Ed McCaffrey brings out SB champs for Dare to Play camp; Shaq Barrett injury update By Nick Jhabvala Denver Post Ed McCaffrey brought out the bling. For his eighth annual Dare to Play camp with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation on Saturday, the former receiver and owner three Super Bowl rings, recruited some former and current Broncos to serve as coaches. As he always does. There was Brandon Stokley, a champ with both the Ravens (XXXV) and Colts (XLI). And there were Tyler Polumbus, the offensive tackle turned color commentator; Todd Davis, the Broncos current starting inside linebacker; and Shaquil Barrett, their recovering outside linebacker all owners of outsized Super Bowl 50 rings. Five coaches, six Super Bowls, eight total rings, one of which adorned the index finger of Davis. But on this day, none of them were the stars. Forty players and 35 cheerleaders some children, some adults with Down syndrome claimed the spotlight as their fans and family members filled the bleachers at Valor Christian High for a scrimmage to raise awareness and funds for Down syndrome research and care. Joining the participants were 40 pals from Valor Christian one per player as well as some Denver Broncos cheerleaders and Miles the Mascot, who weaved his way on and off the field and occasionally hoisted a player on his shoulders following a score. It means a lot, because it really gets a broader community involved with us. Even if most of the people in the stands are family members, there are people who are interested in seeing football players, said Michelle Sie Whitten, the co-founder, president and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. And in today s world, the world of social media and electronic communication, it may be that millions of people learn about it. If it takes that celebrity name for them to read a paragraph on how medically underfunded our kids and adults are, that s great. @NickiJhabvala.@bstokley14 gives a pre-game pep talk to players in @87ed's Dare to Play camp with the @GDSFoundation Each year, the Dare to Play Football Camp and Dare to Cheer Game Day brings out around 500 fans. This year was no different.
It s a great cause and to be here to make an impact in these people s lives kids and adults and to come out here and talk to them and try to coach them through the game, give them a little pep talk, it s amazing to see the difference we can make in people s lives and to help them, Barrett said while hobbling around the field with a pair of crutches. Barrett injured his right hip while training on his own during the offseason, but said he doesn t have pain and doesn t anticipate needing the aid of crutches for much longer. I m doing good, he said. I have a couple more weeks left on crutches and once that s over, I should be able to start doing some more stuff to get myself ready (to return), probably about halfway through camp. I can t wait to be back on the field. @NickiJhabvala Broncos OLB Shaq Barrett eager to get off crutches and back on the field.
Ex-VP of officiating has a simple solution for fixing NFL's overtime problem By John Breech CBS Sports One of the biggest changes that will be going into the NFL rulebook for the 2017 season involves overtime. During the annual league meetings back in May, the NFL's 32 owners voted to reduce the length of overtime from 15 minutes down to 10 minutes for the preseason and the regular season. The biggest downside to the rule change is that it's almost certainly going to mean more ties during the regular season. To give you an idea of how things could change, consider this: There were only five ties between 2012 and 2016. If the new 10-minute OT rule have been implemented during that period, that number could've potentially quadrupled. According to NFL Research, 22 of of the 83 overtime games that have been played since 2012 have gone on for more than 10 minutes, which means those games would've presumably ended in a tie if the new rule had already been implemented. That means we would've seen roughly 22 ties over the past five seasons if overtime had only been 10 minutes long as it will be going forward The decision to shorten overtime was so controversial that not everyone in the league office was on board with it. Former NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino, who now works for Fox, was still working for the league when the overtime vote went down, and it sounds like he didn't completely support it. During an interview with Colin Cowherd earlier this month, Cowherd brought up the topic of overime and suggested that the NFL should eliminate it. Cowherd then asked Blandino if anyone in the league office felt the same away as the radio host did. Yours truly. I agree with you," Blandino said, via FoxSports.com. According to Blandino, the idea of axing overtime did come up during discussions in the league office, but it was quickly shot down. "We did talk about that," Blandino said. "I think there would be some serious backlash from the fans if we got rid of overtime but when you really break it down and you say, 'OK, you've got to play to win in regulation,' I think ultimately that would be a good thing."
The NFL says it reduced the overtime period to help with player safety; however, Blandino said that if the league was really watching out for player safety it would make more sense to eliminate overtime. "We started talking about overtime and reducing it from 15 to 10 because we were worried about additional snaps, players playing a full quarter more of football and then potentially having to go play on Thursday," Blandino said. "Well, if we're worried about player safety, then eliminate overtime and play to win in regulation. It would make the last two minutes that much more exciting." Blandino added that the elimination of overtime could potentially change a team's strategy at the end of a game. "If a team's sitting there with 30 [seconds] to go and the ball on their 20, and they know the game could end in a tie because there's no overtime, they're going to go for it, take chances, take risks," Blandino said. Blandino joined Fox in June after spending more than 20 years with the NFL. He started working his way up the NFL ladder in 1994 when he was hired by the league as an officiating intern. Blandino was promoted to VP of officiating in February 2013 and held that post until he resigned in April in a move that became effective on May 31.
Shane Ray hopes youth football camp will inspire kids to dream By Alec McChesney Kansas City Star Growing up in the heart of Kansas City, Shane Ray admits he grew up a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan, and often he dreamed of playing for the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in front of a hometown crowd. Part of Ray s dream did come true. Once a year, Ray has the opportunity to play at Arrowhead Stadium, just not as a member of the Chiefs. Rather, the Kansas City native and former Mizzou standout plays for the rival Denver Broncos. Growing up as a kid, I would go to all the football games at Arrowhead Stadium, so to be able to come back and play in Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs it s amazing, Ray said. It s a blast for me. The rivalry between the Broncos and the Chiefs intensified this offseason when Jamaal Charles opted to sign with Denver after being released by Kansas City. Ray recounted a story, which he refers to as his welcome-to-the-league moment, where Charles burned him for a 40-yard run at Arrowhead. I consider Jamaal a top-two running back all-time for the Chiefs, so it s really fun to have him there, Ray said. To have him on my team now, knowing what his capabilities are and to see just how excited he is, I am so excited for him, as a player, to enjoy this new opportunity as a Bronco. Ray, 24 and entering his third year in the NFL, returned to his alma mater, Bishop Miege High School in Kansas City, on Saturday morning with Rays Awareness Foundation for the First Annual Youth Football Camp. Over 200 football players, ages 8 to 13, showed up to learn from Ray and former Mizzou star Markus Golden. Ray, along with his mother, Sebrina Johnson, and over 100 volunteers, started the free camp to help educate youth football players and parents on the proper ways to handle the sport. In addition, Ray just wants the youth of Kansas City to continue dreaming. I want kids to understand that it s OK to dream, Ray said. It s OK to set your goals and your expectations high. If you can figure out a way to work and put forth all your effort, you can get to that. As a kid, people called me cocky or this and that, but I always had high expectations and goals for myself. I always wanted to be the best, so I am just trying to bring that mind-set to these kids, because it s possible.
Johnson, who said she s an extremely proud mother, shares the same sentiment as Ray: We need to teach our kids to dream. They need to know that if Shane, a kid from the inner city without opportunities, can do it, then you can, too. From the fundamentals of tackling, to recovering your body, to a parent workshop, Ray and Johnson want to give the Kansas City community what they didn t have during Ray s rise to stardom. We are just trying to provide a forum for parents to ask questions because I didn t know a single person who could help me through the process with Shane, Johnson said. If I could be a resource for someone, that s all we want. Though living in Denver, Ray plans on making the youth football camp an annual event at Bishop Miege, and he expects it to continue to grow. This has been a dream and a vision of mine. This is a whole day of fun, but it s also about education, Ray said. More importantly, it s just about the kids.
Broncos Players, Cheerleaders Celebrate Dare To Play Football Camp By Staff CBS 4 Denver Broncos players and cheerleaders hit the field for a football camp like no other. Dare To Play football camp featured players and cheerleaders with Down Syndrome. They played a touch football game at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch on Saturday. The cheerleaders really enjoy getting out there in front of an audience and cheering and doing their thing that they ve practiced. I think the football players really enjoy practicing the moves, the scrimmage, the plays that they ve been practicing. Getting their hands on the ball is very important to them, President & CEO of Global Down Syndrome Michelle Whitten. After the game, everyone celebrated with a party and picnic. Even Miles the Mascot was there. The event was sponsored by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with Down Syndrome.
NFL pride of Martin County Justin Simmons returns home to host youth football camp By John Evenson CBS 12 The NFL pride of Martin County is now a proud member of the "No Fly Zone", otherwise known as the Denver Broncos defensive secondary, But Justin Simmons was also very proud of being back in Martin County on Saturday, and hosting his first ever Youth Football Camp at Marlin County High School. "I'm on the right track," said one participant. " If I work hard I might get to be just like him." Young players from the 2nd to 12th grade from across the Treasure Coast showed off their football skills in front of their NFL hero, and many of the coaches who have made an impact on his football life. Simmons was hoping to prove to young men in Martin County that they can also realize their dreams. "Growing up I always made a promise to myself that if I ever did make it to the next level in whatever sport I pursue, I want to give back to these kids, because I know it means the World to them," says Simmons. "I want them to know (as they put this work in) that this is what they have to do consistently in order to make it, not just in football, but in life." Simmons also hosted a Bowling Event on Saturday night in Stuart.