The Denver Broncos drive to Super Bowl LXI begins today.

Veterans are reporting to training camp in Dove Valley.

There’s no looking back now.

Denver Broncos drive to Super Bowl LXI begins today with training camp opening

For the first time, the 2026 Denver Broncos are coming together today.

Sure, a lot of the guys have played with one another in previous seasons.

But many more—namely Jaylen Waddle—will be meeting most of his teammates and coaching staff today. The same goes for the rookies. They all joined up together in South Denver last week, but now all the veterans come in, too.

No doubt about it, this team has been built from the top-down to compete for a Super Bowl.

They made it within one game of Super Bowl LX last year, losing 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. They opened that all-important championship window a year early, surprising everyone when they won the AFC West and earned the American Conference’s No. 1 seed.

Then, George Paton improved the roster. Not just with Waddle—though he was the blockbuster addition—but also by re-signing J.K. Dobbins, and addressing needs through the draft. Jonah Coleman will be an important depth piece at running back, Tyler Onyedim adds bulk in the middle of the defensive line, and Justin Joly could be the tight end of the future.

There’s little doubt that at some point over the next few weeks, Sean Payton will be hyping this team up about the possibility of playing in Super Bowl LXI in six and a half months.

Payton told his team to prepare for Santa Clara last preseason

Coaches are nothing if not charismatic and confident. Some border on the line of cocky, and Sean Payton is one of them.

Looking back, it doesn’t seem crazy that Payton told his team to prepare to play in Santa Clara at the end of the year. They went 14-3 and made it to the AFC Championship Game. But before the 2025 season, the Broncos were expected to win nine games. Which makes Payton look a little crazy—and a great motivator—for telling his team to prepare for the Super Bowl in the preseason.

From Seth Wickersham’s amazing behind-the-scenes look at the Broncos:

“Five months earlier, back in training camp, I sat with the entire Broncos coaching staff in a private area of a San Jose steakhouse. They were in town for preseason work against the 49ers. Training camp is for bonding. Payton took out the men and women who were at the early stages of a monthslong grind. It was warm and dark. Precious early season belief was in the air. Wine flowed; appetizers arrived without ordering; steaks and dessert followed. Levi’s Stadium, site of Super Bowl LX, was nine miles and six months away, but felt closer. At one point, Payton tapped his glass with his fork and stood up.

‘We’re beginning our season in Santa Clara. And we’re going to end it there, too.'”

If that was the belief last year from Payton, imagine what that team is thinking and talking about today in Dove Valley. Not only is the coaching staff believing they can make it, but the players must be too.

Last year, the Broncos exceeded expectations by a mile. This year, the expectations are a mile high.

That starts within the organization and has expanded outward to Broncos Country and even into the national media.

Denver’s now expected to compete for the AFC West title and many believe they’re legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

If the Broncos want to get to their ninth franchise Super Bowl next February, the preparation begins today.

Welcome to the 2026 Denver Broncos season!