Editor’s note: In light of the announcement last week that Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has stepped down from the operations of the franchise due to Alzheimer’s, we reprint this interview with him conducted by IJN Sports Editor Gerald Mellman.
The interview appeared in the IJN, June 23, 1989, and is remarkable for its consistency with so much of what has been written about Bowlen since he announced his illness.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who also doubles as the president and chief executive officer, belongs to an ultraexclusive fraternity numbering a mere 27 others. The initiation fee for this elite but diverse body is somewhat steeper than what the average wallet can handle, if the purchase of an NFL franchise is any criterion. In his mid-40s, Bowlen is only a youngster compared with oldsters like his Buffalo counterpart octogenarian Ralph Wilson.
It goes without saying that Bowlen’s first five years on the job have met with resounding success. In fact, his burst on the football scene in early ’84 could not have been better timed. He immediately laced his stamp on the Broncos by leading them to unprecedented attainments.
Preceding his arrival the Broncos floundered during the strike of ’82 with a 2-7 record, improving it during Edgar Kaiser’s final year of ownership to a 9-7 record. However, they lost soundly to Seattle in the playoffs.
An indication of Bowlen’s effectiveness as a new owner was the Broncos’ season in ’84 with 13 victories — the most wins in the history of the franchise.
In 1986 and again in 1987, the Broncos captured the AFC Championship and climaxed their seasons with Super Bowl appearances.
During Bowlen’s five years of ownership, the Broncos have sported the best overall record in the AFC and have drawn the most attendance in the entire NFL. In his first four years of ownership, the Broncos won 10 more games each year — the only AFC team to accomplish this feat.
The peak moments for Bowlen came when the Broncos nipped the Browns in overtime in Cleveland and a year later when the Broncos again defeated the Browns in Denver. At stake were the ’86 and ’87 AFC crowns.
Despite having gone away empty-handed in Pasadena and San Diego, Bowlen hasn’t let the major disappointments mar his outlook for the future. In the near future he foresees a Super Bowl title for Denver.
He perceives the Broncos as possessing all the necessary ingredients for this challenge. The tangibles like talent, experience, coaching and quarterbacking make the Broncos a prime contender. Amid these positive forces, Bowlen is equally convinced the Broncos are not short on the intangible part of the equation which he denotes as the all-important element of chemistry.
According to Bowlen, this latter element depends on a number of factors, such as how the players feel about where they’re playing and how they’re performing. Added to these is their interaction with management and each other.
As to what is distinctive about the Super Bowl, Bowlen asserts, “Super Bowls are a whole different game than the ordinary game. They’re the last game. When momentum shifts and the tide starts to go in one direction and the breaks start to go against you, it’s hard to get them back. It’s for the World Championship. There’s nothing to look forward to next week. The intensity and the physical aspect separate it from every other game.”
Contrasted to the World Series and NBA playoffs, the Super Bowl has no tomorrow.
Destiny played a key role in Bowlen’s acquisition of the Broncos. Despite playing high school football and a brief college career, Bowlen maintains his interest in the sport did not transcend that of the average fan.
Prior to his Denver debut, two franchises lost out on his capabilities. After he disclosed his intent to seek an NFL franchise, his initial quest was to purchase the Dallas Cowboys. In the bid he was rebuffed when it turned out that anyone outside the state of Texas, let alone a Canadian like Bowlen, was unacceptable.
Later when Bowlen expressed an interest in the San Diego Chargers there was a strange twist of circumstances which side-tracked his efforts. It seems that Alex Spanos, current owner, and the minority owner had the right of first refusal. The then-owner of the Chargers Gene Klein wanted Bowlen along for the ride to trigger Spanos’ rights which resulted in the team belonging to Spanos.
After these attempts fell through, fellow Canadian Edgar Kaiser approached Bowlen about the Broncos. Bowlen jumped at the opportunity and the Broncos were his. Bowlen relates, “implementing the deal took a whole lot longer than reaching it.
Bowlen is a 1968 graduate of the University of Oklahoma Law School. He received his business degree there three years earlier. In becoming one of the most successful NFL owners, Bowlen has drawn on his vast experience in connection with the natural resource industry as well as his legal experience.
He has set lofty goals for himself and the Broncos so that each year they represent the finest in pro football.
Stressing the fact that he is not a part-time owner, flying in and out for games, he underscores that this is his career and what he does for a living. Overseeing the operations of an NFL franchise with its manifold intricacies call for Bowlen’s manifold talents.
He prides himself on the rapport he has developed with his players and other employees. For instance, the morning after each bruising game, Bowlen can be found in the training room as the players patch up their injuries. Media director, Jim Saccomano, credits Bowlen with the knack of giving players and employees peace of mind with leeway to perform their jobs.
One little known project Bowlen is developing is that of preparing football players for “life after football.” To him this outweighs the importance of drugs, alcohol and steroid abuse. Telling a player his football days are over causes pain. The trouble lies in the fact that the football player’s entire life has centered around football and they are not ready to enter the real world. “It’s not so much of a financial struggle as it is an identity struggle,” laments Bowlen. He adds, “It’s difficult to go from signing countless autographs to just being another man on the street.”
Looming on the horizon is the new and novel International League under the auspices of the NFL. Bowlen is excited by the prospect. He asserts that coaches and players will gain necessary experience to allow them the possibility of gravitating to the NFL. Benefits will also accrue to retired players who can join the coaching ranks. Slated to begin play next March and end late July, this minor league will include teams in such far-off places as England, Germany and Italy. Canada and the US are also expected to field teams. The number of teams is expected to amount to 12-145. The TV networks are already drooling.
Claiming to have the best job in the state, Bowlen will continue to pursue the relentless desire to fulfill the dreams of fans who crave a Super Bowl champ. These aspirations are rooted in his own “Pursuit of Excellence.” A superb athlete himself, Bowlen competes in the Ironman Triathon, an event in which one must swim 2.4 miles, ride 112 miles on a bicycle and run 26.2 miles — all consecutively.
Regardless of future events, many of which are out of Bowlen’s control, this dynamic owner will continue to leave his mark on pro football. His 60 luxury boxes are a monument to his foresight. Sporting News paid tribute to him when he finished second in 1997’s Executive of the Year.
