Broncos Celebrate With Parade, Newton Admits He's Poor Loser

From the top of a fire truck, Von Miller thrust the Super Bowl trophy into the air again and again as the Denver Broncos convoy made its way through streets lined with blue-and-orange clad fans.

Behind Miller, the Super Bowl MVP, stood Peyton Manning and DeMarcus Ware. Behind them, the architect of this team and Hall of Famer John Elway.

Fittingly, the group traveled the route, which was a bit longer than a mile, in fire truck No. 18 -- Manning's number. Will he be back with the Broncos?

A question for another time. Because Tuesday was parade day and a million fans -- according to an estimate from the city's mayor -- showed up to cheer on the Super Bowl champions after beating Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers 24-10 on Sunday. The supporters held up signs and screamed "Thank you, Peyton!" at the top of their lungs as they soaked in the sun while basking in the glow of the Broncos' third Super Bowl title -- and first in 17 years. Fans packed in tightly along the route, while others watched from balconies, rooftops and even the branches of trees as the players rode by on a series of fire trucks.

Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler signed footballs and threw them into the crowd as he rode by on another truck, while Annabel Bowlen, the wife of ailing Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, took a seat next to Miller.

Pat Henderson and Melanie Novak usually cheer together at the stadium, where they met at a Broncos game a decade ago in a part of the stands they proudly described as the rowdy south section. During the season, "it's our responsibility to all the Broncos nation to help the team by yelling," Henderson said. The task Tuesday, she said as she stood with Novak along the parade route, was a bit different: "To have fun and represent Denver."

The parade followed an outdoor concert by a trio of Colorado bands, including Big Head Todd and The Monsters, near City Hall and the state Capitol. The sea of fans went crazy on the sunny morning as the music started. The smell of marijuana hung over the park, even though smoking pot in public is illegal in Colorado.

People gathered for hours before the concert and parade. Classes were in session Tuesday, but school-age kids mingled in the crowd. Denver schools offered students excused absences if their parents let officials know.

Panthers' Newton Admits He's Sore Loser

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton admitted he's a "sore loser'' in defending how he handled himself with the media after Sunday's loss to Denver in Super Bowl 50.

The newly crowned league MVP walked out on reporters after answering only a handful of questions, mostly with short answers, following the 24-10 loss. He did so while wearing the hood of a black hoodie pulled over his head.

"I've been on record to say I'm a sore loser,'' Newton said Tuesday as players cleaned out their lockers. "Who likes to lose? You show me a good loser and I'm going to show you a loser. It's not a popularity contest. I'm here to win football games.''

Newton said if he offended anyone, "that's cool."

He added: "But I know who I am and I'm not about to conform nor bend for anybody's expectations because your or anybody else's expectations will never exceed mine."

Newton hasn't spoken to the media in his previous four seasons on exit day, but he felt compelled to talk Tuesday amid the criticism. He said there were no regrets about how he handled himself after the loss.

"It happened,'' he said. "I didn't want to talk to the media at the time. The truth of the matter is I really still don't want to talk to the media. But at the end of the day, things have to happen.

"I had a lot of time to go back and play everything back. I'm human. I never once said that I was perfect. I never proclaimed that I was perfect, but at the end of the day, people pick and do things of that sort.''

Carolina coach Ron Rivera said criticism of Newton was unfair. While he might have preferred Newton handle the postgame differently, he didn't ask his quarterback to speak to the media on Tuesday.

Rivera commended Newton for that.

"Obviously somebody had a great conversation with him and explained it to him and he was able to compose himself and speak to you folks,'' he said. "That's huge. What he did today was a part of his growth. He is still growing and maturing as a man in this world.''