ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the Broncos prepare to take the field at Empower Field at Mile High for the first time this season, several Broncos believe the energy and excitement of the home opener can help put the team on the right track as they prepare for the weeks ahead.
"I think we have the perfect opportunity to set that tone," cornerback Pat Surtain II said Wednesday of the home opener. "The fans are going to be there [and] we've got home-field advantage, so being able to play this week at the stadium is going to mean a lot."
Denver faced challenging circumstances in Week 1, traveling to face the Seahawks at Lumen Field. Opening the season in a stadium that has gained a reputation for being one of the loudest in the NFL was no easy task, but tight end Adam Trautman believes that the experience will only benefit the team in the long run.
"Being exposed to that early on, and being like 'All right, this is what it's like,' … is a good thing for us."
As the Broncos are now set to take the field at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, they look forward to the energy and noise being in their favor this time around.
"I think it's one of the best atmospheres to be a part of," wide receiver Courtland Sutton said of playing at home. "The excitement, the juice, the energy. … From the moment that they start letting the fans into the stadium, you just feel the juice and I'm excited for it."
While Sutton will be taking the field for his sixth home opener in a Broncos uniform, he said the feeling "never" gets old, especially when sharing the experience with younger players and rookies who will be going through it for the first time.
"I'm excited to have this experience again with our team, our new team," Sutton said. "Some of the guys, it's going to be their first home opener. And [I'm] just looking forward to going out there and getting a win for the home team and for the home crowd."
Several of these rookie players, including quarterback Bo Nix, have been looking forward to this moment for quite some time and are eager to embrace the opportunity.
"I'm really excited about that," Nix said of his Broncos home opener. "I've been looking forward to this since the draft."
As the team continues to prepare for Week 2, Nix and his teammates are determined to make sure that it will be worth the wait.
"[We're] working hard," Sutton said. "[We're] just excited for this next opportunity."
