Parents of Elmwood Elementary students shouldn’t be surprised when their children yell “81 is open” whenever the Denver Broncos offense takes the field Sunday during Super Bowl 50. The kids are just following the lead of one of the teachers in their school.
Students donned orange and blue colors Thursday to show their support and well wishes for instructional assistant Bridget Daniels, whose son Owen Daniels is a tight end for the Broncos. The Daniels family is heading to San Francisco to watch the Broncos play the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League championship game at Levi’s Stadium.
The phrase “81 is open” is the Daniels family’s way to tell quarterback Peyton Manning to throw the ball to No. 81, a 2001 graduate of Naperville Central High School.
Bridget Daniels explained to a group of kids Thursday afternoon that sometimes her son has to block the other team’s players so one of her son’s teammates can run or catch the ball. When it’s his turn to catch the ball, the family yells “81 is open!”
No. 81 was open twice for touchdowns during the Jan. 24 AFC championship game against the New England Patriots, which helped propel the Broncos to the Super Bowl. His parents — Jerry and Bridget Daniels — were there to see it.
“We have seats to (Denver) home games on the 20-yard line in the third row. On that first catch he made, he scored right in front of us,” Bridget Daniels said.
The second touchdown was made at the other end of the field, but the family was able to watch what happened on the stadium’s big screen.
Throughout the football season, Bridget Daniels would wear one of her No. 81 Broncos jerseys on sports team spirit days at school. She said that as the season progressed, more and more students started to make a connection between her and the football player. “They would come up to me and wish Owen luck,” she said.
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On Thursday, students throughout the school presented Bridget Daniels with a pile of cards they made. She plans to give them to her son before the game.
“I guess he’ll have to take a break from reading over his playbook on Saturday to read the cards,” she said.
Eight-year-old Anderson Fuhrer was among the 50 students who posed for a “Good Luck at Super Bowl 50” photo with Bridget Daniels that she’ll also show her son.
Anderson, who created a custom Broncos T-shirt for the occasion, said he was a Broncos fan before he found out one of the school’s teachers had a son who was a player on the team. Anderson’s favorite player is running back C.J. Anderson, though he’ll be rooting for Owen Daniels, too.
The Daniels family has not been to a Super Bowl before, and Bridget Daniels said she’s not sure where the seats are located because her son handled all the arrangements: flight, hotel and tickets to the game.
She said she won’t mind if her son doesn’t score; she just wants the team to win.
“I know Owen always says the same thing. Football is a team sport. If Owen get the ball, that’s nice. A win is more important,” she said.
Elmwood Principal Lisa Polomsky said the staff wanted to do something to support and celebrate with their fellow teacher. The day started with a little before-school, pregame tailgating by the teachers, featuring snacks and cake with the Broncos logo and an “Enjoy the moment! Go Broncos!” sentiment written in frosting.
A few photo opportunities, hugs and moments with students later, Bridget Daniels left to get ready for her big trip west.
“Who would have thought our school would have somebody famous associated with a Super Bowl,” Polomsky said.
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