Denver Broncos owners paid for a group of Ronnie Hillman’s teammates to travel to the late running back’s celebration of life in California this week.
Former quarterback Peyton Manning helped coordinate the arrangement, getting a group of players together with the team to fly by private jet from Denver to California, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.
In addition to Manning, former wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, tight end Joel Dreessen, kicker Brandon McManus and offensive linemen Ryan Harris and Orlando Franklin also traveled to California with Broncos player development vice president Ray Jackson.
“All of us as Broncos, it means something to us to be Denver Broncos and the fact that the ownership group in one year can understand that and go far beyond out of their way to coordinate to allow us to attend Ronnie’s funeral, there’s no words for our gratitude towards the Walton-Penner family,” Harris told Klis.
Hillman died of a rare kidney cancer in December at age 31. He led the team with 863 rushing yards and seven touchdowns during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. He played four seasons in Denver.
Hillman’s service will be held at Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California on Thursday morning.
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