Courtland Sutton explains why he missed three consecutive practices at Denver Broncos training camp

**Henry Chisholm** (0:01)
This is the DNVR Broncos Podcast from the Xfinity Studio.

**Andre Simone** (0:05)
Let's go.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:06)
See, that's what happens when I start saying the name before the Xfinity Studio pops up.

**Zac Stevens** (0:10)
Yeah, you forget. I panic, I panic.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:12)
I'm used to just reading it.

**Andre Simone** (0:14)
Have you ever thought of imagining the Xfinity graphic? Doing a little imagine that in your head of that graphic.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:23)
I just did it.

**Zac Stevens** (0:24)
Yeah.

**Andre Simone** (0:25)
You're kind of rocking Xfinity colors yourself with the purple Rockies, the white. It's beautiful. Right. Yeah.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:33)
Maybe the Rockies are rocking infinity or infinities Xfinity.
I am so tired. That's what we just keep going.

**Andre Simone** (0:41)
There's a comment. Volk saying Big H looking exhausted. Thoughts on the nickname Big H.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:47)
We'll take it. Really? I mean, it makes a lot of sense, right?

**Andre Simone** (0:50)
I guess I'm not the biggest, but I'm a bigger fan of Hankey.

**Henry Chisholm** (0:53)
That works as well. Well, let's stop wasting Zac's time and get out there in the Xfinity mobile call in line.

**Andre Simone** (1:00)
Let's go imagine that.

**Henry Chisholm** (1:02)
There's Zac Stevens still out there at Broncos Park powered by our friends at Common Spirit.

**Andre Simone** (1:06)
He's looking good.

**Henry Chisholm** (1:08)
He is.

**Andre Simone** (1:08)
He's looking strong. The increased heat hasn't impacted you in the slightest, Zac.

**Zac Stevens** (1:14)
I appreciate that, guys. Today, Henry said it was not his favorite practice, would all say from a Broncos fan's perspective. This might be the best practice that the Broncos have had because of some news coming out here. Henry's not wrong, and this not in the today wasn't the most exciting, explosive, hard-hitting practice. And that's because they're coming off three straight practices of that. But, guys, the news coming out of today, I think, is about as good as the Broncos could get for a single day of training camp because we've got updates on Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Nik Bonitto, and a couple of other guys. And with those three star players, I'd say it's all great news coming out of Broncos Park.

**Andre Simone** (2:01)
Well, Zac, we know that you're just trying to be a good soldier.
That's kind of your MO, right? So let's start with Courtland Sutton because that was a lot of nothing from all his quotes, but you are a great reporter and I'm sure it can make something out of those nothing quotes.

**Zac Stevens** (2:18)
Well, that was a fantastic transition, Dre, with a good soldier, Park. That's what Courtland Sutton's been trying to do out here at Broncos Training Camp. He said he's trying to be a good soldier when asked about missing really the last three days of training camp. He did a little bit more today, but the past two days he did not practice today. He participated in the warm up. Then during individuals, he went off to the side field. Typically, only injured players go to the side field, but Sean Payton has told us that he is not injured. After practice today, Sean Payton emphatically said that Courtland Sutton is not injured.
What's happening with Courtland because then he rejoined the team for seven on sevens and team for the rest of practice, but he did not participate. What the heck is going on? Court said he's being a good soldier and he referred to that. The Broncos training staff approached him and said, we want to make sure that you are good for the playoff run this year and that you don't get tired later in the season. And this is how we're going to do it. They don't want to use the word load managed because that makes Sean Payton and Courtland Sutton feel like it's basketball and they don't think that this has anything to do with basketball. They don't want to be associated with that sport at all.
So, just taking a couple of days off. But guys, this is severe load management, extreme load management, a different word than load management. But that's what this is, is I've never seen a guy get three days of load management right here, but according to Court and Sean Payton, that's exactly what's happening here. And so why this is good news for the Broncos is I don't need to see Courtland Sutton practice on the fourth, fifth and sixth day of training camp. I know what he's going to be come week one. And if they truly believe that taking, honestly, a week of load management during training camp is going to help him be better in December and January, then hey, I'm all for it. He pointed to one specific catapult drill where they're able to track him and measure him. And that's kind of what they're going off of for this. So hey, if that's what the Broncos training staff is doing and we trust it and the Broncos trust that, then that's all good to me. So Courtland Sutton is not hurt and this is purely load management. So he's being a good soldier, I'll be a good soldier and follow along with that.