Denver Broncos fans kick off home opener in style, celebrate a win

Long before game time, Denver Broncos fans were kicking off the home opener in style.

For superfans like Reilly Pitzer, who goes by "Reilly Mile High," Broncos game day is about showing your spirit, as shown by his orange and blue outfit.

"Broncos game day, I do this every Broncos home game. So go all out," Pitzer said.

From Empower Field at Mile High to the nearby merch store Sportsfan, Broncos Country was stocking up on everything they needed to root for the home team.

Michel'le Garcia scouted out her new merch last week. At the store early Sunday, she was getting ready to represent the Broncos from head to toe, which included fully bedazzled Broncos cowboy boots.

"Getting all my Broncos gear ready. I got my shoes, hat, shirt," Garcia said. "Brings me the sparkle and gets me ready for the game."

At Sportsfan, the excitement was translating into a spike in business for the opener.

"We are ecstatic. There are so many Broncos fans out right now," said Derek Friedman, owner of Sportsfan. "They're getting all the new stuff, grabbing things just to prepare for the game or just to head to a party."

That preparation was clear outside Empower Field at Mile High as a sea of orange filled the tailgates.

But not every jersey was orange, as some Jaguars fans showed up in teal, dividing some tailgates, and even a few couples.

Seth DeWitt hosted a Jaguar tailgate in the Broncos lot, alongside his partner Audrey Hart, who is a lifelong Broncos fan. He described their home as "extremely" divided, adding, "We're trying to keep it really cordial."

"We don't want to fight," Hart said in response, "I love the Denver Broncos, but I also love my fiancé."

But for superfans like Pitzer, expectations were already much higher than for the first home game.

When asked if the Broncos can make it to the Super Bowl, he said, "We could. Yeah, we could. Honestly, why not?"

A 20-13 Broncos win certainly led to more fans feeling the same way as thousands cheered while walking out of Mile High on Sunday.