DENVER - The Denver Broncos unveiled its High School Flag and Helmet Wall at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium on Saturday prior to its preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.
 
The display features a Riddell Axiom helmet for each of the Colorado High School Activities Association member schools that sponsor football, and a flag for each of the CHSAA member schools that have a flag football team.
 
"To see this wall, especially as high school football season gets going – for both tackle and flag – is just really exciting," CHSAA Commissioner Mike Krueger said. "We’re really grateful for all that the Broncos do across Broncos Country, especially for high school sports and activities."

"We [previously] had the wall here [in the stadium] for about 10 years," Denver Broncos President Damani Leech said. "It’s been great now that the ALL IN. ALL COVERED. program has given us an opportunity to enhance what we did here. And, obviously now, with 74 girls high school flag football programs in the state of Colorado, we can celebrate that, as well. This is a really special opportunity for us."
 
The Broncos’ salute to Colorado high school tackle and flag football - which spans 35 yards - is located on the Main Concourse level between Gates 8 and 9 and is visible from five levels of the stadium. In addition to showcasing helmets and flags from each of the teams across the state, there’s also a section within a Colorado C that features a helmet from all of the seven football state champions from 2024 and two flags for the flag football state champions from 2024.
 
“We want to make sure that anyone who wants to play football, can play football,” Owner and Denver Broncos Foundation Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner said. “We want it to be very inclusive so that whoever wants to play, can play, and that school districts, regardless of size and size of program, are able do that. It’s amazing to be able to support programs across the state."

The Broncos were instrumental in getting flag football off the ground in the state, with their efforts being rewarded in 2024 when Colorado became the 11th state to sanction girls flag football. This fall will be the second season of flag football in Colorado with the state championship games set for Saturday, Oct. 25 at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood.

"Girls flag football continues to be one of the fastest growing sports for CHSAA," Krueger said. "We’re super excited about that, so we'll keep promoting it and watching our girls compete."

"The Broncos have been supporting girls high school flag football for a number of years," Leech added. "It’s great that it’s now CHSAA sanctioned and [there is] a state championship. To be along for that ride was really fun, and [because of] that growth, we obviously wanted to represent that here today."

For the 2025 season, the Denver Broncos Foundation, in partnership with Riddell and CHSAA, has launched ALL IN. ALL COVERED., an unprecedented initiative distributing more than 15,000 new Riddell Axion helmets at no cost to every high school tackle football program in Colorado. For this first year of the program, schools will receive helmet starter kits that include basic maintenance items, extra visors, face masks and more. Throughout the ALL IN. ALL COVERED. initiative, the Denver Broncos Foundation - along with Riddell and CHSAA - will provide educational opportunities to student-athletes, coaches, administrators and parents.

"It’s rewarding to get to watch and know that these kids that are playing football in the state - especially the ones with the helmets from the ALL IN. ALL COVERED. program - are in a high quality helmet that’s going to be better for their safety and wellness with the analytics technology that’s available," Krueger stated.

In addition to the sport specific initiatives, the Denver Broncos will continue to honor a Broncos High School Coach of the Week for both flag and tackle football this fall, with a Broncos High School Coach of the Year being named for each sport at the conclusion of the year. There will be 10 coaches honored for both flag football and tackle football, with each coach receiving a $2,500 donation from the Broncos to put towards their programs. The two coach of the year recipients will each receive $5,000 for their programs.

The first flag football coach of the week will be named this Wednesday with the first tackle football coach of the week being honored on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Weekly nominations can be submitted through this nomination form. 

"I wish I had the words to express the gratitude that we do feel to have such incredible owners of one of the major sporting programs in our town," Krueger shared. "The Broncos have always been great in our community, but I really believe Carrie and Greg Penner have taken it to the next level. We feel so grateful to have them in the community impacting so many lives. They do a lot for high school activities, but they do a lot for our community, in general. They touch a lot of lives, and impact so many lives in positive ways that we’re really grateful to have them."