Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died late Thursday evening after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Bowlen owned the team for 35 years and helped the club win three Super Bowls.
On Friday morning, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement:
Pat was driven by the will to succeed and his competitive spirit made him a great leader. We all will greatly miss him and his kindness, passion and wisdom.
Pat had a deep love for the game of football, the Broncos and the City of Denver. In the 35 years he owned the Broncos, he helped deliver a remarkable 21 winning seasons and seven Super Bowl appearances, including three titles.
Our league is also better because of Pat’s extraordinary contributions. As co-chair of the NFL Management Council Executive Committee and the chair of the NFL Broadcasting Committee, Pat played an instrumental role in many facets of our League that benefited fans, players and clubs.
Pat personified all that’s right about the NFL and is extremely deserving of this summer’s recognition as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
We send our deepest condolences to Annabel, the Bowlen family and Broncos’ fans in Denver and around the world.
Bowlen will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 3.
