Courtland Sutton was days from turning 21, almost exactly nine years ago from Thursday, the last time he played at Lincoln Financial Field.
Now just days from turning 30, Sutton is preparing for a much different football game than that 45-20 SMU loss to Temple. This time in Philadelphia, it’s the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles lining up on the other side from Sutton.
And more than anything, the Broncos’ star wide receiver is just excited for the game.
“That’s one of the few stadiums that I haven’t been able to play in yet, and I’m looking forward to it. I got to play there one time in college against Temple. Different atmosphere, though,” Sutton said. “So I’m looking forward to going to play. I’ve heard all the stories. And I wouldn’t expect anything less than for their fans to show up and be loud, be rowdy. And everything that I’ve heard, I wouldn’t expect anything different.”
Besides being one of the wildest atmospheres in the NFL, the Broncos are taking one of the league’s best teams. The Eagels have made the playoffs in four straight years and they’ve followed up last year’s title by starting this season 4-0. They have taken down three consecutive teams in Kansas City, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay that many expect to be playoff teams this fall.
“It’s always fun when we get to go against the best,” Sutton said. “I’m sure everybody’s watched any form of boxing, UFC or something like that. And everybody likes to watch the fights where it’s the contender versus the champion, and they’re the reigning champions until the next football champion is crowned. So everybody wants to go out there and fight against the champion. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and fight against them in their home stadium, where we know it’s gonna be rowdy.”
Not only is it going against the team that just won it all, but for Sutton, it’s a battle against his former head coach Vic Fangio, who leads Philly’s defense. He’ll be the one calling out the plays, trying to stop Sutton, which will likely have to be executed by Quinyon Mitchell, one of the top corners in the game.
If Sutton has a big day and the Broncos can pull up the upset, it could be a head-turning game for Denver.