“Philly” Will Parks’ roots continue to define versatile Broncos defensive back in a contract year

Denver Broncos strong safety Will Parks celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Will Parks‘ teammates call him “Philly”, a nickname that’s both a reflection of where he’s from and how his old neighborhood of Germantown in north Philadelphia continues to shape the Broncos defensive back today.

On Sunday in Houston, Parks will wear cleats promoting Philadelphia CeaseFire as part of the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” initiative. For the fourth-year pro, the skyrocketing gun violence in Philadelphia — the city had 353 homicides in 2018, the most in more than a decade, and is on pace to surpass…