NFL: Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos, has died

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Pat Bowlen dies: Hall of Fame Broncos owner was 75

Pat Bowlen, the owner of the most successful sports franchise in Colorado history, died Thursday after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 75.

The Broncos announced at 12:28 a.m. Friday that Bowlen died at his Denver area home. In a statement, the Bowlen family said: “Pat Bowlen had a competitive spirit with a great sense of humor. As fun-loving as he was, he always wanted us to understand the big picture. We will forever remember his kindness and humility. More important than being an incredible owner, Pat Bowlen was an incredible human being.”

After purchasing the Broncos in 1984, Bowlen’s zest for winning defined the franchise, turning the club into an AFC contender for the better part of three decades. Under Bowlen’s stewardship, the Broncos reached the Super Bowl seven times (winning in 1997, ’98 and 2015), won 13 AFC West titles, posted 21 winning seasons and reached the playoffs 18 times.

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[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Cross-posting this from a Broncos forum I post on;

A giant amongst men. Mr. B is why I originally became a Broncos fan and is the main reason why I fell in love with this organization, the State of Colorado, the city of Denver and its people over 2 decades ago. I owe my fandom and all the high's I've been lucky enough to experience with this franchise to the standard of excellence he set and the bar he kept raising for everyone else to try and match. He was, and always will be, the standard all other professional sports owners aspire to touch.

Good people are hard to find. Good people who don't let success go to their head and treat others with respect while fostering an environment that makes everyone involved, from the most nondescript job title to the highest levels of the organization, feel as important as the next person are almost impossible to find. Mr. B imbued an unmatched work ethic and passion into this organization and was always humble enough to admit his mistakes and learn from them. His relationship with his players and the respect he had for them was everything and we saw it time and time again how much they enjoyed playing for him and were willing to give every ounce of sweat, blood and energy to win for this incredible man.

His legacy of success of an owner of the Denver Broncos; someone who helped build and grow the NFL and the game of football as a whole to towering heights; as a man who was an exceptional human being first and foremost will be remembered for the rest of time.

I woke up to this news this morning and am heartbroken. We were blessed to have him as an owner and the world is worse off without him in it. I know he'll continue looking down on this organization from above while continuing to be its biggest fan. I love you, Mr. B... thank you so much for everything you gave to us. May your family find peace and solace in the life you lived and the impact you made.

 

[John Price]

rip

 

[PanthersPens62]

He was truly a great owner & a class act. RIP Mr. Bowlen

 

[EpochLink]

Condolences to the Broncos fans, family and friends

 

[PanniniClaus]

Cross-posting this from a Broncos forum I post on;

A giant amongst men. Mr. B is why I originally became a Broncos fan and is the main reason why I fell in love with this organization, the State of Colorado, the city of Denver and its people over 2 decades ago. I owe my fandom and all the high's I've been lucky enough to experience with this franchise to the standard of excellence he set and the bar he kept raising for everyone else to try and match. He was, and always will be, the standard all other professional sports owners aspire to touch.

Good people are hard to find. Good people who don't let success go to their head and treat others with respect while fostering an environment that makes everyone involved, from the most nondescript job title to the highest levels of the organization, feel as important as the next person are almost impossible to find. Mr. B imbued an unmatched work ethic and passion into this organization and was always humble enough to admit his mistakes and learn from them. His relationship with his players and the respect he had for them was everything and we saw it time and time again how much they enjoyed playing for him and were willing to give every ounce of sweat, blood and energy to win for this incredible man.

His legacy of success of an owner of the Denver Broncos; someone who helped build and grow the NFL and the game of football as a whole to towering heights; as a man who was an exceptional human being first and foremost will be remembered for the rest of time.

I woke up to this news this morning and am heartbroken. We were blessed to have him as an owner and the world is worse off without him in it. I know he'll continue looking down on this organization from above while continuing to be its biggest fan. I love you, Mr. B... thank you so much for everything you gave to us. May your family find peace and solace in the life you lived and the impact you made.

A real hard act to follow.

 

[Voight]

Honestly had no idea he had extensive ties to Canada until I read an article on him around SB 50.