Granddaughter Of Former Broncos Coach Red Miller Wins Olympic Gold

Red Miller coached the Broncos from 1977-1980, during their Orange Crush days. My, my how the times have changed.

“They’re bigger all over,” Miller said of the differences in players today compared to when he was coaching. “We had big guys, but we didn’t have as many big guys. We had fast guys, not as many fast guys.”

Miller got a good look at the size and speed of the 2012 Broncos Wednesday when he stepped onto the grass at Dove Valley with his wife and grandson to watch the Broncos practice. Then he met with John Fox after practice.

Fox wanted to congratulate Miller on his granddaughter’s big accomplishment. Taylor Ritzel won an Olympic gold medal in rowing last week.

“She was a swimmer in high school, got sick, had to drop out,” Miller said. “She scouted around to see what she wanted to do and finally her mom talked her into rowing.”

Good thing Ritzel took that path. She was an NCAA champion at Yale three out of four years before becoming an Olympic gold medalist.

Miller is mighty proud of his granddaughter, but still doesn’t quite believe she won gold.

“I want her to get here and I want to hug that thing.”

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