Jarrett Stidham has carried one mystery with him from the Broncos’ old facility to the new one: a trading card of Riley Moss in an Iowa Hawkeyes jersey.
Stidham found the card sitting on the mantle of his locker three years ago. He still doesn’t know who left it there. But when the Broncos moved into their new $175 million facility this offseason, Stidham made sure the card came with him from his old locker.
The story of the card’s appearance goes like this: When Moss entered the league as a rookie in 2023, the locker adjacent to Stidham belonged to a fellow Hawkeye, former Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell. One day after practice, sitting on the mantle of Stidham’s locker, was a card of Moss. To this day, the gifter remains unidentified.
The card is one of multiple personal touches scattered throughout the Broncos’ new locker room. The Denver Post asked more than a dozen Broncos what the most unique or personal item inside their locker at the team’s practice facility was. The answers ranged from posters made by their children to a 17-pair collection of cleats and sneakers.
Denver’s locker room is arguably the crown jewel of its new $175 million facility. Inside the , players have access to more than 100 lockers, a full-scale lounge area with comfortable seating and an adjacent barber’s room for players to get a haircut. It’s relatively common to see players hanging out in the lounge area. After one practice, the entire offensive line gathered around center Luke Wattenburg’s locker on the left side of the room, and as the conversation grew, players sprawled into the lounge area.
It was a welcome change for the organization. Last year, the team’s locker rooms at Broncos Park received an “F” — the third-lowest of any team — on the NFL Players Association’s report card for its quality. Only 42% of surveyed players said the locker room size was adequate. While the Broncos claimed three Lombardi trophies at their old practice facility, it was falling behind the standard set by other NFL teams.
The Walton-Penner ownership group made it a priority to upgrade the franchise’s facilities to set a new standard. Overall, Denver’s facility is 30% larger than the team’s previous practice facility. Sean Payton previously said the new locker room was nearly four times as big as the previous room at the team’s old facility in Englewood. So how are players using all the new locker space?
Garrett Bolles has two locker spaces in a coveted corner spot in the front right of the room. The big offensive tackle is often seen relaxing on his phone after practice, sitting next to his mini fridge. Bolles keeps pictures of his three children, his son, Kingston, and his two daughters, Ariyah and Zaya, taped to the frame of his locker. One of the photos shows him and one of his daughters beaming at a daddy-daughter dance event.
“Of course I was dancing,” Bolles said when asked about the photo.
A few lockers to the left of Bolles, safety Devon Key chuckled nervously when asked what his favorite item was. Key, who got married earlier this year and has two sons, said he needed to add a picture of his children into his locker or his wife would yell at him.
Other players have decorations from their children as well. Stidham keeps a homemade poster crafted by his three children — Lennon, Madden, and Nella — with various football stickers and crafts on it.
Other’s players’ lockers offered a glimpse into what they’re passionate about.
Talanoa Hufanga’s favorite item came from an old assistant coach. A wooden bowl rests at the top of his locker. Hufanga told The Post the bowl is a kumete — a traditional Polynesian wooden bowl used for preparing and serving food or mixing kava. Kava is a traditional ceremonial and social beverage made from the root of a pepper plant. Hufanga explained that the drink’s effects can act like alcohol, inducing muscle relaxation, sleepiness, and feelings of well-being.
While Hufanga uses the kumete to store items, such as a blue hat, the bowl represents his Tongan heritage.
A small figurine sits on the top of Patrick Surtain’s locker. A mini Jesus, with the words “Jesus loves you” written on the rubber figurine’s colorful diagonal sash across the chest. Surtain received the 1-inch figurine from a young boy during the Broncos’ training camp this offseason. He was signing autographs after practice when the boy handed it to him, Surtain said. He’s kept it at the forefront of his locker since.
Troy Franklin received the same figurine.
“He told me to make sure I keep it on me,” Franklin said.
The wide receiver has obliged.
Franklin also keeps 17 shoes in the drawer underneath his locker. Surely, a team high: 13 pairs are cleats, and four pairs are standard sneakers. Franklin’s worn several custom cleats in games before, so it’s no shock that the self-described “shoe junkie” keeps a large collection inside his locker.
Some other items included linebacker Justin Strnad’s Oakley sunglasses container — though it’s not used for shades. Strnad keeps thumb braces in the case because the training staff would occasionally accidentally throw them out while cleaning the locker room. After Week 1, safety JL Skinner sported a for being named the Broncos’ special teams player of the week. The blue, orange and silver belt with Empower Field embroidered on it, is passed out by the coaching staff each week.
“It’s a lot that goes into (getting the belt). It’s not just tackles and stuff,” Skinner said.
Running back Jonah Coleman has a unique trading card that a fan sent him inside his locker. It’s called “Rhino Rush”, and it features a rhino running back wearing No. 20 with “98 speed, 99 strength and 99 impact.” The charging rhino resembles Coleman running downhill, making it a fitting addition to his locker.
Players like long snapper Mitchell Fraboni, practice squad running back Cody Schrader, and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey said their lockers are pretty bare-bones. Humphrey does keep a pair of dice in his locker in case any of his teammates want to play.
“I keep it pretty simple. I wear what they give me,” Fraboni said.
The lockers may be bigger, but the items inside them remain personal. Some are reminders of family. Others represent a player’s heritage. And at least one is a mystery that’s followed Stidham from one locker room to the next.
