Ordinarily, teammates will mercilessly needle each other, but the Broncos haven’t been giving receiver David Kircus the business.
Kircus has been charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly hit a Centennial man in the face in the wee hours Sunday morning.
“I think once the dust settles we will, but right now it’s a little sensitive,” Broncos safety John Lynch said. “I think people are aware someone got hurt.”
A couple parking lots away from the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters, Kircus attended a brief hearing Tuesday morning at Arapahoe County District Court before attending the Broncos’ minicamp workout that began at 10 a.m.
A temporary restraining order was issued against Kircus, forbidding him to have any contact with the man he is accused of assaulting. He also is prohibited from drinking alcohol, even though attorney Harvey Steinberg argued the receiver was not drinking that night.
According to a police report, Kircus was invited by a female friend to a party Saturday night in the 8200 block of South Krameria Street. Kircus got into an argument with the woman and was asked to leave several times by the party host, Jeff Krieger, who owns the home. The two went outside and got into a fistfight, according to the report. Krieger was hospitalized for minor surgery and broken bones in his face and was released Monday morning.
“We’ll let the court system play out and we’ll proceed accordingly,” said attorney Harvey Steinberg, who is representing Kircus.
Kircus, a backup, was signed last year by the Broncos. His contract pays him the NFL’s fourth-year minimum salary of $510,000.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan told the media Monday that if Kircus is convicted of the charge, the Broncos will release him.
Kircus’ case was remanded to Arapahoe County District Court, with his next hearing scheduled for Friday.
Different D
Lynch said the transition in learning a new defense under Jim Bates, assistant head coach/defense, is going smoothly. Bates replaced defensive coordinator Larry Coyer, who was fired after the Broncos went 9-7 and failed to make the playoffs last season. But Bob Slowik, who worked under Coyer, has the title of defensive coordinator/defensive backs.
“Nice to have new challenges, and the challenge of learning a new scheme,” Lynch said. “There is a lot of crossover, particularly with how we’re playing at the back end. You could see why Jim Bates has been successful wherever he’s been. He’s a great teacher. He believes in fundamentals, and that’s showing on the field.”
Footnotes
Heavy rain and lightning forced the Broncos to halt their workout a half hour early. … Lynch, who will be 36 in September, said as long as he’s having fun, he hopes to keep playing. “The best information I’ve got from people that I know around the league that have been through it is, when that time comes where it does start to become tedious and you don’t look forward to go to work, then it’s probably time to hang it up. I’m enjoying it as much as ever, I really do. And that’s a good thing.”
Staff writers Kieran Nicholson and Mike Chambers contributed to this report.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
