Back in Denver, Texans QB Brock Osweiler greeted with boos
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DENVER – It wasn’t so long ago that Brock Osweiler made Sports Authority Field at Mile High quake with excitement, leading comeback wins last year that helped propel the Broncos to the Super Bowl.
On Monday night, Osweiler made the stadium shake again, this time with fans stomping their feet and booing loudly as Osweiler made his return to Denver, this time as the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans.
They booed Osweiler when he made his first appearance on the field, 40 minutes before kickoff. But the jeers were loudest as Osweiler took his third snap, a pass that was nearly intercepted.
This wasn’t a happy homecoming, like when Peyton Manning made his return to Indianapolis four years ago. In Osweiler’s case, the once-heir apparent was now the enemy, as fans here hadn’t forgotten how Osweiler spurned the Broncos for a $72 million contract from the Texans in March.
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Osweiler spent four years with the Broncos, nearly all of it as Manning’s backup. He went 5-2 as the Broncos’ starter last year in relief of Manning, leading the Broncos to crucial wins against the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals that helped propel the team on its Super Bowl run.
For many, it was a foregone conclusion that Osweiler would succeed Manning as the Broncos embarked on a repeat bid. But Osweiler sought a bigger contract than Broncos’ general manager John Elway was willing to pay, and fell in love with Houston head coach Bill O’Brien’s offensive scheme.
When Osweiler signed his contract in March, it left the Super Bowl champs without both Manning and Osweiler.
That would have stung more for Elway and the Broncos, and likely many fans, too, had the Broncos not found early success with Trevor Siemian, who served as Osweiler’s backup last year.
Still, in many ways, for the fans this game would serve as a referendum on Elway’s decision to let Osweiler walk, and for Osweiler’s decision to pick the Texans.
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At least one fan at Sports Authority Field was excited for the occasion. Texans fan Paige Arenshield donned a half-Broncos, half-Texans Osweiler jersey, made special for Monday night.
She found the orange Osweiler jersey cheap, on the clearance rack for just $39. Add in a full-price white Texans jersey and five hours of labor at the sewing machine, and Arenschield had the most appropriate jersey for Osweiler’s homecoming.
“I’ve been getting all sorts of reaction. People love it,” Arenschield told USA TODAY Sports. “Everyone wants to take a picture. It’s fun.”
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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones
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