ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos presented their "Champions in the Community" awards during Thursday's team meeting.
Nose tackle Domata Peko Sr. was presented with the Broncos' Community Impact Award, while linebacker Joe Jones along with safeties Will Parks and Justin Simmons received the team's Community Ambassador Awards. Additionally, the team recognized rookies Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton as the Community Co-Rookies of the Year.
"Whether it's personal causes or team initiatives, we're proud to have so many players doing such meaningful work in the community," Executive Vice President of Public and Community Relations Patrick Smyth said. "We also recognize and appreciate the important role of our community development team in supporting our players and helping them make a difference."
- Peko Sr., along with his wife Anna, invested nearly $700,000 this offseason to fund what will become the Domata and Anna Medical Hope Building — a permanent health clinic with U.S. certified physicians and nurses in American Samoa. The donation will help expand medical care on the island, which currently has only one hospital and a few clinics to serve the island's population of 57,000 people.
- Jones has volunteered more than 60 hours at 40 different events in the community since end of April, highlighted by 16 visits to patients at Children's Hospital Colorado. He has participated in nearly every team community event, from PLAY 60 events to first-responder outreach, youth and high school football visits and holiday programming.
- Parks is a regular visitor to high school football teams throughout the metro Denver area while volunteering more than 45 hours this season at 27 events. He recently led a holiday shopping spree for children from the Boys & Girls Club and has heightened his community involvement in his hometown, Philadelphia.
- Simmons was credited with more than 50 hours of community service at 28 events in 2018, including PLAY 60 events, Boys & Girls Club visits, Taste of the Broncos and Drive For Life 21. In his first year as the team's Fuel Up to Play 60 ambassador, Simmons distributed thousands of dollars to deserving Fuel Up to Play 60 middle schools through a Shark Tank-style competition called the Healthy Schools Innovation Challenge.
- Chubb and Sutton, nearly inseparable at more than 33 different events during their rookie seasons, regularly attended volunteer opportunities with the team and their teammates. Chubb has also hosted a variety of events for the Chubb Foundation, which uses sports as a platform to activate human potential. Sutton — a former Boys & Girls Club member — spearheaded a My Cause My Cleats cleat design contest for kids from the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club and adopted multiple Boys & Girls Club families for the holidays.
