The Denver Broncos have found an ally from Down Under.
Coach John Fox and his players were visited last week by the St. Kilda Saints Football Club of the Australian Football League. Saints players and coaches soaked in practice at the Broncos' training facility before watching Denver shred the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
One common thread from the Australians during their visit: Visible intrigue at the mammoth dimensions of their NFL peers.
"I'm pretty impressed with some of the size of these guys -- they're big boys," one Saints player acknowledged.
St. Kilda's troops received plenty of face time with the Broncos roster and, not surprisingly, Peyton Manning drew rave reviews.
"I made sure I studied (Manning) particularly closely and took notice of how much of a perfectionist he is," Saints player Ahmed Saad wrote after the Broncos' victory over the Bucs. "Not only that but he seems to really celebrate his successes and you can see how pumped he is when he throws a touchdown. He might be one of the highest paid players in the NFL but I could tell that the main reason he's doing what he is doing is because he loves the game.
"That's the fundamental reason why any footballer of any code should do what they do."
These men learn quick.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
