On the snap, he crackles and pops offensive linemen.

Wednesday, a single play explained his brilliance. Quarterback Bo Nix caught the ball in the shotgun and center Luke Wattenberg and left guard Ben Powers slid the protection over to Allen. With four hands and 610 pounds locked on his chest, Allen did not flinch, holding the point of attack and freeing edge rusher Nik Bonitto to get around Garett Bolles.

A few players later, Allen provided pressure up the middle, making a running back’s life miserable.

The Broncos are having the type of training camp that has players talking about the Super Bowl without smirking. They have a giddy coach, an ascending quarterback, a happy receiver, and a nasty defense.

But it is going to feel hollow if they don’t hammer out a contract extension for Allen.

“I would pay him,” said ex-standout Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe, who knows a little something about Allen’s position. “He changes games and is always available.”

Can the Broncos Venmo $50 million?

Allen is in the final season of a three-year, $45 million deal. At $12.74 million this season, he has a Walmart rollback price tag dangling from his jersey. You should reserve Kleenex for more worthy causes. But in the business of the NFL, Allen is grossly underpaid.

“If we were playing the Broncos today and game-planning against the defensive line, the first thing we would say is, ‘How do we deal with No. 99?’ ” said former Broncos Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth. “I am not saying Nik Bonitto isn’t great. But the first guy has to be Allen because he is a handful and has the closest path to the quarterback.”

The Broncos delivered their best practice in three years Wednesday, according to tight end Adam Trautman. It was the perfect blend of competitive spirit and trash talk — Is Malcolm Roach fat or phat? — without it spilling over into fights.

And Allen was in the middle of it. And on the left side. And the right. His versatility and intensity have helped create an environment where players not only support one another but challenge each other.

The Broncos have taken a series of right steps under the Walton-Penner ownership group. When they bought the team in the summer of 2022, there was no rush to pay anyone, save for Russell Wilson. Three years later, the roster is so stacked, thanks to coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, they have to prioritize them.

Courtland Sutton’s deal got done first for two reasons: 1) He was amenable to taking a little less to leave more for teammates, and 2) He was never going to approach the top of the scale at his position. Bonitto’s deal will get done last, likely during the season, because he is wisely waiting until Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons agree to new contracts.

Allen’s value is set. There is no new comp that will clear things up. His production indicates he deserves between $22 million and $25 million per season over four years. He has been that good. And he’s only 27.

He is exactly the type of player who should be rewarded. He doesn’t check every box. He is the box. Or the dresser at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. Payton compared his motor to Saints star Cam Jordan.

Allen makes Vance Joseph’s defense work because he is smart — “He’s probably watching film right now,” nose tackle D.J. Jones said — and unselfish. He recognizes what opponents are trying to do, and if they dedicate too many resources in his direction, he gladly occupies blockers to let Broncos marauders Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and John Franklin-Myers torch tackles.

But Allen is more often Johnny Carson than Ed McMahon.

Just Google his highlights.

Allen is too much for any one man to handle. He burst past Seattle’s Laken Tomlinson for a safety in the opener. He ran around Kansas City right guard Trey Smith for a sack, leaving him chasing like a puppy. He muscled through Raiders rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson as the kid dropped his head in shame. And he put Bills guard David Edwards on skates in the playoffs for some Allen on Josh Allen crime.

“I love the way that dude plays,” Wolfe said.

His 2024 contributions are quantifiable: 8.5 sacks, 40 quarterback hits and 67 pressures, the latter the most by an interior lineman, per Next Gen Stats.

Get this man a new contract, stat.

“Zach is able to get to the edge quick with hand swats. He knows when you are striking your hands, and he’s good at being able to knock them down, so you have to strike through him. He has the power to complement his speed,” said Powers, the left guard who spends chunks of practices lined up opposite the second-team All-Pro. “It makes him a really good pass rusher. And he brings it every play.”

The Broncos are cool again. It is clear the organization is in good hands with Payton. He has created a culture of accountability and an impressive roster.

But when a team is reaching for the clouds, it needs a few stars to light the path. The Broncos should not take their foot off the pedal now. Everything is headed in the right direction. The next mile marker in training camp is easy to see: a Zach Allen extension.

“He played next to J.J. Watt for a couple of years in Arizona. And the most sincere form of flattery is imitation. He has so many J.J. Watt traits, it’s crazy. He’s not J.J. Watt,” Schlereth said. “But he’s J.J. Watt Lite. I would definitely pay him.”

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What did you learn from your yearlong suspension for gambling?

Eyioma Uwazurike, or Enyi as he is known to teammates, looks me straight in the eye and answers without hesitation.

“Everybody is human. Everybody makes their decisions. Everybody makes their mistakes. Nobody is perfect,” said Uwazurike, a reserve defensive lineman. “… I do know that when situations like that come your way, you learn a lot from adversity. I know I did.

“As long as you are able to overcome it and be smarter, it will help you in the long run.”

Second chances work in different ways. We would like to believe we are all worthy of them. But in sports, that is just not the case, depending on the severity of the offense and the talent of the offender. The NFL banned Uwazurike for a calendar year in 2023 after determining he bet on NFL games, including five involving the Broncos.

He made peace with himself. But he was unsure if the organization would show grace. He was, after all, a fourth-round pick in 2022. He had yet to make an impact and was drafted before coach Sean Payton arrived.

Payton has shown no reluctance to move on from players he believes don’t fit the culture or his program, like Brandon McManus, Randy Gregory, Frank Clark, and, most notably, Russell Wilson. It left Uwazurike anxious as he counted down the days to his reinstatement on Aug. 5, 2024.

“I really had no idea what was going to happen,” Uwazurike said.

Payton believed a lot of NFL players were making mistakes in 2022 and 2023 as sports gambling became ubiquitous. However, of the 11 disciplined during that time, only Lions receiver Jameson Williams and Uwazurike remain with their original team.

Payton brought Uwazurike back. And continues to show faith in him.

“It’s hard to be gone a year, and he was a young player. So to have him now — this is an important camp, training camp and season for him,” Payton said. “His size hits you, his athleticism. How he plays is infectious. So, him having a full year heading into this season will serve him well. It’s hard for any player who sits a season, so he’s done a good job bouncing back.”

It is easy to judge others when you have never screwed up. But once you do, you don’t want to be forever judged by that mistake. Because the Broncos believed in his character, Uwazurike was given a shot at redemption.

“Sean is one of the most loyal, straight-up coaches I have ever had. It definitely means a lot to me to be playing for him, playing for this organization, same with ownership and everyone in the building. They have been great,” Uwazurike said. “Just knowing that I have this community around me is the best.”

Co-owner Greg Penner said there are gradations when it comes to making these decisions, but agreed with keeping Uwazurike on the team.

“He made a mistake. He was accountable for it. You don’t want to see another one,” Penner said Wednesday. “But we felt like he deserved a second chance.”

Even if self-inflicted, the year away was brutal. Uwazurike, however, has long navigated a difficult path. He went from lightly recruited because of poor grades to making the Big 12’s all-academic team. Before facing Notre Dame in a bowl game in 2019, Uwazurike’s father, Roland, died in his sleep. He was 48.

“We were very tight. Like best friends,” said Uwazurike, who has a tattoo of his father’s face on his right forearm. “It was really tough.”

Football was always Uwazurike’s safe space, a place for joy. He struggled to reconcile how he jeopardized his career.

Growing up in Detroit, he was convinced he would reach the NFL after playing his first game as a 7-year-old. When he grew into a star athlete at Southfield-Lathrup High School, he accepted his first Division I offer from Toledo coach Matt Campbell. When Campbell took the Iowa State job, Uwazurike followed him.

He played five years for the Cyclones, morphing from a skinny defensive end into a sturdy run-stuffing tackle.

“I just like the grittiness of it. When you have 600 pounds coming your way fast, and you can stand up to it, it’s a different type of energy,” Uwazurike said. “You feel like you are the toughest person on the field at that moment.”

That is the player the Broncos have witnessed during the first week of training camp. He has been stout at the point of attack, showing the type of urgency necessary for a player on the roster bubble.

“He’s doing really good. Last year, he got thrown into the fire coming off that suspension. That was hard. He showed up here in good shape,” teammate Malcolm Roach said. “He should be able to help us.”

Uwazurike remains thankful, but the truth is he wants to show it on the field, not through his words.

Second chances are not guaranteed. The Broncos have forgiven him. Now Uwazurike wants to repay them.

“I did something. I had to take it on the chin. But I am focused on the future. I am part of a tight-knit group, a defensive line with stars. I see what greatness looks like,” Uwazurike said. “I want to show I belong. I know the player I am. I am confident in the coaches I have, the organization that I am in. I feel like when the opportunity shows up, I will be ready to take advantage of it.”

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He sat down in the Touchdown Club in the Dal Ward Center on Monday with photographers recording every move and reporters recording every word. Dr. Janet Kukreja flanked him on his right. CU assistant athletic trainer Lauren Askevold flanked him on his left.

This was Sanders’ opportunity to reveal how he fought bladder cancer, to create a public conversation. And credit to him for being honest and open.

He made people laugh. He made them cry. But before he took questions, he revealed how his life hung in the balance without saying a word.

For four seconds, Sanders paused when reflecting on his journey over the past three months.

“God is so good. You have no idea,” said Sanders, before stopping with his hands clasped together as he stared forward, diamond-encrusted cross hanging from his neck. “There are some people out there right now dealing with the same issue, affected by the C-word. Normally, when you hear it, there is a life sentence attached to it. But not this time. Not this time.”

Sanders, 57, had a story to share. Advice to deliver. In his most memorable address since coming to Boulder, Sanders showed vulnerability and provided inspiration, pleading with everyone to “get checked out. It could have been a whole different type of gathering for me if I hadn’t.”

Sanders knows more about bladder cancer than he ever wanted to know, and stuff he wished he never knew from his Google searches. He could have died. At one point, he got his affairs in order, having a living will created.

The details of his ordeal were chilling.

Two weeks after a routine vascular checkup in mid-April, Sanders was referred to a urologist. He was told he had cancer. And the bladder tumor was showing “very aggressive” signs.

“You guys gave me options that scared me to death,” Sanders said to the medical professionals.

Rather than go through years of treatment, a more disruptive option given his profession, Sanders chose to have his bladder removed and a neo-bladder created and put in its place. The expectation is that he will make a full recovery, Kukreja said, with no limitations.

“I don’t want anybody to take it for granted. Because it’s real. Everyone in this room, I guarantee, has been affected by the ‘C’ word. Some parents, some friends, some loved ones, somebody,” Sanders said.

Sanders turned to Kukreja and asked, “Doc, we are going to beat it, ain’t we?”

Kukreja responded, “It’s beaten.”

Kukreja, director of urological oncology at University of Colorado Cancer Center, explained that the tumor had moved through the bladder wall, but not into the muscle layer. The importance of this cannot be overstated when looking at survival statistics.

“When it gets into the muscle, that’s when it can spread,” Kukreja told The Post. “That’s when it is a lethal disease.”

For more than three months, Sanders was not on campus. Social media snippets revealed that he was dealing with an undisclosed medical condition. Given the previous issues with his feet — he had two toes amputated a few years ago — and compartment syndrome in his left leg, the fear was that clotting issues had returned.

The reality was way more frightening.

“I didn’t stare death in my face. I stared life in the face,” Sanders said. “The surgery I chose was based not just on family, but football.”

It also created an avenue to help people. Coach Prime beat cancer, and he followed an urgent medical plan so he could return to the sideline this season, where he is most visible.

He might look different, as he did Monday. He said he’s only regained 12 of the 25 pounds lost. And there might be a porta potty on the sidelines because “I can’t pee like I used to pee.” But he didn’t walk 1.3 miles a day with bags of urine to accelerate his recovery to not coach.

“I always knew I was going to coach again,” Sanders said. “It was never in my spirit or in my heart that God wouldn’t allow me to coach again. I never thought like that.”

How Sanders handled the diagnosis aligns with his belief that testimony involves a test. He recovered, while keeping a secret. Sanders has long been criticized for making everything about him. Yet when given the worst news of his life, he did not tell his sons Shedeur and Shilo. He wanted them to focus on making their respective NFL teams — Shedeur with the Browns and Shilo with the Bucs.

It is easy to demand high-profile coaches and athletes use their platform as messengers. That’s convenient when you are not the one who is unable to leave your bed for a week at a time.

Sanders chose to make an uncomfortable topic, especially for men, comfortable.

He joked about the value of Depends after dealing with more accidents than his grandson. He thanked those closest to him, from family to doctors and Hall of Famer Randy Moss, also a cancer survivor.

Sanders’ positivity radiated in the room, his attitude and resilience an inspiration.

His story is now a modern parable of hope.

“It’s not a death sentence. The lesson learned is get checked out,” Sanders said. “I’ve got too much life to be thinking about death. I’ve got work to do. We have to win a darn championship.”

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Keeler: The Rockies need to give the Yankees the Bird. As in right-handed reliever Jake Bird, whose torrid opening nine weeks — 1.67 ERA from opening day through June 1— have rival teams curious if he can repeat it for the stretch run. Bird’s turning 30 in December, and his sweeper-sinker-curve mix, according to StatCast, has raised his strikeout rate from 16.8% in 2024 to 26.7% this season. If you can miss bats at Coors, you can miss bats anywhere. The Yanks allegedly like guys with effective sweepers. You’ve already scouted their farm system in getting RyMac to the Bronx, and Bird is the kind of arm that usually brings back a low-minors lottery ticket on the pitching side. Let’s get scratching.

Renck: General manager Bill Schmidt, trying pointlessly to save his job, would love to get something for Austin Gomber. But other than his decent road numbers, the left-hander projects as a long reliever for a contender. Bird represents the latest example of the Rockies lacking self-awareness. He was oven-mitts-required hot the first two months of the season, and now, well, he’s not. Opponents are hitting .424 off him in his last eight appearances. So, be bold. Make young reliever Seth Halvorsen available. He has several years of control left before free agency. Throws 100 miles per hour. And could land multiple good players. Taking calculated risks is the only pathway out of the darkness.

Keeler:  Like the Halvorsen idea, but I’ll raise you one righty. Can you name the Rockies’ staff ERA leader since May 1? It’s reliever Victor Vodnik. He’s young (25), cost-controlled, and his average fastball velocity (98.6 mph) as of early Monday morning ranked among the top 3% of any MLB pitcher this season, according to Baseball Savant. Despite pitching at altitude, his flyball rate and ball-in-the-air rate are a healthy chunk below the league average. Contending teams who play in small yards — the Reds immediately pop to mind — could always use fireballers who know how to keep the ball on the ground.

Renck: This suggestion hurts, but hear me out: The Rockies should move Kyle Freeland. He has roughly $21.5 million left on his contract. The Rockies saved $36.5 million in the McMahon trade. Get creative — stop laughing — and eat $12 million to land one top prospect. Quantity over quality. Freeland owns a 4.18 ERA this month and has postseason and World Baseball Classic experience. He is Mr. Denver. But he deserves a chance to compete again and could be flipped for a younger starter.

Keeler:  The Rockies throw millions in salary relief to get a local hero and fan favorite off the books? We’ve seen this movie before, my friend. I love it, so it’ll never happen. It’s more likely that Schmidt and the Monforts entertain offers on outfielder Mickey Moniak, the new Nolan Jones. Although yanking The Mick’s bat from this lineup would turn a dumpster-fire offense into a volcano of pure trash in no time.

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For a Broncos quarterback to navigate this responsibility, he must understand the magnitude of the position on and off the field.

No job in the state of Colorado has a higher profile. Every Sunday is a referendum, a job performance review from 75,000 bosses — and those are just the ones crammed into Empower Field at Mile High.

Nix demonstrates all the traits of a leader. He is one of the first in the building. He calls players when they get drafted. He organized an offseason passing camp for teammates in Idaho. But what happened during the spring revealed why Nix is so equipped for this role.

After spending his rookie season in the equivalent of a spider cave with endless film and study sessions, Nix took a break. He sought out ways to connect to the community, not for social media clicks, but because it was important to him to expand his reach, deepen his roots.

So in early March, Nix found himself seated on stage with former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese speaking to the largest donors for Judi’s House, which provides the highest quality care to grieving children and families. Griese founded the non-profit in his mother’s memory in 2002, and countless players and coaches have since spoken to this group.

Nix aced it, showing passion and thoughtfulness usually only visible to family and teammates.

“He knocked it out of the park,” Griese told The Post. “He was engaging, inspiring. To a person, the supporters said nothing but good things. I think he approached his rookie season the right way, putting his head down. There is just so much on your shoulders. Being the (Broncos quarterback) is an important role. Everybody on the team knows it. And your outcomes are public. There’s a lot of pressure. But with that pressure comes an opportunity to have a platform. He understands that.”

Nix is 25 going on 50, mature, married, focused. He loves playing quarterback. But as a man of strong faith, his life is not defined by football. He wants to make a difference beyond wins and losses.

Griese was not surprised at how well Nix resonated with the audience while talking football and life. As the 49ers quarterbacks coach, Griese interviewed Nix leading up to the 2024 draft. He saw similarities to San Francisco’s Brock Purdy with his intelligence and makeup.

“I knew how good he was not only as a player, but in his communication and approach,” Griese said.

Talk to folks inside the Broncos building, and they will tell you it is impossible to succeed as the starting quarterback here without understanding the gravity of the position. It is not life and death. But it feels as important as oxygen to breath.

The 13 who followed Peyton Manning before Nix struggled with what it means. Some just were not good enough. Others were injured. And, of course, there was the impostor Case Keenum, a miscast backup, and the high-maintenance Russell Wilson, who hit the right notes off the field, especially in visits to hospitals, but never found his fit in coach Sean Payton’s offense or the locker room.

Despite being the sixth quarterback taken in the 2024 draft, Nix is established. There are no concerns about his arm strength or his knowledge of the offense. He commands respect.

He earned it. And Jake Plummer loves that.

Few Broncos quarterbacks have inspired teammates on and off the field like the former Arizona State star. Hearing stories about Nix makes him believe his upside is boundless.

“You have to remember the main thing is to play ball. If you are not living up to expectations, everyone will let you know it. It is a lot to handle. I am excited to see how he does this season,” Plummer said. “It’s good to be ‘The Man.’ But if you have success as the Broncos quarterback, and you aren’t in the public, people will say, ‘Why doesn’t he care about the community?’

“I enjoyed the limelight. But I wasn’t pulling up with an entourage. I was coming in the back door, having a little fun and then gone before people realized I was there. It seems like he is doing stuff that fits his personality.”

The longer Nix is here, the more he is one of us. Like Colorado was the place he was meant to be.

With a nudge from quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, he became more visible in the spring, attending Nuggets and Avs games. Who he brought said a lot about him. Wife, Izzy, was always by his side, but so were backup linemen and workout partners Frank Crum and Nick Gargiulo, who found themselves in more memorable photos and scenes than Forrest Gump.

“We finally had time this offseason. It’s a great city. My wife and I love being here. Love to call it home. That’s what it feels like. It’s starting to feel more and more like home. And we are making this our place,” Nix said. “With that, I didn’t want to sit at the house all day. I wanted to get out and about and enjoy what Denver has to offer.”

Playing quarterback for the Broncos is not for the meek. It requires immense talent and elephant’s skin. And it helps, explained Plummer, if you are authentic. That’s what humanizes Nix even as his practices remain business-like and serious.

Talking with Griese that night in March showed his sincerity, the type of passion that will continue to endear him to our city.

“He is genuine and humble,” Griese said. “That goes a long way with people.”

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Friday, they actually did something smart. Even if it was a year too late.

RyMac won’t be back. The Rockies shipped Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, where he will love contending and staring at the short right-field fence, but not the booing if he keeps striking out at his current pace (second in MLB with 127).

First, the good news: It’s clear general manager Bill Schmidt knows how the trade deadline works. Maybe next week, the Rockies will realize they only get three strikes while hitting, not four.

Schmidt acquired two High-A pitchers, Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz. It was a decent return given the horrible position the Rockies were in because of the previous GM. Oh, wait, that was him. Had Schmidt shipped off McMahon after he made the All-Star Game last season, they could have landed a top pitching prospect, possibly from the Pirates.

Herring, a former LSU star, is a left-hander with a funky delivery and wicked slider. But his fastball tops out at 93 miles per hour, leaving him little margin for error (see Kyle Freeland). Grosz is a stock right-hander with a good changeup and a 96-mph heater. He profiles as a reliever. For this deal to be looked at as a success by anyone other than Dick Monfort’s accountant — the Rockies will save roughly $36.5 million — they need Herring to fill a spot in the rotation in 2027.

What makes anyone think this will happen, given the Rockies’ sordid history of developing prospects?

Absolutely nothing.

But they did the right thing by moving on from McMahon. It clears a spot to get a peek at Kyle Karros and perhaps increase his trade value since anyone at the hot corner is only keeping the seat warm for Ethan Holliday in 2027.

The question now is who will Monfort let Schmidt trade next (both deserve blame for getting nothing for Trevor Story, Jon Gray, Brent Suter and Daniel Bard)? Freeland could help a contender, but is not looking to leave, meaning there is little chance he will. And Austin Gomber, Jake Bird and Tyler Freeman have mild value. The Rockies would be wise to keep Mickey Moniak, making him part of the future, while listening to offers for Brenton Doyle — if he hits over the final two months — and Zac Veen this offseason.

This is how good teams operate. They see their players as commodities. They finally realized this with McMahon, but it was likely too late to help them.

Coach Prime update: Deion Sanders will hold a news conference Monday with his medical team, the first day of preseason camp. Is he capable of coaching? Does he need more time to recover from an undisclosed medical condition? His health should remain a top priority, and hopefully, Monday’s update will provide some transparency on his path forward this season. CU owes the players, coaches and fans that much.

No autographs, please: The Trail Blazers shocked scouts by drafting Yang Hansen with the 16th pick. Then he played in the summer league, earning the nickname “Chinese Jokic.” Hansen said one of his goals next season was to get Jokic’s autograph. Jokic, on a tour of China as the global ambassador for his shoe outfitter 361 degrees, responded with humor. And a scare. He said he would sign for Yang, but not if he got the best of him in the game. Jokic added he might be out of the league when 20-year-old Yang reaches his prime. Um, no. Please don’t go there. The Nuggets need Jokic for at least six more years.

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They were born in different countries 18 years apart.

Yet, Larry Walker and Ozzy Osbourne remain forever linked in Colorado Rockies history.

When Osbourne passed away on Tuesday, the first person who came to mind was Walker. Memories of him strutting to the plate at Coors Field remain fresh. His three doubles in the 1995 home opener. His 13 total bases against the Pirates in 1996. And who can forget his 493-foot blast to right in 1997 against former La Junta High School star Mike Oquist, at the time the longest home run ever on Blake Street?

Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” provided the soundtrack. The diary of havoc blended with the diary of a madman to create the best Rockies walk-up song ever. (Sorry, Charlie)

“I was an Ozzy fan and Black Sabbath fan. It was the kind of music I grew up listening to. So when they asked me to pick a song, I wanted something really catchy,” Walker told The Denver Post. “There are a lot of songs that might work, maybe AC/DC. But Ozzy, with the start of that song, when you hear it, immediately everybody is going, ‘Aye! Aye! Aye!’ You can hear them all doing it, right? It was great. It all came together.”

Larry and Ozzy. Ozzy and Larry. They became intertwined. When news of Osbourne’s death broke, Walker received dozens of text messages expressing condolences, his friends and family all associating the slugger with the rocker.

Walker initially chose the tune for motivation.

“Some guys pick songs, and they go up, and it’s like a line dancing song is playing, you know? How the (heck) does that get you fired up?” Walker said. “I wanted something to really get me going.”

“Crazy Train,” released in 1980 in Osbourne’s debut as a solo artist, became a heavy metal anthem. But it also represented Walker with its themes of fear, paranoia and chaos. That aptly describes how pitchers felt when facing the 1997 National League MVP. Walker was in scoring position in the batter’s box at Coors Field, hitting .381 with a 462 on-base percentage and 154 home runs in 597 games.

“I hope the pitchers were scared,” Walker said, “that when they were messing with their rosin bag and heard Ozzy come on, they had that feeling of, ‘Oh (crap)!'”

Walker and Osbourne inspired similar reactions. Watch Larry take a hack or Ozzy hit a low note, and you knew you were in the presence of greatness. Both became Hall of Famers in their genres. But they admittedly didn’t have a lot in common. This became obvious when Walker attended one of Ozzy’s shows in Denver years ago.

“I went backstage and said hello to him, and he signed my lanyard and pass, ‘To Larry: You are really good at soccer,'” Walker said, laughing. “It was perfect.”

Osbourne’s hit single was the prelude to so many doubles and triples. And it was unique to Denver. When Walker played for Montreal, Ozzy was not part of his offensive routine. For good reason.

“When I was with the Expos, you could pick a song, but the PA system was so horrible you wouldn’t even know what the (heck) was playing, so why bother?” Walker said. “The only thing anyone could understand is when they put the chickens on the scoreboard screen every time a pitcher threw over to first. I couldn’t even understand my name when they announced it as I went to the plate.”

At Coors Field, the song became his introduction, with apologies to Alan Roach. The drums, the pace, the primal screams. Briefly, Walker had the audacity to change. He switched to REO Speedwagon’s “Time for Me to Fly.”

“It was because my boys in the band were in town playing a show, and I am sure they were at the game,” Walker explained. “I went right back.”

Walker without Ozzy? As intros go, that’s like Derek Jeter without Bob Sheppard.

What made Walker’s bond special was his genuine love for Osbourne beyond his music. Like many of us of a certain age, he learned about Ozzy through his reality series “The Osbournes.” Pat Boone, Ozzy’s neighbor, performed a jazzy cover of “Crazy Train” that served as the theme song. Ozzy became lovable, his affection for his wife, Sharon, and their kids sandwiched between cries for help with the TV remote or for someone to clean up dog poop.

Walker continued following Ozzy’s career and watched his last performance on July 5 in Birmingham, England. Ozzy performed with Black Sabbath while seated on a throne as a concession to his health issues, including Parkinson’s disease.

“He looked like he was knock, knock, knocking on ‘Heaven’s Door,’ so to speak. When he sang ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ at the end of it, my eyes were watering,” Walker said. “Basically, he was telling his mom he was going to see her soon. He gave every last bit of his life to that show.”

Osbourne was a monumental figure in culture and music. He practically invented heavy metal. But in these parts, when a certain song comes on, the legendary rocker will forever be connected with a legendary Rockie.

“It’s been 20 years since I retired, and it’s always special when I hear it,” Walker said. “It takes me right back, and I start getting in my batter’s stance. Then, I just start smiling and thinking of all the good times I had.”

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He is abrasive and volcanic. He is also obsessive and brilliant.

On Wednesday, the Broncos head coach addressed reporters on the first day of training camp and admitted that talking about the Super Bowl with his players “has to be a comfortable topic.”

Finally, a coach who gets it.

This franchise is defined by playoff appearances and its three Lombardi trophies. After ending an eight-year postseason drought, the Broncos are back. And Payton knows it.

It was Broncos vs. Everybody last summer, the team an afterthought with many experts pinning them at six or seven wins. Now, 10 victories is the floor.

My prediction, with chest out, is that the Broncos will win the AFC West. Rather than use the media as the enemy, reminding us of our dim forecast a year ago, Payton’s comments about prosperity were revealing.

Just like a year ago, he believes in his team more than the rest of us. And that’s a good thing.

“You can’t be afraid about talking about the end game,” Payton said.

It gave off Shanahan vibes from 1996. Payton is not running from the spotlight. He views his team as a threat. In two seasons, he has overseen a startling metamorphosis. Do you remember how badly the Broncos needed strong leadership? Or how desperate they were for a boss capable of creating a culture?

Nathaniel Hackett was the equivalent of a class valedictorian who was home-schooled. Hiring the winner of the Take-Your-Kid-To-Work contest didn’t exactly work out. Owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner sought experience with the next coach. And when the aim is to hoist a trophy in February, it helps to employ someone who is a former Super Bowl champion.

Payton is not for everyone. Talk show narratives are already developing that if the Broncos fizzle, it’s on him. You think this bothers Payton? He wants all the smoke.

Have we forgotten how far the Broncos have come? ESPN ranked Denver’s roster 31st before the 2023 season. They recently pegged them at No. 6 entering this season. The Saints were dead last. That is not a coincidence.

The year-over-year improvement speaks to Payton’s eye for talent — and how well he has blended with general manager George Paton. It is also a testament to a staff full of strong teachers. Nobody wanted this group a year ago, and now they are special?

Folks, this is what effective player development and coaching looks like. Payton, for my money, ranks as the second-best coach in the division. He is also the second-best coach in the league, ahead of Sean McVay, the Harbaughs, Mike Tomlin and Kyle Shanahan.

How many coaches can take over a team with no draft capital and absorb the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history by cutting Russell Wilson … and get better? Payton pulled it off. He also pulled back the curtain on his process when asked which is harder: Building a team or sustaining success?

“You can be hindered in a negative manner if things aren’t in place, if there is not a willingness to make change. And fortunately, that wasn’t the case here. And one of the important things about this job,” Payton said. “In some places, it is impossible to (turn things around). But it also becomes mentally more challenging in keeping an edge with your team.”

That is why Payton moved between drills Wednesday like a shark. No wasted movement. He was looking for someone to miss an assignment or stop a route a yard short so he could snap his jaws.

The Broncos improved last season. And Payton’s fingerprints were all over it. He found his franchise quarterback in Bo Nix and successfully strengthened the lines on both sides of the ball.

Taking that next step no longer lies in fundamentals, but smaller details. This is where Payton carries immense value.

He has the type of voice to drown out the noise. He has the type of power to keep his players motivated and uncomfortable. His anger can be explosive. Working with Penner, as such, has been good for Payton. Just as Payton has taught Penner about the business, Penner has harnessed Payton’s intensity in a more positive direction.

There are still blow-ups over losses and over questions from reporters. But Penner appreciates the dynamic tension, knowing the reason behind it.

The crane in the sky hanging over the new team headquarters represents ownership’s ambition. Where some see excess, fans, starting Friday, should see a desire for excellence.

Payton knows his team, like the building above the berm, is under construction. But entering his third season, the conversation is more about shutters and doors than the foundation.

“Briefly, (Tuesday) I outlined a few things that are coming. It starts more with the division and seeding. We have to start faster than we have the last two years,” Payton said. “You try to point at the nearest goal, and some of these ones that are more visible. (But the end goal)’s gotta be a comfortable subject.”

And nobody’s more comfortable than Payton. Especially in those shoes.

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Keeler: The Chiefs can be had. You know it. I know it. Most importantly, Payton knows it. This thing has just scratched the surface. The best part about nailing QB1 with Bo Nix, and nailing that position with a rookie, is that it opens up time, money (for now) and sweat you can pour into everything else. You’ve got the best offensive line in the AFC. On paper, you should have the best defense. Coach and QB are singing from the same hymnal. If this team hosts a playoff game in January, that’s progress.

Renck: The Broncos exceeded external expectations with 10 wins in 2024. That is the floor. The ceiling remains unsettling. The Broncos are better and could finish with nine or 10 victories again because of the Kansas City Chiefs, who have posted nine straight AFC West titles, and surging Chargers. But the Broncos are not looking to qualify for the playoffs. It’s about doing damage when they get there. That is why they were so intentional with their roster upgrades. This team was built to win the West — especially with its edge rushers and secondary. Failing to reach this goal would not prevent a playoff run, but it would be a letdown since we are all exhausted by the Chiefs.

Keeler: I’m with ya, but here’s the thing: The rest of the neighborhood hasn’t exactly gotten easier to navigate. The Raiders got Broncos Country’s draft man crush in Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and are trying to become Seahawks South by reuniting Geno Smith and Pete Carroll. Don’t know if that plan will work, but it’s a plan, which is more than you can usually say for Mark Davis. The Chargers drafted Omarion Hampton, our other man crush. Much as we want the Bolts to take the hint and go away, they’re going to be feisty until Jim Harbaugh whips out the flamethrower and starts burning bridges again.

Renck: Payton is obsessed with winning another title. He knows the Chiefs, despite a slightly improved offensive line, are vulnerable. Broncos players recognize they have entered their window as legitimate contenders. They don’t have to win their first AFC West crown since 2015 to look back fondly at this season. They have to win a playoff game. Full stop. They are not as young as 2024, but they still have peach fuzz. And their hunger has not been quenched. If anything, the embarrassment in Buffalo has left them starving to reach the next step: advancing to the NFL’s elite eight.

Keeler: Let’s lower that bar a tad. Why? Precedent. The three longest non-active (hello, Jets) AFC postseason droughts this century were snapped by the Bengals (14 seasons, 2005), Bills (17 seasons, 2017) and Browns (17 seasons, 2020), respectively. None of those teams made the playoffs the year after they’d snapped their streaks. The schedule says 11 wins. History says eight. If the Broncos split the difference and make the postseason with nine or 10 victories, even if it’s not a huge step forward, it’s still a step in the right direction.

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Everyone reveled in Jamal Murray’s playoff excellence en route to a championship. But Nuggets Nation suffered as Murray has dealt with one injury after another the past two seasons, bad luck and poor early-season conditioning conspiring to make him look old at the age of 28.

Now comes a chance for a reset. An opportunity to make critics — myself among them — swallow their tongues.

Friday, as co-general managers Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer talked about the Nuggets’ upgraded roster, flashbacks interrupted the joy.

We’ve heard this before. The pieces are in place. Nikola Jokic is the best player on the planet. All that is needed is for Murray to operate at a season-long standard that meets the rest of our expectations.

Perhaps you heard: Murray will be the NBA’s 15th highest-paid player in 2025 at $46.3 million, the first year of a $207.8 million max contract extension. He is the only player among the top 26 to never make an All-Star Game.

Doesn’t this infuriate him? His contract has been called the worst in Colorado sports, non-Kris Bryant division. Doesn’t that disrespect fuel him?

Apparently, it does.

The Nuggets recently posted on Twitter pictures and video of Murray working out with the summer league team in Las Vegas. For a player who had a disjointed offseason last summer — Murray was recovering from multiple injuries while playing terribly for Team Canada in the Olympics — this represents a positive sign.

By itself, it was not a headline. This is: Word is Murray has also been playing in pick-up games in Las Vegas at the Wynn Casino, where the Toronto Raptors continued their tradition of setting up two regulation courts in a ballroom. These games feature heavy hitters, players capable of pushing Murray more than practices with future G-Leaguers.

This is the type of stuff that perks ears and widens eyes. The type of routine that suggests Murray wants to raise a finger after a championship, preferably the middle one.

This is what the Nuggets need: A motivated Murray, taking from his love of the UFC, from the glove tap to the final bell.

It is impossible to overstate his importance to a title run. He is the connective tissue that supports all the recent moves, binds them together.

Josh Kroenke acknowledged that the front office would push players to remember the sour ending in Oklahoma City, making it clear that attitude and effort were non-negotiable. Coach David Adelman challenged them to return ready for a competitive training camp designed to facilitate a fast launch.

“I think we can come back more ready to start the season. I would love for us to come back more ready to go,” Adelman said. “That’ll be the expectation, to come back in much better shape.”

He did not mention names. But if it were an ad lib, Murray would have filled in the blank. By all accounts, he has gotten the message.

Forget making an All-Star team. That has always been a mix of popularity and politics. The Nuggets need Murray to play like an All-Star. They no longer have the margin for error that existed in 2023, permitting him to ramp up his conditioning during the first few months.

If last season taught us anything, it’s this: Exerting so much energy to level up left Murray vulnerable to injuries and compromised in the playoffs. That version of Murray wins just enough to drive us crazy, making us yearn for the higher ceiling we witnessed during previous playoff runs.

Seeing Murray getting reps in practice in Las Vegas, hearing about him getting run in pickup games, suggests he is taking ownership and assuming the responsibility that comes with his contract.

Perhaps reminders from people he trusts helped. Or perhaps he looked in the mirror and recognized the truth. Jokic is the brains of the Nuggets, playing Peyton Manning-type chess on offense. Murray is the heart of the Nuggets.

Last year he showed up and played the first 20 games like he needed an angioplasty. If he arrives bought in, everything changes.

Teammates will feed off him. Including Jonas Valanciunas, a backup center the front office believes will report to the Nuggets and dazzle with his rebounding and passing. Including Cam Johnson, who learned to score off the dribble in Brooklyn and has the type of basketball IQ to maximize his time on the floor with Jokic. Including Bruce Brown, who is ready for a redux. And including Tim Hardaway Jr., who is already slobbering at all the open spot-up looks he will get in this offense.

If Murray sets the tone in training camp, as expected, then Adelman can focus on teaching his schemes to fast-learning veterans and not get bogged down in calisthenics and fundamentals.

The Nuggets wisely resisted the temptation to run it back with last season’s roster. They are better. But an existing player is more important than any new additions.

A mad Murray, instead of a maddening Murray, holds the key to another championship.

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