Denver Broncos fans react to new jerseys at team store

It was written in the stars.

Lifelong Denver Broncos super fan Chris Ornelas said he celebrated his 61st birthday on Monday — the same day his favorite football team released its newest jerseys for the first time since 1997.

The Broncos enterprise immediately made its newest navy blue and bright orange jersey available for purchase at team stores.

As a birthday gift, Ornelas said his daughter offered him the $150 he needed to buy the newly jerseys at the Empower Field at Mile High Stadium team store – which he gratefully declined.

He was looking for something else.  

“I came here to see if there were 1977 game socks,” said Ornelas, adding he likes the new jerseys but he has enough of the old ones.

His search for the vintage socks — which were worn by the Broncos 1977 throwback jersey mannequin — came up short.

Many Broncos fans — at least the few who showed up at the team's flagship store on Monday — said they like the new jerseys.

For others, the new jerseys failed to meet expectations, and they expressed so on various social media platforms. 

Kingsley Ume, a Broncos fan who said he traveled in from Los Angeles for a week, bought one.

Despite some negative reactions of the jerseys on social media, Ume said he believes people will have a change of heart.

“It's like in Denver, everyone is going to find a way to hate,” Ume said. “But then they find a way to love.”

While sifting through his new selection of jersey options, diehard Broncos fan Kevin Bornhofen particularly took a liking to the new sleeve pattern.

“Any time a new jersey comes out, it’s very controversial and polarizing,” he said.

Ornelas attended his first Broncos game in 1967, according to the devoted fan. Ornelas’ brother, Michael Orlenas, is also a Broncos superfan. Both are both season ticket holders and attend every game they can.

“Throwback jerseys are the best ones,” Ornelas said, admiring the store's bright orange “77” authentic throwback Broncos jersey on display.