Broncos enjoy recreation of The Greenbrier before getting down to business with practice Wednesday

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – It was appropriate that when Broncos practice began Wednesday, blaring out of the loudspeakers was John Denver’s “Country Roads.”

The song extols the virtues of “West Virginia, mountain mama,” and asks to “take me home.” And in a way, Broncos coach Sean Payton has come home to the state.

When Payton coached New Orleans for 15 seasons through 2021, the Saints held training camp at The Greenbrier resort from 2014-16. And now the Broncos are practicing there this week between games in the Eastern Time Zone at Tampa Bay last Sunday and at the New York Jets on Sunday.

“This is the first time for me being back since (2016),’’ Payton said Wednesday, the first of three days of practice at the resort. “It's just how we kind of envisioned it. Logistically, everything fits.”

Payton sought to bring the Saints to West Virginia for training camp for a cooler environment. He dealt with Jim Justice, the owner of The Greenbrier who is now West Virginia’s governor.

“We were looking for a place to get out of the heat,’’ Payton said. “(Justice) was looking to build something to attract an NFL team. We'd met, and he put me in his car and drove around where it might be. That was Fourth of July week (in 2014). Then I remember going back and talking with Mickey (Loomis), our general manager (of the Saints), and pretty soon they sent some plans and then pretty soon we agreed to do a contract for three years.”

The Greenbrier has two grass football fields, an artificial turf field and an indoor facility that has meeting rooms, offices, a weight room, locker rooms for players and coaches, a training room, a hydrotherapy room and equipment rooms. Players stay at the luxurious resort, which listed rooms Wednesday night for $930 although the price will go down early next week to $359.

Since the Saints were here in 2016, other NFL teams that have used The Greenbrier for training camp or practices have been Houston, Cleveland, New England, Arizona and San Francisco.

Payton loves how the fields are “impeccable” and that food served to the players is “organically grown.” Payton wanted to practice at The Greenbrier during the week to avoid additional travel and to help players better acclimate to the time change and for them to bond.

“(It’s been) pretty good,’’ said rookie quarterback Bo Nix, whose Broncos are coming off a 26-7 win over the Buccaneers. “Got a little change of scenery and have a good week of practice. … It’s a fun team trip. We’re going to be around each other all week, so it will be good for us.”

With the Broncos having four games this season in the Eastern Time Zone, Payton had asked the NFL to schedule two in back-to-back weeks. Payton said some other sites were considered, including the Disney Sports complex outside of Orlando, Fla.

After the win over the Buccaneers, the Broncos spent Sunday night in Tampa before flying Monday to West Virginia. Players had an off day Tuesday at the resort.

“This a place with so many activities, so the point of one of these trips is to get with the guys and hang around them,’’ said kicker Wil Lutz, who said activities so far have included playing pool and bowling.

Denver’s 288-pound defensive end John Franklin-Myers is listed at 288 pounds. Perhaps he even was heavier following the day off.

“Sleep and eat,’’ Franklin-Myers said about what he did. “I ate about 14 times (Tuesday). That’s about all I did was eat and eat some more.”

Franklin-Myers said the only issue he had was ordering a chicken sandwich and was surprised that it was open-faced. So, he asked for a bun to put on top.

On Wednesday, the Broncos got down to business with their first practice of the week and with meetings. That will continue Thursday and Friday and then later on Friday they will fly in for Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

“You want to keep a routine as much as possible and kind of do the same things that you have been doing,’’ Nix said. “At the same time, you have some room to hang out with the guys. … You can do some things maybe you wouldn’t do at home. At the same time, (you have to) rest and get ready for the game on Sunday.”