Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos star Brandon Marshall says Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem protest is a "beautiful thing" ... and his old college teammate inspired him to follow suit Thursday night.

"I thought about it and I felt like this was the right thing to do," the linebacker told "The Jason Smith" show on FOX Sports Radio.

"I feel like what Kaepernick started, it’s a beautiful thing. A lot of people won’t agree with me, but I feel like it’s a beautiful thing."

(FYI, Kaep and Marshall played together at the University of Nevada.)

"And I won’t just take knees, and that’s why I decided to donate an undisclosed amount to different programs that support the vets, ‘cause, you know, it’s tough for them in this country."

"We send them off to war and they come back and it’s like they don’t get a lot of help. It’s tough for my uncle that’s a vet and family members. So I think this will spark some conversation and help to spark some more change."

There's more ... Marshall says he only told ONE teammate about his plans to protest before the Broncos vs. Panthers game ... tight end Virgil Green.

"He told me, 'Look man, just be prepared for all that entails. They’re gonna ask you some tough questions. Just be prepared to answer them.'"

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your first regular season National Anthem protester ... Brandon Marshall of the Broncos.

The Super Bowl champs' star linebacker followed Colin Kaepernick's lead and took a knee during the Star Spangled Banner Thursday night in Denver during the league's kickoff game.

The Broncos almost immediately released a statement, saying ... “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision.”

As we've reported ... Kaepernick's movement has been spreading.

Von Miller may have started an expensive new trend on the Denver Broncos defense ... 'cause one of his teammates just got himself a brand new diamond grill ... and TMZ Sports has the pics.

You already know ... Von spent roughly $100k on insane mouth jewelry this off-season ... and now we've learned cornerback Bradley Roby got himself a shiny new piece as well.

We spoke with Scott Spira at Cooka T Grillz who says Roby wanted something special to kick off the 2016 NFL season ... so he hooked him up with a 14 karat white gold piece with 220 diamonds in it.

The Denver Broncos ... diamonds in their mouths ... and on their fingers.

TMZ Sports has obtained photos from inside the Dallas strip club where Denver Broncos star Aqib Talib may or may not have been shot back in June ... and it's a bloody mess.

President Obama is now officially the hero of Demaryius Thomas' family after cutting the wide receiver's grandmother a huge break on her life sentence.

Minnie Pearl Thomas is one of the 214 prisoners who got their prison sentences commuted by the Prez on Wednesday. Minnie got sentenced to life in prison in 2000 for running a cocaine distribution ring, but now she's set to be released Dec. 1 ... thanks to Obama.

Demaryius said this "Couldn't be a better day" ... as he gave the President a shout-out for giving families like his "second chances."

Denver Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders has a message for John Elway -- SHOW ME THE MONEY, TOO!!!!

This video is awesome ... Sanders was leaving Bootsy Bellows nightclub in L.A. (sportin' some very expensive jewelry) when we asked what he thought of his teammate Von Miller signing that MASSIVE $115 million contract!

"BIG MONEEEYYYY ... I LIKE IT," Sanders enthusiastically said while flashing a wad of cash ... "Hopefully, I'm next!"

The 29-year-old is reportedly next in line to sign a big contract with Denver -- and could fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 MIL per season.

Peyton Manning said it would happen ... and now it's official -- Von Miller has signed a new deal with the Broncos and says he'll bleed orange and blue for life.

The Super Bowl hero reportedly agreed to a 6-year $114 million contract with $70 MILLION guaranteed in the first 2 years.

Miller went to Instagram to celebrate -- posting a pic with a caption that read, "FOR LIFE."

Congrats!

He may not be married, but Emmanuel Sanders says he has a "Til Death Do Us Part" relationship with a ring ... the one he got after the Super Bowl ... 'cause he NEVER takes it off.

The Denver Broncos wide receiver hit 1 OAK in Hollywood after the ESPYs -- wearing his precious -- when we asked if he got Peyton Manning a retirement gift.

"No, but I did get him a Super Bowl ring!"

Good news Broncos fans ... Peyton Manning says his neck is 100% healthy!!!

Bad news Broncos fans ... Peyton Manning says there's NO WAY IN HELL he's coming back to the NFL despite the aforementioned good news.

We got Peyton at LaGuardia airport in NYC earlier this week ... and chopped it up with the future Hall of Famer about the state of Manning ... and he told us it's ALL GOOD.

The clip is pretty freakin' awesome ... Manning also gives us the goods on his favorite topping on a pizza, and his standing in the town of Omaha, but when we ask if he's ever strapping it on again he couldn't have been more firm.

"I'm out of eligibility, I'm expired."

Peyton Manning is weighing in on the standoff in Denver ... telling TMZ Sports he believes Von Miller WILL re-sign with the team ... "I do not see that being a problem at all."

Denver Broncos safety Shiloh Keo just pled guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge stemming from his arrest back in February ... but he won't spend any time behind bars.

Keo -- who recovered the Patriots' onside kick during the AFC championship game and helped send the Broncos to the Super Bowl -- was popped for DUI on February 13th in Ada County, Idaho.

Today, he pled guilty to one count of misdemeanor DUI -- and, in exchange for his plea, the 28-year-old got 1 year probation and a suspended license. He also has to speak at 8 high schools and pay a $952.50 fine.

John Elway is finally responding to Von Miller's Instagram diss -- and he seems disappointed in the NFL superstar.

Elway -- the Exec. VP and GM for the Broncos -- was leaving Craig's in L.A. Thursday night when we asked how he felt about Von cutting him out of a pic he took with Elway and other teammates at the White House earlier this month.

Miller cut Elway out of the pic to show his displeasure with the Broncos 6-year, $114 million contract offer ($40 mil guaranteed) ... an offer Miller feels is WAY too low.

Elway responded to the slight last night -- and it seems obvious their relationship is still icy as ever.

Multiple players on the Denver Broncos tell us ... they're NOT upset at Von Miller for threatening to sit out the 2016 season ... telling TMZ Sports it's all a part of the business.

Von Miller is apparently threatening to sit out the 2016 season if he can't get a new deal done with the Denver Broncos.

Miller just posted on Instagram -- "'I love my Teammates, Coaches, and My Fans' but there is 'No Chance' I play the 2016 season under the Franchise tag."

The Broncos used the franchise tag on Miller back in March -- which means he'd make the average of the top-salaries of his position for the year ... which is roughly $14 mil.

But Von wants more ... WAY MORE ... recently shutting down a 6-year $114 million deal with $40 mil guaranteed.

And if he doesn't get it ... Von says straight up -- he ain't playin'.

It's a much different stance than he took during an interview that surfaced Wednesday with Chelsea Handler -- in which he stated he would NOT sit out the season.

The Denver Broncos hit up the White House moments ago ... and President Obama wasted no time doing his best Peyton Manning -- dropping a few "Omahas" for the squad.

The clip's pretty funny ... Obama roasts everyone from Von Miller to kicker Brandon McManus ... and jokes that he might be able to play WR for the Broncos.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer called police to report that his GF had attacked him during a domestic dispute Monday night -- but when cops arrived, he ended up in cuffs too.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Dept. says the 23-year-old Super Bowl champ called police to report that his GF had "put her hands on him."

When cops arrived to the scene, they ran both Latimer's and his GF's names through the system, per standard operating procedure -- and noticed a warrant out for Cody stemming from an old traffic violation.

The GF was arrested for assault and disturbing the peace. Latimer was arrested for the outstanding warrant (a failure to appear over a traffic ticket).

To be clear, Latimer was NOT accused of domestic violence.