An estimated 1 million football fans gathered Tuesday afternoon for a parade and rally in downtown Denver to celebrate their NFL's Denver Broncos' 24-10 victory Sunday in Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers.
Denver schools offered students excused absences if their parents let officials know they would be attending the ceremonies.
The team's players rode on firetrucks in front of the spectators, who were packed deep along the nearly 2-kilometer parade route, while others watched from above on balconies and rooftops.
The first firetruck bore the number 18, which is the jersey number of the Broncos' star quarterback, Peyton Manning. Linebacker Von Miller, the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player, also was in the lead truck, as was the Lombardi Trophy, awarded annually to the National Football League champions.
Just like after Sunday's game, Manning refused to address whether he would return for another season. He turns 40 next month, which is well past the age for successful professional American football quarterbacks. He was the oldest player ever to quarterback a Super Bowl win.
President Barack Obama passed along his congratulations via Twitter to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, and in his tweet he said, " . . . see you at the White House."
The president is a big sports fan and typically gives the nation's major sports champions, professional as well as collegiate, a reception at the White House.
While the Broncos and their fans were celebrating their big title, the quarterback of the losing Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton, did not apologize for acting like a "sore loser" after the game.
He told reporters Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser."
Newton, who had been named the regular season's Most Valuable Player the day before the Super Bowl, was widely criticized for how he conducted himself at his postgame news conference. He gave mostly one- and two-word answers, appeared to sulk and walked off the podium after only about three minutes.
Newton, who led Carolina to its best regular-season record at 15-1, said he thought the story of his postgame behavior was being overblown by the media.
