In news that should delight Broncos fans, it appears momentum is building for owner Pat Bowlen to finally earn his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A pair of Hall of Famers connected at UCHealth Training Center and reflected on the importance Bowlen had in their careers, and in Denver.
"I think everybody's starting to realize the importance [Owner Pat Bowlen] was to the NFL and the commissioner." – @johnelway https://t.co/WtQCQvMsCP
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) July 31, 2017
“He’s an owner that kind of shied away from the spotlight,” Terrell Davis (who will be officially inducted in Canton on Saturday) told his former teammate, current Broncos President of Football Operations and fellow Hall of Famer John Elway on Sunday. “But man, the winning percentages and what he’s meant to this franchise, and to the NFL.”
“You know, I think we’re on the right track with him,” Elway said of Mr. Bowlen. “I think that everybody’s starting to realize the importance that he was to the NFL and the commissioner and how involved he was at the league level.
“So we’re on a good track. Hopefully it looks like it’s in the near future. I think with the way things went last year, and the recognition of him, the importance that he has been to this league. Whether it be [2018] or not, we hope, but the whole thing is he’s on track and we feel pretty good that he’s going to get in.”
No one has been a bigger advocate for Mr. Bowlen than current Broncos President and CEO, Joe Ellis
Ellis touched on everything Broncos in his pre-training camp media session, but spoke in some depth on Mr. Bowlen and his possible induction.
“You definitely should let him into the Hall of Fame. His work, John spoke to it a few minutes ago, his wok speaks for itself. He would never speak for it because that’s what he was, modest and humble. Nine committees, a key part of [Former] Commissioner Tagliabue’s regime, Commissioner [Roger] Goodell’s for a period of time. You look at the vision he had for television, you can go back to [Former Chairman of NBC Universal Sports] Dick Ebersol, you can go back to David Hill at FOX Sports. Pat was an interval part of the growth of television in this league and television has been a huge driver for the success of the NFL,” Ellis explained. “Then not only at that, he had his day job which was here. He was here every single day, and that’s not always the case with an owner. His success with this organization speaks for itself, 300 wins in 30 plus years. More Super Bowl appearances then losing seasons. I don’t have all the details in front of me I probably do on the other side of this page but I could go on and on about all of that. He deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s as much as you can say. You can’t kick and scream but I think they know that and I’m hopeful that this year is his year.”
When asked about how Mr. Bowlen’s family might react to his being inducted, Ellis was less candid but still spoke comfortably and let his admiration for the Bowlen family shine through.
“I’ll speak for how he’s doing; he’s doing just fine resting comfortably in his home. Alzheimer’s is a wicked disease, and I bet some of you in this audience have relatives or friends that have been inflicted with it and it’s brutally unfair. His family, who he sees a lot and are serving as caregivers over at his house, I think it would be a great day for them and because of that it will be a great day for him when that happens,” the CEO mentioned.
The pride and admiration the entire Broncos’ organization for Pat Bowlen is very obvious no matter who is speaking. To say that Bronco fans everywhere would love to see Bowlen in the Hall of Fame is an understatement. Thankfully, it seems that day is coming very soon.