The Denver Broncos went to Tampa Bay on Sunday and dropped the Buccaneers, 26-7, to win their first game of the season. One might see their next stop as a reward for winning a game, but the Broncos’ week-long visit to the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. was pre-planned.
Instead of returning to Denver and having his team practice at their Englewood, Colorado, facility, Broncos head coach Sean Payton chose to bring his team to the resort for Sunday’s MetLife Stadium game against the New York Jets.
Why? According to Payton, the Broncos knew that two trips to the east coast were likely, so they began preparations for this even before the schedule was released earlier this year.
“When the schedule was released, Tampa and the Jets were the two East Coast games that we had requested to go back-to-back. You know, it could have been Baltimore [the Broncos’ home game on November 3], “Payton told ESPN.
The Broncos assured reporters that this is something that the team has never done before. However, a few groups have.
Indeed, one of them has recently returned from a journey akin to this.
In Week 2, the Los Angeles Chargers took on the Carolina Panthers. Coach Jim Harbaugh decided to keep his players on the east coast for the next game, which was in Pittsburgh.
The PGA Tour legend Sam Snead has lived at The Greenbrier for a very long period. However, the resort has established a ten-year connection with the NFL.
Building the Sports Performance Center to house the New Orleans Saints for their 2014 training camp was the first step in that process. At the time, Payton was the Saints’ coach.
The San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Cleveland Browns have all played at the facility. For the previous two seasons, the Browns have began training camp there.
With Bo Nix, their rookie quarterback, at the helm, Payton believed the trip would also present an opportunity for some team building.
The Jets (2-1) have defeated the New England Patriots 24-3 recently. The following Sunday, New York will embark on a lengthy road journey of its own as it travels to London to play the Minnesota Vikings, following its hosting of Denver.
After that, New York makes its Monday Night Football return to take on the Buffalo Bills in what may prove to be a pivotal AFC East matchup.