at Super Bowl 50, hasn’t this franchise already wasted enough years trying to slap a Band-Aid on its problems instead of making a commitment to a meaningful rebuild?

The sight of Payton carving down his offensive game plan at 2 a.m. to accommodate the limitations of a rookie quarterback would make for compelling TV on “Hard Knocks.”

With the 12th overall pick in the first round, the Broncos might get lucky and have the choice of young quarterbacks among Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, J.J. McCarthy of Michigan or Bo Nix of Oregon.

But it would be far gutsier if Denver decided to trade back from No. 12, gambling it could still land a young QB and add another pick in the process.

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If Payton lost patience with Wilson, I fear the steep learning curve of a rookie quarterback might cause him to lose his mind.

All evidence aside, your fearless leader of the Broncos is both relentlessly innovative and hilariously funny, if Payton does say so himself.

But if he can’t effectively develop a young quarterback for the first time in his NFL career, the joke’s on a grumpy coach from the old school of hard knocks.

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Denver, CO

Game Thread: Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings. December 11th, 2025. – Denver Stiffs

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Game Thread: Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings. December 11th, 2025. – Denver Stiffs


Community Guidelines

Welcome to Denver Stiffs! We’re glad you’re here.

Denver Stiffs is a community where sports fans from all backgrounds gather to share their passion. We strive to create a fun and welcoming place for everyone to come fan with us. These guidelines help ensure that happens. Here’s the short version:

  • Be respectful in your interactions with contributors and fellow fans.
  • Don’t be a jerk, and don’t call other people jerks.
  • We’ll remove anything we see that jeopardizes our communities.
  • We ask that you do your best to keep the conversation to sports and primarily our favorite NBA team. Why? Because there are plenty of other sites where you can air your opinions about everything from politics to soup recipes.
  • You can help with that. If you see something that doesn’t align with our guidelines, let us know. Flag any comments or usernames that violate our guidelines so our community managers can review them.

These rules extend to our communities everywhere: in our comments, on social media, and in real life.

We do not allow any of the following:

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  • Personal attacks: This includes name-calling, insults, threats, hurtful comments about someone’s appearance, voice, or style, and all other forms of attacks. We want our communities to be welcoming and fun. Personal attacks are the opposite of that.
  • Attacks on staffers: It’s fine to critique a post, disagree with a take, or point out errors. We draw the line, however, at personal attacks (see above) about writers, editors, moderators, etc.
  • Discriminatory or derogatory language: This includes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or other forms of discrimination.
  • Harassment: This includes, but is not limited to, intimidation; stalking; unwanted photography; inappropriate physical contact; use of sexual or discriminatory imagery, comments, or jokes; and unwelcome sexual attention.
  • Wishing harm on athletes: Don’t root for an injury, don’t root for harm to befall a coach or athlete. You can want someone to get fired or released, but please do not hope for bodily harm.
  • Misinformation and disinformation: Sharing demonstrably false information about news or world events, beyond the scope of reasonable sports opinion or analysis, can be harmful to our communities. These comments will be removed and may result in a suspension or a ban.
  • Illegal activity: Don’t promote, encourage, or make light of any kind of illegal activity, including DUIs, domestic violence, or sexual assault.
  • NSFW images and comments: Keep it PG-13, or you will be removed. This includes language and images that are sexual, violent, or generally offensive in nature.
  • Excessive profanity: Fans get worked up on game days, and we’re fans, too. We understand that. As a general rule, keep profanity to a minimum. Some communities prohibit profanity, so be sure to review guidelines for the individual communities you participate in.
  • Multiple accounts and throwaway emails: These are a signal that you’re not interested in being a productive member of our communities, and we do not allow it.
  • Trolling: We know it when we see it, and we’ll remove it. Don’t go to a rival team’s community for the sole purpose of riling up their fans, either. Moreover, you should never publish any private or personally identifiable information. Doxxing is strictly prohibited.
  • The “first post” rule: If you break any of these guidelines with your very first post or interaction, it signals to our community managers you’re just here to be disruptive. Violators may be banned, blocked, or removed.
  • Spam: We have a zero-tolerance policy on spam, which includes sharing links to illegal game streams or downloads. Spam will be deleted and spammers may be banned, blocked, or removed. 
  • Political commentary: Denver Stiffs is a site dedicated to the Denver Nuggets, not politics. There are many sites available on the internet to discuss politics, Denver Stiffs is not one of them. Please refrain from any political commentary while using our site.

Anyone who doesn’t follow these rules when engaging in our communities will at best be removed from the conversation, and at worst will end up banned from that community. These decisions will be made at the discretion of our community managers and other Mile High Sports personnel. Community managers and moderators have final say on interpretation of violating our community guidelines, and on all decisions resulting in a warning, suspension, and/or ban.

If you see any of these things happening in our communities, please flag it and it will be reviewed. You can also reach out via our contact page.



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Denver, CO

Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/11-12/14 – 303 Magazine

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Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/11-12/14 – 303 Magazine


When: Dec 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Fight Club – 1959 16th St Mall Denver
Cost: Price varies
The Lowdown: 

Guests have the option of $39 bottomless flatbreads, which includes the price of their oche reservation for Social Darts®. The bottomless flatbread menu features Smoked Salmon Flatbread, Four Cheese Flatbread, Breakfast Flatbread, or Garden Vegetable Flatbread. Guests can also order off the á la carte menu, which includes a fresh-cut fruit plate, breakfast sliders,, avocado toast, and Flight Club’s famous churros.





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Louisiana child rape suspect arrested in Denver

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Louisiana child rape suspect arrested in Denver


DENVER (KKTV) – A man out of Louisiana suspected of child rape is now in custody in Colorado.

The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force said they arrested 43-year-old James Connolly Tuesday morning in Denver.

The U.S. Marshals Service said Connolly was wanted by West Baton Rouge Parish deputies for first-degree rape of a child under 13 years old.

According to the U.S. Marshals, a full-scale investigation into the allegation was launched, and probable cause was found to file charges.

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After an arrest warrant was issued on August 12, they said Connolly was likely aware of the warrant and had fled the state.

On Monday, officials reportedly received information that he could be in Denver. The next day, the U.S. Marshals Service said the Colorado Violent Offender Task Force found Connolly working maintenance for a company near I-270 and York Street in Denver under the name “Alli” with a changed physical appearance.

Officials said Connolly was then positively identified and taken into custody.

“The success of this arrest represents a culmination of extensive cooperative investigative efforts between the U.S. Marshals in Baton Rouge, U.S. Marshals Colorado Violent Offender Task Force – Denver, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Englewood Police Department, and Colorado Department of Corrections,” the U.S. Marshals Service said in a release.

He’s currently in the Adams County Jail pending extradition back to Louisiana.

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