Denver Broncos

Terrell Davis says he's hyped that his former team, the Denver Broncos, signed Melvin Gordon ... telling TMZ Sports Gordon is a talented running back -- and BIG!

The L.A. Chargers clearly didn't think so ... they let the 215-pound RB go after 5 seasons -- giving the Broncos the opportunity to sign the 26-year-old to a 2-year deal worth $16 MIL last month.

"When you can get a guy as talented as Melvin, ya know you always would like to add that to your backfield," the former Broncos champ says.

And, the Broncos already have a pretty decent running core with Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman ... but Davis tells us they were still lacking a dominant guy.

"They got three real good running backs and Melvin's big," Davis tells us. "I think he provides that big physical back that the Broncos didn't have and as well, he can catch."

"They seem like they're gonna be an offense that's gonna use the backs a lot more in the passing game."

Davis says there's a bonus to signing Gordon as well ... it will take the pressure off their young QB, Drew Lock.

"Well, what you would ask somebody like Melvin is to be able to take some of the load off the quarterback, so it's not just every down. It can't be predicted," Davis says.

Ex-NFL star Deltha O'Neal is EXTREMELY lucky to be alive today ... TMZ Sports has obtained the crash pics from his DUI case -- and you can see his car was a mangled mess.

As we previously reported, O'Neal was involved in a terrifying wreck back on Aug. 7, 2019 .... after cops say he lost control of his Mercedes going around a curve on a Florida roadway.

Cops say O'Neal and his passenger, Joseph Babcock, struck a curb, slammed into a utility pole, caught on fire and ripped through trees before their ride finally came to a stop.

O'Neal and Babcock were both seriously hurt in the accident ... with officials saying Babcock broke his femur, while O'Neal fractured his back and neck.

In police photos we obtained of the car shortly after the crash ... you can see it's a miracle that's ALL that happened to the guys -- 'cause there was hardly any car left post-accident.

According to court docs, O'Neal had admitted to drinking before the wreck ... and he was later arrested and hit with two counts of DUI.

Babcock, meanwhile, sued O'Neal over the crash ... demanding cash, claiming the former Denver Broncos Pro Bowl DB was responsible for all of his injuries.

O'Neal -- who logged 34 interceptions in his 9-year NFL career -- is currently fighting both cases in court. His next appearance in his criminal case is slated for April.

Drew Lock and his bombshell GF are keepin' the fabric to a minimum on their romantic getaway ... 'cause the Broncos QB's wearing a super-short pair of shorts posted up with his bikini-clad lady!!

The rookie is proving he's a seasoned vet in the vacation department ... hitting up Turks and Caicos with Natalie Newman ... and the pics are hotter than the 79 degree weather!!

Of course, Lock was a stud at Mizzou before going to the Broncos in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. Newman is a Buffalo who attended Colorado.

The couple went IG official in 2019 ... and they've been posting adorable stuff ever since.

"Shore do love ya," Natalie captioned her beach pic with Drew. Cute, right?

Drew shared a tribute to his boo on Jan 1, saying "Happy New Year but most importantly Happy Birthday to this beautiful woman."

"I’m so thankful 2019 brought you into my life, you bring so many smiles to my face effortlessly! I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings us."

Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson was just slapped with a 2-game suspension -- ending his 2019 season -- after cops busted him for DUI back in September.

Jackson -- a 31-year-old stud defender -- was arrested on September 19 in Denver after officials say he was speeding and driving under the influence.

KJ -- a former 1st round pick who was a star at Alabama -- immediately reported the arrest to Broncos officials ... who passed the news on to the NFL.

The league investigated ... and on Tuesday they handed Jackson a 2-game suspension.

The Broncos are 5-9 and have no shot to make the playoffs ... so it's not that big of a blow for the squad.

Jackson owned up to his screw up ... and posted a heartfelt apology on Twitter.

"I would like to apologize to the Broncos organization, my teammates & fans. I understand the severity in my lapse of judgement and I will certainly not make this mistake again. I know I am fortunate to play in the NFL and am held to a high standard of professionalism and conduct."

The Broncos also released a statement addressing Jackson's arrest.

"Kareem Jackson was arrested for driving under the influence on Thursday, Sept. 19. He immediately informed our team of the incident, which we promptly reported to the NFL and thoroughly reviewed as an organization."

“There are high standards for the personal conduct of all members of our organization, and we have expressed our extreme disappointment to Kareem for his poor judgment. Under the NFL Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse, he has been suspended for the Broncos’ final two games of the 2019 season.”

As far as his legal issues ... Jackson appeared before a judge in Colorado earlier this week and plead guilty to a reduced charge -- driving while ability impaired.

Stop the search for a franchise QB, Denver ... Broncos stud Justin Simmons tells TMZ Sports Drew Lock IS the future of the team!!

"He's starting to prove himself a little bit," the Broncos DB says.

Of course, Lock's only started two games this season ... but Simmons tells us it's pretty clear to him Denver has finally got their QB of the future.

In fact, Simmons says he could see this coming way back in the fall ... telling us during practices in Sept. and Oct., he watched Lock's massive upside up close and personal.

"You could see he had all the potential," Simmons says.

"So, it's cool that we kind of got, like, the first look at it and he got to go in these past two Sundays and kind of perform for the world."

So far, Simmons' anointing of Lock as QB1 ain't exactly a crazy statement ... Lock is 2-0 the past two weeks with 5 TDs and 443 passing yards.

But, Lock has a chance to make Justin look really brilliant this weekend ... the rookie QB will go toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in a tense AFC West game on Sunday.

"Obviously, it's a big test for us on the road this week," Simmons says.

Denver Broncos honcho John Elway is super excited about his rookie QB, Drew Lock -- but tells TMZ Sports the #1 spot DEFINITELY belongs to Joe Flacco.

We know ... it ain't exactly bombshell news -- but it's cool to hear Elway talk up his young rookie.

"He's a young guy. He's got a great future," Elway said about the 2nd-round pick out of Missouri.

Of course, there's no doubt Flacco is the starter -- the Broncos traded for him during the off-season and they'll be paying him $18.5 MILLION this year.

On his way out of Craig's in L.A., Elway -- who stopped for pics with fans and even signed autographs -- said he thinks Flacco can do what Peyton Manning did ... and become the missing the piece that leads Denver to the Super Bowl.

Elway also threw his support behind Brittany Bowlen -- who's rumored to be taking over the team in the wake of her father's passing.

Pat Bowlen -- the longtime owner of the Denver Broncos who helped the team win THREE Super Bowls -- has died at 75.

The Broncos announced Friday the Hall of Famer passed away late Thursday night following his battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Bowlen is one of the most successful team owners in sports history ... he bought the Broncos back in 1984 and helped SEVEN different rosters make the Super Bowl.

Pat's Broncos also averaged more than 10 wins per season in his 35-year tenure as Broncos' owner.

"We are saddened to inform everyone that our beloved husband and father, Pat Bowlen, passed on to the next chapter of his life late Thursday night peacefully at home surrounded by family," his family said in a statement released by the team.

"His soul will live on through the Broncos, the city of Denver and all of our fans."

Pat -- who stepped down from his day-to-day role as owner of the Broncos in 2014 because of his battle with Alzheimer's -- is most famously known for his relationship with John Elway.

After Elway won his first Super Bowl with the Broncos in the 1997 season ... Pat famously grabbed the Lombardi Trophy and said, "This one's for John!"

Of course, about 20 years later -- after Elway won Super Bowl 50 as Denver's general manager -- he said, "This one's for Pat!"

Bowlen was just named a Hall of Famer this year ... and will be officially inducted at a ceremony in Canton, Ohio this summer.

“Our family wishes to express its sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received in recent years," Pat's family said ... "Heaven got a little bit more orange and blue tonight."

If ya think Eli Manning's dad is pissed the Giants drafted his son's replacement ... think again -- 'cause Archie Manning tells TMZ Sports, Daniel Jones is a GOOD pick for the G-men.

"They drafted a really good, young man," Archie says ... "A really good, young player."

Of course, the Giants just picked up the Duke QB with the No. 6 overall selection in April's NFL Draft ... and that means Eli's days are officially numbered in NY.

But, Archie says he ain't mad Eli's team drafted a guy to replace him ... and, in fact, Papa Manning says he actually saw it coming.

"I knew they were probably going to draft a QB," Archie says.

As for how Eli is handling the situation, Archie tells us the 38-year-old isn't ready to give up the starting QB reins just yet ... saying, "he's working hard, ready to go."

The Denver Broncos are doing an awesome thing to help local families in the aftermath of a tragic school shooting ... offering up their practice facility so students have a place to hold their graduation ceremonies.

Last week -- just days after a student opened fire at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado, killing one and injuring 8 others -- officials reached out to the Broncos for some help.

The school needed a place to hold its ceremonies for its graduating students ... and the Broncos stepped up in a big way -- happily giving away their UCHealth Training Center in Dove Valley.

"STEM School reached out to the Broncos late last week about the possibility of hosting its graduations at UCHealth Training Center," Broncos' executive vice president of public and community relations Patrick Smyth said in a statement.

"We told them we’d be happy to help the school, the students and their families in any way possible."

The Broncos played host to a kindergarten ceremony Thursday -- The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala reported -- and are expected to play host to a bigger grad ceremony early next week.

For their part, Broncos players have also reached out in the aftermath of the tragedy, with superstar pass rusher Bradley Chubb saying, "Got a chance to meet the graduating seniors from the STEM School out here in Co."

Two of the Denver Broncos top NFL draft picks --QB Drew Lock and TE Noah Fant -- were involved in an airport shuttle crash at LAX on Wednesday ... but don't worry, THEY'RE FINE!!

In fact, Lock was laughing afterward and joked, "We've taken worse hits!"

Fant (the 20th overall pick) and Lock (the 42nd overall pick) had just touched down in Los Angeles and boarded a shuttle to take them from the plane to the terminal when it collided with another vehicle.

"The shuttle hit something," Lock said ... "It was wild."

Lock -- who was standing inside of the shuttle at the time -- says he doesn't believe anyone was injured in the wreck ... noting, "It was just really weird."

Lock says the crash was "pretty hard" -- but both guys seemed fine afterward ... joking that they wouldn't be filing insurance claims or anything like that.

There's more ...

Lock was also asked about a potential rift with Broncos starting QB Joe Flacco -- who recently said it was not "my job" to mentor Lock.

But, Lock says there's NO BEEF AT ALL -- in fact, he's been getting along pretty well with Flacco so far.

"Me and Joe ... he's taught me a lot so far," Lock said.

"He's been great to me."

In Tennessee and looking for a classy place to booze up while feeling like you're in a country western movie??

Peyton Manning clearly knows the feeling ... and is fixing the issue -- by opening up a "high-end watering hole" in Knoxville in 2020!!!

The QB and Graduate Hotels announced Thursday they're building a "western-inspired" bar and restaurant near University of Tennessee's campus.

The name of the place? Saloon 16 ... a homage to Manning's nickname, "The Sheriff," as well as the No. 16 jersey he wore when he was a star with the Volunteers.

It's supposed to be an awesome spot -- complete with dartboards, jukeboxes, a piano and an outdoor dining area.

Graduate Hotels says the place will open its doors in the spring of 2020.

Denver Broncos tight end Noah Fant -- the #20 overall pick in the NFL Draft -- says he already knows how he's gonna spend that first big NFL paycheck ... and it's straight out of a country music song.

You ever hear that song "That's My Kind of Night" by Luke Bryan? Where he talks about rollin' in his big black jacked up truck, rollin' on 35s, pretty girl by my side?!

Yeah ... that's Fant's dream -- and he's about to make it a reality.

Last year's 20th overall pick signed a 4-year, $11.8 mil contract with a $6.6 mil signing bonus -- so, expect Fant's contract to be somewhere in the same neighborhood.

Fant tells TMZ Sports ... a bunch of Broncos stars reached out to him after the draft Thursday night, from Joe Flacco to Von Miller and more.

"It's gonna be a fun ride," Fant says.

Fant was a stud as a tight end back at Iowa -- where he caught 39 passes for 519 yards and 7 TDs in 2018. He was named First Team All-Big 10 in 2018.

At the NFL combine, he ran a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash (SPEEED) and put up 20 reps on the bench press (STRONG!).

And, get this ... dude wants to be an orthopedic surgeon after his NFL career wraps up!

Good luck!

Demaryius Thomas is lucky to be alive today -- let alone healthy and ready to play in the NFL -- 'cause TMZ Sports has obtained pics of his car crash ... and the scene is gnarly.

Thomas was doing 70 MPH in a 30 MPH zone in Denver at around 12:20 AM on Feb. 16 when he lost control of his SUV and crashed it into a curb.

One witness tells us the car flipped several times before coming to a stop right-side-up ... dozens of yards from where it took off from.

Thomas and his two passengers somehow escaped from the crash okay -- which seems like a miracle when you see the damage that was done.

The pics show a mangled car ... the back is completely smashed in while the engine is in pieces, falling out of the front.

Thomas was hit with a felony charge of vehicular assault for the incident, but he reached a deal with prosecutors this week to avoid jail time.

The former Broncos star pled guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge of careless driving resulting in injury in exchange for having the felony charge dropped.

DT's punishment? One year probation and 50 hours of community service, plus fines and restitution.

Remember when Aqib Talib and Michael Crabtree HATED each other -- with Talib snatching Crabtree's chain in TWO separate on-field incidents???

Yeah, that beef's now been squashed ... and it's all 'cause of a Texas go-kart track.

Here's the deal ... a witness tells us Talib was at Kartland in Frisco, Texas with his family -- when Crabtree walked in with friends and family of his own.

We're told there were tense moments when the two NFL stars saw each other -- with family members looking like they were fearing a fight was on the way.

But, one witness tells us the two decided to take it outside and squash their beef.

We're told the DB and the WR talked it out for several minutes ... and appeared to finally smooth things over.

If you're unfamiliar ... the two absolutely despised each other when Talib was a Bronco and Crabtree was a Raider.

During one game in the 2016 season, Talib ripped Crabtree's gold chain straight off his neck. In another game in 2017, the two fought again -- with Talib snatchin' Crab's chain again!!!