Greg Penner throws shade the way Peyton Manning threw the out-and-go. The Chiefs caught more strays Wednesday at Dove Valley than the ASPCA.

“Is Patrick Mahomes in your sights as you’re building this organization?” the Broncos’ CEO was asked during an end-of-season news conference at Broncos Park powered by CommonSpirit.

To this, Penner dropped back and hit Andy Reid right between the whiskers.

“Absolutely,” he replied with a shot as straight and true as Wyatt Earp’s. “I mean, yeah. We could very easily have been 2-0 against the Chiefs this year. And our absolute goal next year is to win our division.”

Take that, Captain Cheeseburger!

“We’re not looking backwards. We’re looking ahead. And it starts with the division,” coach Sean Payton said. “And there’s a lot of confidence in this team. If we could get past that (Buffalo) game, the next team to be able to play, we’d probably win that round.”

If the Broncos had beaten the Bills, they’d be preparing this week for a third meeting with Kansas City, at Arrowhead. To be fair, Payton should’ve won the first tussle in front of the Red Sea. The Chiefs basically downed tools during the second at Empower Field. So who knows?

This much, though, we know firsthand: Josh Allen made Payton’s chest-thumping a moot point. The Bills’ QB spent three hours last Sunday in Orchard Park carving the Broncos up like a one-man machete.

“I didn’t see a gap last weekend (in Buffalo) until the second half,” Payton said when asked about the distance between his 10-7 and the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens. “And then you see a gap because you’re losing. But I felt really confident we could go in there and play well and win. We obviously didn’t play well enough. But those lines are much finer than you think. I always (use) that term, (that there) is a fine line between a groove and a rut. And it’s a player. It’s two players. It’s the line of scrimmage. It’s the kicking game.”

It’s a running back, coach.

It’s probably two running backs.

Never mind Kareem Hunt. The Broncos need an Isiah Pacheco of their own if Payton’s champagne wishes and Penner’s caviar dreams are to become more than winter bravado after the party’s over.

Only two Broncos QBs over the last four decades have won a playoff tilt in which Denver didn’t also run for at least 95 yards as a team — John Elway and Manning. Maybe Bo Nix is good enough to do this all by himself. But he’s not there yet.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have had at least one tailback carry the ball at least 170 times in each of the last three seasons, another quiet bedrock in the AFC’s latest dynasty. Point of reference: Since 2022, the Broncos have had a runner hit the 170 mark just once — Javonte Williams in 2023, with 217 totes. The franchise hasn’t produced a 100-yard rusher since Payton arrived.

“We’re going to have more than just one back,” the coach promised on Wednesday. “We’re going to stack that position because it’s too hard in our league to play with just one. Rarely does a team do it. Occasionally, it happens. And certainly we’ll have a chance to evaluate when we get to the off-season evaluation process, like where we feel like we’re at with each position. Certainly that’s an important position.”

Home or away, it’s among the most important this month. The last four teams standing in the AFC — Kansas City (Hunt), Buffalo (James Cook), Baltimore (Travis Henry) and Houston (Joe Mixon) — all featured at least one tailback who carried the rock 170 times or more during the regular season. Cook scorched the Broncos for 120 yards on the ground during Wild-Card Weekend, while Mixon rambled for 106 yards and a score to help the Texans pummel Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers.

Penner and Payton are right on one point: The Chiefs can’t go on like this. The most cost-effective offensive line in the AFC won’t be for much longer. Guard Trey Smith, a sixth-rounder who really hit, is at the end of his rookie deal in March. Cornerback Trent McDuffie reaches the end of his after 2025.

Kansas City went 11-0 in one-score games this past fall, the kind of poker streak nobody in this league can sustain. The Chiefs were 6-5 in those games in 2023, 7-3 in 2022. Regression’s inevitable. But not guaranteed.

“The playoffs are a lot different,” Broncos general manager George Paton noted. “(The) Buffalo Bills … those are the type of teams you’re going to face during the playoffs. So, obviously, we need to take the next step moving forward. And that’s going to be our focus throughout the offseason.”

Want to really shake Chiefs Kingdom? Trade up for Ashton Jeanty.

Actions, kids. Actions, not words. Penner, Paton and Payton have a zombie franchise back up on two feet, shuffling forward and munching brains again. But to run with the big dogs in the AFC, you have to be able to run the ball in January first.

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

Greg Penner throws shade the way Peyton Manning threw the out-and-go. The Chiefs caught more strays Wednesday at Dove Valley than the ASPCA.

“Is Patrick Mahomes in your sights as you’re building this organization?” the Broncos’ CEO was asked during an end-of-season news conference at Broncos Park powered by CommonSpirit.

To this, Penner dropped back and hit Andy Reid right between the whiskers.

“Absolutely,” he replied with a shot as straight and true as Wyatt Earp’s. “I mean, yeah. We could very easily have been 2-0 against the Chiefs this year. And our absolute goal next year is to win our division.”

Take that, Captain Cheeseburger!

“We’re not looking backwards. We’re looking ahead. And it starts with the division,” coach Sean Payton said. “And there’s a lot of confidence in this team. If we could get past that (Buffalo) game, the next team to be able to play, we’d probably win that round.”

If the Broncos had beaten the Bills, they’d be preparing this week for a third meeting with Kansas City, at Arrowhead. To be fair, Payton should’ve won the first tussle in front of the Red Sea. The Chiefs basically downed tools during the second at Empower Field. So who knows?

This much, though, we know firsthand: Josh Allen made Payton’s chest-thumping a moot point. The Bills’ QB spent three hours last Sunday in Orchard Park carving the Broncos up like a one-man machete.

“I didn’t see a gap last weekend (in Buffalo) until the second half,” Payton said when asked about the distance between his 10-7 and the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens. “And then you see a gap because you’re losing. But I felt really confident we could go in there and play well and win. We obviously didn’t play well enough. But those lines are much finer than you think. I always (use) that term, (that there) is a fine line between a groove and a rut. And it’s a player. It’s two players. It’s the line of scrimmage. It’s the kicking game.”

It’s a running back, coach.

It’s probably two running backs.

Never mind Kareem Hunt. The Broncos need an Isiah Pacheco of their own if Payton’s champagne wishes and Penner’s caviar dreams are to become more than winter bravado after the party’s over.

Only two Broncos QBs over the last four decades have won a playoff tilt in which Denver didn’t also run for at least 95 yards as a team — John Elway and Manning. Maybe Bo Nix is good enough to do this all by himself. But he’s not there yet.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have had at least one tailback carry the ball at least 170 times in each of the last three seasons, another quiet bedrock in the AFC’s latest dynasty. Point of reference: Since 2022, the Broncos have had a runner hit the 170 mark just once — Javonte Williams in 2023, with 217 totes. The franchise hasn’t produced a 100-yard rusher since Payton arrived.

“We’re going to have more than just one back,” the coach promised on Wednesday. “We’re going to stack that position because it’s too hard in our league to play with just one. Rarely does a team do it. Occasionally, it happens. And certainly we’ll have a chance to evaluate when we get to the off-season evaluation process, like where we feel like we’re at with each position. Certainly that’s an important position.”

Home or away, it’s among the most important this month. The last four teams standing in the AFC — Kansas City (Hunt), Buffalo (James Cook), Baltimore (Travis Henry) and Houston (Joe Mixon) — all featured at least one tailback who carried the rock 170 times or more during the regular season. Cook scorched the Broncos for 120 yards on the ground during wild-card weekend, while Mixon rambled for 106 yards and a score to help the Texans pummel Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers.

Penner and Payton are right on one point: The Chiefs can’t go on like this. The most cost-effective offensive line in the AFC won’t be for much longer. Guard Trey Smith, a sixth-rounder who really hit, is at the end of his rookie deal in March. Cornerback Trent McDuffie reaches the end of his after 2025.

Kansas City went 11-0 in one-score games this past fall, the kind of poker streak nobody in this league can sustain. The Chiefs were 6-5 in those games in 2023, 7-3 in 2022. Regression’s inevitable. But not guaranteed.

“The playoffs are a lot different,” Broncos general manager George Paton noted. “(The) Buffalo Bills … those are the type of teams you’re going to face during the playoffs. So, obviously, we need to take the next step moving forward. And that’s going to be our focus throughout the offseason.”

Want to really shake Chiefs Kingdom? Trade up for Ashton Jeanty.

Actions, kids. Actions, not words. Penner, Paton and Payton have a zombie franchise back up on two feet, shuffling forward and munching brains again. But to run with the big dogs in the AFC, you have to be able to run the ball in January first.

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

Michael McClenton is excited about being Scott Frost’s first commitment since returning to coach at UCF.

The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker from Ocoee High School announced his decision in a post on social media on Tuesday, less than two weeks after receiving an offer from the school.

As it turns out, the decision to join the Knights’ 2026 recruiting class was an easy one.

“I decided to commit to UCF because it’s always been a dream of mine,” McClenton told the Orlando Sentinel. “I liked how coach Frost and [defensive tackles] coach Kenny Martin came to my school and impressed me. They sold on why I would like him to be my coach of the future.”

McClenton also received offers from Liberty, Marshall and Tennessee State.

However, what sold the junior was being the first piece of the first recruiting class in Frost’s return to UCF.

“He wanted me to come and be the first commit to the class,” McClenton said. “He wanted me to come in and be a leader for the class.”

After long nights and prayers and conversations with my family and coaches. I have decided to COMMIT to the University of Central Florida. Hometown hero
@Coach_Martin95 @McKenzieMil10 @CoachGrinch @JerisMcIntyre @Im_Dlaw @HarrisNOFLYZONE @JohnGarcia_Jr @CoachBuckGurley pic.twitter.com/LYu45r6ZvW

— michael mcclenton (@michaelmcclent5) January 15, 2025

A two-sport standout at Ocoee, playing basketball and football, McClenton averaged 5 points and 4.7 rebounds over two seasons for the Knights basketball team.

He totaled 517 tackles with 99 for loss and 55 sacks in 32 games in three varsity seasons, according to MaxPreps.com, and was a first-team selection in the Sentinel’s 2024 All-Area Football Team.

Another appealing aspect of Frost’s recruiting pitch was his comparison of McClenton to former UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin.

“He told me I was similar to Shaquem because so many people doubted him,” said McClenton. “I feel like it was a big inspiration because he wasn’t the biggest or fastest guy, but he played with a good motor and heart. That’s how coach Frost likes his players to play and that’s how I love to play.”

Griffin would become an All-American and be named American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and Most Valuable Player of the 2018 Peach Bowl despite having his left hand amputated as a child.

He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and played three seasons in the NFL.

McClenton is excited to bring his skillset to UCF.

“[I’m] a smart player with a good motor, a leader, and a person willing to work,” he said.

He’s also excited about the prospect of playing close to home and becoming the latest Central Florida prospect to play for the Knights.

“Staying at home means a lot to me,” said McClenton. “My family could come to see me every game, my friends could see me and most importantly, the community that I have behind me in high school could come to see me.”

With his commitment over, McClenton hopes to relax and focus on improving his game during his senior season.

“I like to improve on playing in space,” said McClenton. “I know I can play in the box, coming downhill and all the things like that, but space is one of the things I lack.”

McClenton has already contacted other recruits from the area, hoping to convince them to become the latest Hometown Heroes to play at UCF.

“I’ve already hit up some of the kids offered. I’m trying to get this thing rolling,” he said.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic injured his right elbow while warming up Wednesday night and was ruled out before Denver’s game against the Houston Rockets.

The injury was officially listed as right elbow inflammation. Jokic has now missed six games this season.

The three-time league MVP is averaging 30.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game this season. The Nuggets are 2-3 when he doesn’t play.

This story will be updated.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic injured his right elbow while warming up Wednesday night and was ruled out before Denver’s game against the Houston Rockets.

The injury was officially listed as right elbow inflammation. Jokic has now missed six games this season.

The three-time league MVP is averaging 30.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game this season. The Nuggets are 2-3 when he doesn’t play.

This story will be updated.

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For Mackenzie Blackwood, boring is better.

Blackwood is one of the best athletes in the NHL, regardless of position. His athleticism allows him to make jaw-dropping, how-did-he-get-that-one saves.

His path from prospect to potential Vezina Trophy candidate was non-linear, and included some dark days. But, beyond some better fortune with his health, one of the biggest realizations in his development was his ability to make flashy saves was not going to make him the consistent goaltender he wanted to be.

“Goalie is a hard position mentally. You have to learn yourself, learn your game,” Blackwood said. “I think part of consistency is just positioning. If I’m in the right spot, most of the time, the pucks hit you. If you’re not chasing the game and you let the game come to you, it’s a lot easier to play.

“I think you simplify things and you don’t overuse athleticism – like, you have to kind of know it’s there when you need it, but not rely on it. Kind of just play a boring game, let it come out when you need it.”

The Avalanche needed it Tuesday night. That was not by any measure a boring game for Blackwood.

Colorado defeated the New York Rangers, 2-1, in overtime. Blackwood’s coach said he was the best player on the ice at Ball Arena, and the Avs would have gotten zero points, not two, if he wasn’t.

The Avalanche hoped Blackwood, along with Scott Wedgewood, would stabilize the goaltending position after a rough start for Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen. What the franchise has gotten since acquiring both in a pair of trades 10 days apart far exceeds stable.

Blackwood has made 12 starts for the Avs. He has allowed two or fewer goals in all of them.

The previous goalies allowed two goals or fewer just 10 times in 27 games.

“You don’t want to talk ill of the past guys because they were trying and working hard, but when (Blackwood) is in net or (Wedgewood) is in net, it’s a good feeling,” Avs center Parker Kelly said. “You feel like they’re going to give you a chance to win. It’s not that you’re OK with making mistakes or giving up chances, but just to have that extra safety net is a pretty nice feeling.”

Blackwood was once the goalie of the future for the New Jersey Devils. Then he became the goaltender of the present, and a great start to his NHL career included a sixth-place finish in the Calder Trophy voting in 2020.

What came next was rough. Injuries and inconsistent play over the course of three seasons led the Devils to look elsewhere. By the time New Jersey’s rebuild was over and the Devils made the playoffs in 2023, Blackwood was third on the depth chart.

“Well, in the start with New Jersey, it was good. It was really good,” Blackwood said. “My game was evolving well, and I was playing good, taking the steps. But then I got into a lot of injury problems. It was one after another. I would be playing for a month, and then out for two or three. It was really hard to keep your game going when you’re in and you’re out and you’re off the ice for months. Even through the summer, you’re not training the way you want because of injuries.

“It was two years of just like, ‘Holy man, I’m never going to be able to be fully healthy.’ My ankle was pretty messed up.”

While the end in New Jersey was forgettable, Blackwood was using his downtime to overhaul how he was rehabbing. By the summer of 2023, he felt much better about his body and his offseason training.

San Jose general manager Mike Grier knew Blackwood from his days as a Devils assistant coach, and took a low-risk chance on him. He was back on another rebuilding team with years to go, but the opportunity saved his career.

Blackwood credits Grier for giving him that chance, and Sharks goalie coach Thomas Speer for helping him find this current version of himself.

The numbers weren’t always great, but Blackwood’s play was much improved. The Avs saw it, too.

“It’s the maturity of the player,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You watch him in San Jose, and he looked like pretty much the same goalie every night. He gave them a chance to win with a high volume of shots, high-danger scoring chances, what he’s able to do.

“He’s done that here so far, so everything’s on track and we feel good about it.”

Colorado has already rewarded Blackwood with a five-year, $26.25 million contract extension. Blackwood has rewarded the Avs’ leap of faith with Vezina-quality goaltending.

Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebucyk is the runaway favorite for the award. Barring serious injury, he’s going to win for the second straight year.

But Blackwood, with a .938 save percentage and 1.68 goals against average, has been the best goalie in the NHL since arriving in Colorado. For the year, he’s up to fifth in the league with a .920 save percentage overall and he’s tied for third in goals saved above expected, per Money Puck.

Someone is going to finish second and third in the Vezina voting, and Blackwood’s play has put him firmly in that conversation. He’s married the flash and high-end skill with consistency. It’s there when needed, like against the Rangers.

But this older, more mature version of Blackwood has become a revelation for a club that desperately needed just average goaltending. He has delivered far more than that.

“The strength for me is (him) reading the play. Just finding where is the puck going and being early to get over there,” Bednar said. “He’s really efficient with his movements, and he’s a big guy. It’s all those things, but for me it’s the intelligence to read the play, to get over and know where it’s going, where the dangerous shots are coming from.

“He can make very difficult saves for some goalies like relatively routine for himself when he’s reading the play like that.”

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Nik Bonitto is eligible for a contract extension. And even though George Paton hasn’t engaged in those discussions yet, he made it clear that he wants the All-Pro edge rusher in Denver for the foreseeable future.

“Obviously we’d love to have Nik here long term,” Denver’s general manager said on Wednesday. “We haven’t had those discussions yet so we’ll see how that goes.”

In 2024, Denver showed it was willing to take care of its own. Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, cornerback Pat Surtain II, right guard Quinn Meinerz and left tackle Garett Bolles signed lucrative contract extensions. According to Over the Cap’s Valuation metric, which measures contract value with on-field production, Bonitto could earn $14.55 million per year.

Bonitto’s upward trajectory has positioned him to earn a significant deal. After the second-round pick totaled eight sacks in 2023, he finished third in the league with 13.5. He and Cooper (10.5 sacks) are the first Bronco players to record double digit sacks in a single season since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018.

Bonitto, an unrestricted free agent in 2026, was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press and selected to participate in the Pro Bowl games for the first time in his young career.

“We knew he was a good rusher. Could he develop into a three-down player?” Paton said. “Credit to the staff, (defensive line coach) Jamar Cain (and outside linebackers coach) Michael Wilhoite, he took that next step.”

Paton calls the signing of Roach the best offseason move: Broncos signing defensive lineman Malcolm Roach to a two-year, $7 million went down as one of their most important offseason transactions.

“Signing Malcolm Roach was a huge addition. Could have been our best addition of the offseason,” Paton said.

Roach, who previously spent four seasons with the Saints, had a career year. He totaled 43 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a couple of passes defended.

The Louisiana native played a major role in Denver finishing the regular season third in rushing yards allowed (96.4). He had 13 run stuffs — tackles resulting in no gain or loss, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Denver gave up 2.9 yards per attempt when Roach was on the field and 4.9 yards when he was on the sideline.

Broncos’ top brass praise Lowery: Broncos head coach Sean Payton and owner/CEO Greg Penner couldn’t think of enough words to commend the training staff and Beau Lowery, vice president of player health & performance, for the work they have done to keep players healthy over the last two seasons.

“Beau Lowery and his whole group are (doing a) terrific job,” Penner said.

Payton mentioned Denver’s recent track record of keeping players healthy will convince them to stay around the facility in the offseason to lift and get treatment to maintain their bodies.

“They want to be here. They’re not all disappearing to the satellite private workout expert facilities,” Payton said.

Broncos have a chance to play overseas in 2025: Even though the Broncos are not required to host an international game in 2025, there’s still a chance they play football outside of United States soil.

The Colts and Jets, road opponents next season, are slated to play overseas. Indianapolis will host the league’s first regular-season game in Berlin. Meanwhile, New York will play one of its home games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

The last time Denver played an international game was in 2022. The Broncos defeated the Jaguars, 21-17, at Wembley Stadium in London.

“It’s very possible we end up playing a game in London or Berlin,” Penner said. “I think Sean has a great approach to these things, which is, hey, that’s an opportunity for the team to have some time to bond in a different way.

“… We welcome that if we have the opportunity to get to do it.”

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