La Cueva teenager goes national on NFL show
Austin Denton travels from Denver to New York for CBS segment
A year ago, people in Albuquerque were just beginning to get to know Austin Denton.
Now he is a bona fide national name.
On Sunday, the 15-year-old sophomore and aspiring broadcaster from La Cueva High School spent a few minutes on CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show set in New York, an invited guest who headlined a segment where he interviewed Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak.
“It was a great experience,” Denton told the Journal in a telephone interview just before boarding a plane back home to New Mexico on Sunday afternoon. “I’m just thankful they were able to get me out to New York.”
Denton interviewed Kubiak at Broncos headquarters on Friday before flying on to New York.
His interview with Kubiak was part of a visit with the team, which happens to be Denton’s favorite.
Excerpts of that chat with Kubiak aired Sunday, and when it was over, Denton was sitting on a chair with the CBS crew. They chatted for a couple of minutes before Denton was allowed to throw the show into a commercial, which he did like a champ.
“I will admit I was a little nervous,” Denton said. “As they were playing the piece, I was, like, ‘Oh, this is really happening.’ ”
Denton’s visit with Kubiak and the Broncos, as well as his trip to New York, was set up through the St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis, where Denton is a patient.
He was diagnosed at age 2 with a
spinal cord tumor, and radiation treatments stunted the growth of his cord. He also developed scoliosis because of the many surgeries related to the tumor.
He is paid by ESPN Radio, KQTM 101.7 “The Team” to work high school football broadcasts. He was doing postgame interviews with the winning coach last season.
This year, his duties have been expanded to host the halftime show.
Last winter, Denton, through St. Jude, had a chance to attend Media Day at Super Bowl 50. It made national headlines when Denton had a chance to interview Denver quarterback Peyton Manning 1-on-1.
Denton also sat down to talk to some of the CBS personnel on that trip; they were the same men with him on set Sunday.
Asked which was his favorite part of the trip, being with his favorite team or his trip to New York, Denton rode the fence.
“I can’t pick and choose, that would be really hard to do,” he said. “I’m just very humbled that I’m getting all of these opportunities and be able to do all of the things I have. These opportunities, they don’t come easy.”