WILDFIRES THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA HAVE DEALT WITH.
THANKS FOR LISTENING IN.
WE’RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
>>> LEGENDARY JOHN E LLS WAY,
THE GM OF THE DENVER BRONCOS.
ELWAY IS WITH NBC NEWS NATASHA
BURNS TO TELL HIS STORY.
>> HEY, ALISON.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT WITH
FOOTBALL ON THE HORIZON.
I WANT TO GET INTO WHY YOU’RE
HERE TODAY.
HERE TODAY. YOU’RE SHARING SOMETHING VERY
PERSONAL THAT YOU’VE BEEN
DEALING WITH.
DEALING WITH. >> I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
CONTRACTION, A PROBLEM WITH YOUR
HANDS.
HANDS. YOU CAN GO TO HAND SS ON BLANKET
ON --
ON -- >> GO ONLINE.
>> BUT, YEAH.
GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE, LET
PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
I WAS DIAGNOSED IN 2005 AND
THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY AND THAT
WAS SURGERY.
WAS SURGERY. IT’S A DISEASE THAT CONTINUES TO
GET WORSE AND WORSE AND PULLS
YOUR FINGERS IN TO WHERE IT GETS
VERY DIFFICULT TO USE YOUR
HANDS.
HANDS. I FOUND OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO THAT THERE’S AN ALTERNATIVE
TO SURGERY AND HAVE THAT
PROCEDURE DONE.
PROCEDURE DONE. MY HANDS ARE GREAT NOW.
>> LOOKING GOOD.
>> WORKING GOOD.
I’M EXCITED ABOUT T I’M GLAD TO
BE ABLE TO HELP THE ISSUE AND
ALSO BE PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW
HANDS ON.
HANDS ON. FACTS ON HANDS.
IT TELLS UL ABOUT IT.
>> YOU’RE A PAID SPOKESPERSON
FOR PHARMACEUTICALS, WHO YOU’VE
BEEN WORKING WITH ON THIS
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN ACTIVE MOST
OF HIS LIFE, IT MUST HAVE BEEN
CHALLENGING.
CHALLENGING. >> IT WAS.
IT AFFECTED MY GOLF GAME IS
WHERE IT STARTED GOING.
WHEN I FINALLY REALIZED IT WAS
DIFFICULT FOR ME TO PICK UP A
FOOTBALL AND THROW A FOOTBALL.
>> THAT’S TOUGH.
>> THAT WAS TOUGH FOR ME AND I
KNEW IT WOULD CONTINUE TO GET
WORSE.
WORSE. FACTS ON HAND TO GET ALL THE
INFORMATION AND REALLY GET THE
WORD OUT SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
>> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT’S
NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT CAUSES
IT.
IT. BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL
PLAYERS, I THINK THERE’S A LOT
OF PLAYERS WHO ARE USED TO
GETTING BANGED UP ON THE FIELD
AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH
LONG-TERM INJURY SIES, CT AND HE
INJURIES ARE BIG CONVERSATION IN
THE LEAGUE RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE
LONG-TERM HEALTH OF YOUR
PLAYERS?
PLAYERS? I KNOW THAT THE LEAGUE HAS DONE
A LOT TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY ON
THE FIELD.
THE FIELD. IT’S STILL AN ISSUE.
>> IT’S ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN
ISSUE IN FOOTBALL.
IT’S A PHYSICAL SPORT.
THE LEGAL HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS
JOB TRYING TO CREATE MORE SPACE.
YOU HAVE BIG GUYS RUNNING INTO
EACH OTHER.
EACH OTHER. IT’S NEVER GOING TO BE TOTALLY
SAFE.
SAFE. THE LEAGUE CHANGES THAT THEY’VE
GONE THROUGH, UNNECESSARY OUT OF
THE GAME AND WORKING ON TRYING
TO TAKE THE HEAD OUT OF THE GAME
SO PEOPLE AREN’T USING THEIR
HEAD TO TACKLE, RATHER USING
SHOULDERS AND THE EQUIPMENT IS
GETTING MUCH BETTER, TOO.
THE GAME IS GETTING MUCH SAFER.
IT WILL NEVER BE AS SAFE AS WE
LIKE IT TO BE.
IT IS A PHYSICAL GAME.
>> HOW DO PLAYERS RESPOND TO
THOSE CHANGES THAT, ON ONE HAND,
ARE MAKING THEM SAFER BUT CHANGE
ISN’T NECESSARILY EASY.
>> THEY’VE DONE A NICE JOB.
WE’RE PROTECTING THE QUARTERBACK
MUCH BETTER AND TAKING THE
UNNECESSARY HITS WE TALKED
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> ISSUES LIKE THE HELMET AND --
>> HELMETS ARE SAFER, MORE
PROTECTED THERE AND ALSO WITH
THE WAY WE PRACTICE NOW AND CUT
DOWN NORMAL PRACTICES,
ESPECIALLY IN TRAINING CAMP.
IT’S ONE PRACTICE A DAY.
TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE THINGS
THAT WEREN’T NECESSARY.
>> YOU’RE A PARENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK PARENTS.
>> IT’S BECOME MUCH SAFER SPORT.
MY SON PLAYED FOOTBALL.
I DID NOT WORRY ABOUT HIM
PLAYING FOOTBALL WHEN HE WAS
PLAYING.
PLAYING. BECAUSE I THINK THE LESSONS YOU
LEARN BEING PART OF A TEAM AND
IN THE GAME OF FOOTBALL, HOW TO
WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
KNOWING THAT IN FOOTBALL YOU
HAVE TO HAVE 11 PLAYERS GOING
THE SAME DIRECTION.
I THINK THE LIFE LESSONS THEY
CAN LEARN ARE SO VALUABLE, IT
CAN HELP YOU.
NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL PART BUT
WHAT THEY LEARN PLAYING THE GAME
OF FOOTBALL.
OF FOOTBALL. >> AND FANS EVERYWHERE ARE SO
EXCITED FOR THE START OF
FOOTBALL SEASON.
FOOTBALL SEASON. THERE’S A LOT GOING ON FROM THE
CONCERNS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT,
PROTEST IN POLITICS TO ISSUES IN
THE GAME ITSELF.
LAST SEASON ONE OF THE MOST
CONTROVERSIAL CALLS IN FOOTBALL
HISTORY WITH THAT RAMS/SAINTS
PLAYOFF GAME.
PLAYOFF GAME. WHERE IS YOUR HEAD AT THIS
PLAYOFF SEASON WITH ALL OF THIS
SWIRLING AROUND?
SWIRLING AROUND? >> A LOT OF THINGS GET TALKED
ABOUT IN THE OFFSEASON.
TALK ABOUT ALL THE ISSUES THAT
GO ON WITH THE NFL.
THE GREAT THING IS ONCE WE
FINALLY GET TO PRESEASON AND
OPENING WEEKEND, WE GET TO WATCH
FOOTBALL.
FOOTBALL. I THINK THAT’S WHAT EVERYBODY
EXCITED ABOUT, TO GET TO WATCH
FOOTBALL AGAIN.
FOOTBALL AGAIN. YOU LOOK AT THE NEW ORLEANS RAMS
GAME LAST YEAR, WE CHANGED THE
RULES TO WHERE YOU CAN NOW, YOU
KNOW, REVIEW PASS INTERFERENCE,
WHETHER IT BE OFFENSIVE OR
DEFENSIVE.
DEFENSIVE. WE’RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THAT.
>> THE GAME IS ADAPTING AND IT’S
ALWAYS EVOLVING.
ALWAYS EVOLVING. TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAD
IN THAT GAME LAST YEAR.
I THINK THAT’S WHERE WE FINALLY
DID THIS.
DID THIS. THERE’S SO MUCH TALK ABOUT IT.
SO MANY PREDICTIONS ON WHO IS
GOING TO BE GOOD, WHO IS NOT
GOING TO BE GOOD.
WHEN WE FINALLY GET TO OPENING
WEEKEND WE GET TO START PLAYING
THE GAME.
THE GAME. >> THEN IT’S ABOUT THE GAME.
>> IT’S ABOUT THE GAME AND
WATCHING THE GAME.
>> AND BUT EVEN IN THE GAME, THE
CONTROVERSY IS STILL SOMETHING
THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THE BRONCOS ARE ONE OF MANY
TEAMS WHO HAD PLAYERS KNEEL IN
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
WHERE DO YOU STAND ON WHERE
PLAYERS SHOULD EXPRESS THEIR
POLITICAL CAUSES?
POLITICAL CAUSES? >> WE’RE PAST THAT AS A LEAGUE.
EVERYONE WAS GIVEN THEIR CHOICE
TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WHEN
IT CAME DOWN TO THAT.
IT’S SOMETHING WE’RE PAST AS A
LEAGUE AND NOW WE CAN REALLY
CONCENTRATE ON FOOTBALL.
>> BIG STAR JAY-Z GETTING
INVOLVED IN THE NFL NOW.
WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON HIS
PARTNERSHIP?
PARTNERSHIP? >> IT’S GREAT THAT HE WILL GET
INVOLVED.
INVOLVED. ALL THAT DOES IS HELP THE GAME
OF FOOTBALL.
OF FOOTBALL. WHATEVER OWNERSHIP GROUP, IF HE
GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME AN
OWNER AND THAT’S WHAT HE WANTS
TO DO.
TO DO. >> HE HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF SLACK.
DO YOU THINK THAT’S FAIR?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE FLACK.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BE AN OWNER
OF AN NFL TEAM, THEY SHOULD HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AN OWNER
OF THE NFL TEAM IF HE’S PART OF
THE GROUP.
THE GROUP. >> I HAVE TO ASK.
MY FIANCE AND FUTURE
FATHER-IN-LAW ARE DIE-HARD
BRONCOS FANS.
BRONCOS FANS. THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW ARE THE
BRONCOS LOOKING?
BRONCOS LOOKING? SHOULD THEY BE EXCITED?
>> I THINK SO.
OBVIOUSLY, WE’VE HAD TWO TOUGH
YEARS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING THIS YEAR STARTED.
FLACCO WILL BE OUR QUARTERBACK
THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR. WE HAVE A TOUGH DIVISION.
KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY. RANGERS.
RANGERS. IT’S GOING TO BE A DOG FIGHT
WITHIN THE DIVISION.
WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANCE
TO GET STARTED IN A COUPLE OF
THREE, TWO WEEKS NOW.
WE’LL FIND OUT WHERE EVERYTHING
FALLS AND THAT’S EXCITING ABOUT
THE NFL.
THE NFL. YOU NEVER KNOW.
>> GET STARTED AGAIN.
GETTING THE FIRST WEEK AND
WATCHING THE GAMES PLAY.
WE WORK SO HARD ON THE PERSONNEL
SIDE TO TRY TO PUT THE BEST OF
FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN FRONT OF THE
COACHES TO GIVE THEM THE BEST
OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THIS IS OUR TEST, AFTER ALL THE
WORK WE’VE DONE, GONE THROUGH
THE DRAFT, FREE AGENCY, THE TRUE
TEST OF HOW WE PLAYED DURING THE
SEASON.
SEASON. I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WE.
>> CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW THE
SEASON GOES.
SEASON GOES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. >> DASHA, SO EXCITED FOR
FOOTBALL SEASON.
FOOTBALL SEASON. LET HIM KNOW WE’VE GOT FAMILY
FRIENDS WHO NAMED THEIR DOG JOHN
ELWAY, THEY LOVE THE BRONCOS SO