Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos are accommodating, ensuring that visiting teams know exactly what they are stepping into at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium.

That is not simply a gesture of a gracious host, though. Instead, the Broncos like to lean into the sentiments behind that message, often summing them up and displaying them as a constant reminder for opponents like Saturday’s visitors for the Divisional Playoffs, the Buffalo Bills.

On Saturday, the Broncos will get to test their experiment in the postseason for the first time.

Broncos’ Message Goes Viral Before Bills Game

With the Bills visiting the Broncos in a game set to kick off the NFL’s Divisional Playoff weekend, Denver’s choice of words and placement for their message drew attention, with CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson noting on X that it was the “First thing teams see when they pull into Mile High.”

“Elevation 5280’,” reads a wall inside the bowels of the Broncos’ stadium. “Altitude sickness is real.”

It certainly is, and there are multiple types, per the Cleveland Clinic.

There is acute motion sickness (AMS), which the site claims is the “mildest and most common form.” High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), where fluid can fill the lungs, “can cause death faster than other forms.”

The last form, high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), is the “most severe,” affecting the brain and requiring medical attention.

These are serious conditions, and certainly nothing anyone hopes to see happen in-game.

However, the Broncos have not shied away from their elevation any more than the city or region at large. The numbers “5280” can be found in various places on their uniforms, which the Broncos revamped ahead of last season.

Those uniforms also feature silhouettes of mountains, another subtle nod to the elevation as much as the overt ode to the Rockies.

They are also not the only team to lean into such a widely acknowledged advantage.

Broncos Draw Attention With Altitude Message

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport questioned (perhaps, tough in cheek) whether the Broncos’ veritable billboard was a “Public service or trash talk? Both?” while The Athletic’s Dianna Russini got nostalgic.

“Reminds me of a certain coach who made sure there was a BIG thermometer in the visiting team tunnel so they could be reminded how cold it was before they ran out…,” Russini posted.

One fan noted that the tactic is not uncommon or even exclusive to American football.

“Same type of sign is shown when players walk out onto the field at Loftus Versfeld (rugby stadium in Pretoria, South Africa),” the fan posted in reply to Wolfson, sharing an image of the signage noting the 4,430-foot elevation.

So long as it helps the Broncos achieve their ultimate goal of winning, with the Bills serving as the latest test subjects, the team and organization will surely continue to flaunt their edge.

There is an argument to be made for finding more ways to incorporate it.

The most important thing remains getting the victory. These Broncos know the Bills will not simply acquiesce due to the environment. Many players on their roster have played at Mile High Stadium before, including kicker Matt Prater.

His presence looms large with the Broncos playing in eight games decided by a field goal or less. Denver was 6-2 in those contests, though.

At any rate, it was a wise investment if the elevation reminder gives the Broncos an edge.