David Bruton Jr. spent the first seven years of his NFL career in Denver, earning a special teams captaincy along the way and culminating in a Super Bowl 50 victory. The same year Bruton summited football’s apex, he was busy lifting Denver metro area kids up through his Bruton’s Books charity. That work earned him the Broncos’ 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award – work that he’s continuing even now that he’s no longer a Bronco.

Bruton signed a three-year, $9 million contract with Washington last year before being released by the team in December. Concussions derailed the opportunity with Washington to prove he could be a full-time NFL starter, but nothing will derail the efforts that prove he’s one of the all-time good guys to ever don the orange and blue.

On Wednesday, Bruton and Bruton’s Books visited Denver Public Schools to make book deliveries for summer reading and to speak to DPS students about the importance of summer reading.

According to its website, Bruton’s Books is “helping low-income children in grades K-3 become strong readers through the Mile High United Way Colorado Reading Corps program, and by providing books to underfunded schools, libraries and classrooms.”

Bruton’s passion for reading and the classroom goes beyond just a simple book donation. Broncos fans might even remember back during the 2011 NFL lockout when Bruton used the time away from the team to be a substitute teacher in his hometown of Miamisburg, Ohio.

His foundation continues its work in Denver, Miamisburg and Washington D.C.

It’s great to see Bruton continuing to do such important work here in the city that first allowed him to live out his NFL dream. Through the power of books, he’s helping DPS students discover their own dreams for the future.

Click on these links to donate or get involved with Bruton’s Books and Colorado Reading Corps.

PS: Anyone notice that Bruton has lost his trademark dreadlock hairstyle?