More than most of the players he handsomely pays, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen carries a collegiate attachment to wide receiver Ashley Lelie.
Bowlen has a second home in Hawaii and a friendship with University of Hawaii coach June Jones, and the result has been more than a passing interest in the Rainbows’ football program.
Lelie was a three-year starter at Hawaii and set many of the school’s receiving records before he left for the NFL draft after his junior year.
The Broncos made him their first-round draft pick in 2002. Bowlen has been his boss ever since, although Lelie has recently vowed to walk off the job. Even before the Broncos acquired Javon Walker from the Green Bay Packers last weekend, Lelie had demanded a trade.
“Like everybody else, I’m disappointed,” Bowlen said. “Because of my connections in Hawaii, I’ve probably watched more University of Hawaii games than anybody else in Colorado. I thought Ashley Lelie was a very good receiver in college and I was excited when we got him.”
Lelie’s best season was in 2004, when he caught 54 passes for an NFL-best 20.1 yards per reception. His numbers slipped last year, however, to 42 catches for an 18.3-yard average, and Broncos coach Mike Shanahan briefly courted troubled wide receiver Terrell Owens before trading for Walker.
Although Lelie has one year left on his contract, he has forfeited a $100,000 workout bonus by not participating in the team’s offseason conditioning program and would lose another $1.3 million in salary and bonuses if he follows through on his threat to sit out the season.
“I don’t know enough about it to say whether I’m confident or not confident that he’ll be back,” Bowlen said. “He’s not holding out, yet, but if he does, like everybody else around here, I think he would be making a mistake.”
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
