IRVING, Texas — During the past few weeks and months, the Broncos have said they would always embrace their memories of Darrent Williams.

On Thursday, they also had the long-awaited chance to embrace his mother, Rosalind, in an emotional, sometimes tear-filled visit with the team at the hotel that has been the Broncos headquarters this week.

Rosalind and other members of Williams' extended family also attended the afternoon practice.

"I think, hopefully, it helped all of us," safety John Lynch said. "It's difficult for them, difficult for us, but in the end, it was probably a big step in the healing process for everybody and I'm glad we could be together.

"I think it was an important thing for all of us to see her, be with her and let her know how much she meant to us."

Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams, 24, was killed in a drive-by shooting in the early-morning hours of New Year's Day. Since then, many players have remained in contact with Rosalind Williams, but it was the first chance for most of them to see her since the team attended her son's funeral in January.

"It was nice to see Rosalind under a little better circumstances," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said. "I think she's doing pretty well. She had most of her family with her (Thursday). . . . It was good for all of us."

"She'll always be part of our team, to have her out here was a very special thing," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "She'll be part of our family the rest of her life."

Rosalind Williams had told family members in the days leading to the Broncos' arrival in Texas that she didn't know whether she would be able to visit with the team because of all the emotions involved.

But she contacted the team Wednesday afternoon to say she would like to meet with players, coaches and others who knew Darrent.

Initially, she was also going to come only to the team's hotel, but several players, including Lynch, then asked her during the visit if she would also attend Thursday afternoon's practice as well.

"I've said it many times, but during all that happened after Darrent's death, she was really a rock," Bowlen said. "And I think that helped the players. I don't think they'll ever forget that."

Rosalind Williams and other members of the family watched practice from beneath a canopy and, at one point, she was presented with a football by Broncos receiver Javon Walker as well as Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens.

Owens and Walker then took several pictures with the family as Williams wiped away tears with a towel.

After the workout concluded, Lynch took Williams into the players' huddle, where she and Shanahan spoke briefly.

They all then did the "all ready" chant — one of Darrent's pregame rituals when he played and a saying that adorns T-shirts the Broncos are wearing this season.

Afterward, several players spoke of dedicating the season to Darrent Williams and his family.

"I think she was excited to be here," Shanahan said. "I think she had some reservations about coming out. But I had a very good feeling over at the hotel. . . . Obviously, coming out here, she wasn't sure she could keep her emotions in check. But I think she was happy she came."

At the hotel earlier in the day, Williams and other family members spent more than an hour with Broncos players, coaches and other team officials.

Cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who has been among those working to raise money for the Darrent Williams Teen Center, and safety Hamza Abdullah met the family in front of the hotel.

After exchanging long hugs, Rosalind Williams and the others were taken to the building's second floor, where the Broncos have used a ballroom and several meeting rooms as their temporary home.

Williams' brother and Darrent's uncle, Demond Kennard, said the family was touched by the visit and happy they had the chance to spend so much time with people from the Broncos organization but that it would be too difficult to speak publicly about the day.

"She's going to remain part of our team, our organization," fullback Kyle Johnson said.

"It was special," Shanahan said. "Very, very special."

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359

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