The four banners stand alone, consuming the entire north wall of the Broncos’ 2-year-old indoor fieldhouse in Englewood to honor the players who reached the highest echelon. There’s John Elway, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback turned general manager, and Pro Bowl offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman. There’s “The Franchise,” Floyd Little, and prolific tight end Shannon Sharpe.
The Broncos will have to wait a bit longer to add a fifth.
Pat Bowlen, once again a contributor finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was denied selection by a sub-committee for the Class of 2017.
The Contributors Committee convened and debated for nearly five hours in Canton, Ohio, on Tuesday to select two finalists from a list of 10.
Bowlen was among the group of 10, but failed to make the cut to two.
The committee who, along with Monday’s senior player selection of former safety Kenny Easley, will be presented to the full 46-member selection committee for the final stamp of approval on Feb. 4, 2017 in Houston. Itap no lock — like the modern-era finalists, they need 80 percent vote for enshrinement — but the majority of the subcommittees’ selections receive approval.
Starting in 2014, contributors were selected separately from modern-era players and coaches because so many had been overlooked. Bylaw changes allowed for two contributors to be selected for the Classes 2015, ‘17 and ‘19. Only one will be selected for the Class of 2018 and from 2020 on.
In 2015, Bowlen lost out to Bill Polian and Ron Wolf, and in 2016, former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Sr. was the lone contributor selection. Bowlen again faced tough competition this year, but there was hope his success with the Broncos, negotiations on NFL broadcasting and labor deals, contributions to the game’s international growth and involvement in local charities would not be ignored.
“When you look at what he’s been able to accomplish since he bought the team, you’d have to be either shortsighted or mean-spirited not to think that this guy deserves that,” said Dave Logan, a Broncos receiver in Bowlen’s first year as owner who is now the voice of the team on KOA radio. “This franchise has been one of the top four or five in all of football since 1984. That’s a pretty good stretch of excellence.”
But another year and another omission immediately drew the ire of fans, as well as an outpouring of support for Bowlen.
“He definitely deserves to be in the (hall), as does Jerry Kramer and many others,” said former quarterback Jake Plummer. “Pat was more than an owner; he did a lot for the NFL and he did it quietly.”
Karl Mecklenburg, the Broncos’ Ring of Fame linebacker and six-time Pro Bowler, to voice his displeasure over the Hall’s selections.
“I’m upset that Pat Bowlen was not selected as a Pro Football Hall of Fame contributor today. Jerry Jones and Paul Tagliabue were selected instead,” Mecklenburg wrote. “Every year when so many deserving Bronco greats are passed over I tell myself not to get upset, but Mr B is unquestionably the best owner in pro football. Under his leadership the Denver Broncos are and have been consistent contenders with an unbelievable record of success. He established an amazing front office whose culture of winning has continued without him. He has been a voice of reason, and a forward thinking driver for NFL owners during labor strife, television contract negotiations, and stadium rebuilds. I know he will get in eventually, but the greatest Bronco of all just got passed over by the HOF selection committee and I’m upset.”
Since he purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser ‘84, Bowlen has guided the Broncos to an NFL-high .614 winning-percentage (313-197-1), with more Super Bowl appearances (seven) than losing seasons (five). The Broncos 13 divisional titles rank second in the NFL, while their 329 nationally televised games are tops.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen discusses the release of Head Coach Mike Shanahan Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
The Associated Press
New Bronco Owners--Patrick Bowlen, of Edmonton, Canada the new majority owner of the NFL Denver Broncos is flanked by minority owners John Adams, left, of Steamboat Springs Colo., and Tim Borden, right, a Denver attorney. The three were introduced at a news conference in Denver in 1984.
Jay Dickman, Denver Post file
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen congratulates head coach Dan Reeves after a game in 1987.
Denver Post Library photo archive
Dan Reeves right and Pat Bowlen, Broncos owner, adjusts his brace he was wearing after a bicycle accident. Bowlen Showed up at Broncos and had a chat with Coach Reeves. 1989.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen with John Elway in 1994.
Denver Post Library photo archive
Pat Bowlen presents the new coach Mike Shanahan in 1995.
Denver Post Library photo archive
Pat Bowlen, 1996.
Denver Post file
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen during KTLK's sports talk show with Irv Brown and Joe Williams at the Grand Slam Sports Bar in 1998.
Denver Post file
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen during KTLK's sports talk show with Irv Brown and Joe Williams at the Grand Slam Sports Bar in 1998.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Head coach Mike Shanahan and team owner Pat Bowlen watch practice from the sidelines during the afternoon as temperatures hit 97 degrees during the Denver Broncos Training camp 2002 in Greeley.
Karl Gehring, The Denver Post
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen showing off the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the parade. He and his family rode atop a fire truck at the beginning of the parade in 1997.
Helen H. Davis, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen holds up the Vince Lombardi trophy to the huge throngs of fans lined up along 17th Street for the parade. The parade was organized to honor the Denver Broncos on their XXXII Super Bowl win. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the big event. Helen H. Davis, The Denver Post
Karl Gehring, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen congratulates head coach Mike Shanahan after the Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 14-10 in 1998.
Kent Meireis, The Denver Post
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen holds up the Super Bowl trophy to the crowd at Civic Center during a Rally for the World Champions in 1998.
Helen H. Davis, The Denver Post
Denver Bronco owner Pat Bowlen raises the Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophy during a quick rally at Mile High Stadium. The players arrived back in Denver from San Diego after winning the XXXII Super Bowl. Many fans waited for over four hours to see their Denver Broncos come to the stadium in 1998.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Former Denver Broncos QB John Elway shares a laugh with Owner Pat Bowlen and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue in pregame activities during Monday Night Football at Invesco at Mile High Stadium in 2002.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen shakes hands and hugs John Elway congratulating him on becoming the first Denver Broncos player to be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The enshrinement of the Class of 2004 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, on Sunday, August 8, 2004.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Former Denver Bronco Terrell Davis hugs Broncos owner Pat Bowlen during half time after being inducted into the ring of fame on Sunday September 23rd, 2007 at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, CO.
Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen holds a press conference at Bronco's headquarters at Dove Valley in Centennial to further discuss the firing of head coach, Mike Shanahan in 2008.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen share a laugh with Head Coach Josh McDaniels after their practice at Mini Camp Monday, June 8, 2009 at Dove Valley.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen side line to watch the Broncos play the Cleveland Browns Invesco Field at Mile High Sunday September 20, 2009.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos Brian Xander, GM (L) Joe Ellis, Chief Operating Officer, and Owner Pat Bowlen stand on the sidelines before their game against the San Diego Chargers November 22, 2010 during Monday Night Football at Qualcomm Stadium.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen before watching his team take on the Detroit Lions during the Bronco's second pre-seaon game Saturday Aug. 21, 2010 at Mile High.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen sits nt he bench to watch the pre-game warmups against the Arizona Cardinals December 12, 2010 at University of Phoenix Stadium.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos team owner Pat Bowlen before the Broncos took on the San Diego Chargers Sunday January 2, 2011 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos on Wednesday January 5, 2011 named two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway as Executive Vice President of Football Operations and appointed Joe Ellis as President, Broncos Owner and Chief Executive Officer Pat Bowlen announced at Dove Valley.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
President of the Denver Broncos Joe Ellis, left, and Denver Bronco owner Pat Bowlen, right, listen to John Elway as the Denver Broncos on Jan. 5, 2011 at Dove Valley.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen wears his super bowl ring on Wednesday January 5, 2011 when he named two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway as Executive Vice President of Football Operations and appointed Joe Ellis as President, himself at Dove Valley.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
John Elway, Pat Bowlen and John Fox pose for a photo op during the press conference announcing John Fox as 14th head coach of the Denver Broncos.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos team owner Pat Bowlen before the Broncos took on the Buffalo Bills Aug. 20, 2011 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen, Peyton Manning and John Elway pose for a photo during the Denver Broncos press conference announcing the signing of Manning on March 20, 2012 at Dove Valley.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen watches John Elway speak during the Denver Broncos press conference announcing the signing of Manning on March 20, 2012 at Dove Valley.
Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post
John and Paige Elway, left, with Pat and Annabel Bowlen. Annabel Bowlen chaired the benefit's auction committee.
Lindsay Pierce, The Denver Post
Denver Public Works crew members Wayne Spoehr, left, and David Lopez hang United in Orange Way and Pat Bowlen Blvd. street signs at the intersection of Colfax Ave. and Broadway on Thursday, February 6, 2014. The City of Denver renamed the major intersection Thursday morning to honor the Broncos' 2013 season.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos Owner,and Chief Executive Office Pat Bowlen in his office August 14, 2013 at Dove Valley.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe talks with team owner Pat Bowlen as Sharpe is honored with his "ring of fame" at half time of the Denver Broncos game against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday Sept. 18, 2011Sunday Sept. 18, 2011 Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen watching his team late in the 4th quarter as the Denver Broncos vs the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium November 10, 2013 San Diego, CA. (Photo By Joe Amon/The Denver Post)
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen attends practice as he stands on the sidelines November 13, 2013 at Dove Valley.
Joe Amon, The Denver post
Pat Bowlen owner of the Denver Broncos enters the field before their game against the New York Giants at METLIFE Stadium. September 15, 2013 East Rutherford, NJ.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen with the conference championship trophy after the game. The Denver Broncos took on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on January 19, 2014.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
Pat Bowlen the Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos walks off the field before the game. The Denver Broncos vs the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey Sunday, February 2, 2014.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
This is the statue of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen at the Ring of Fame plaza for the Broncos outside of Mile High in Denver on Dec. 31, 2015.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
1 of 42
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen discusses the release of Head Coach Mike Shanahan Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
Bowlen stepped down from his day-to-day duties in running the Broncos in 2014 because of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and the team was placed in a trust he set up more than a decade ago. But Bowlen has remained the face of the organization, and his competitive fire its foundation.
“How he wanted to win and how everything was geared to just winning, no matter what it cost to make improvement to the facility, no matter what it cost to retain the best players,” said Alfred Williams, the former Broncos defensive lineman and radio host on 104.3 The Fan. “There was never a guy unhappy about contract situations when he was here. It was magical. It was great. If there were a guy who wanted to know how to be a pro, all you had to do was look at him and look at how he approached his thing.”
Although Bowlen has stayed out of the spotlight since stepping down, his place within the Broncos is continually recognized. Last November, he was inducted as the 28th member of the team’s Ring of Fame, an honorary group he established to recognize his players and personnel.
In February, 18 years after Bowlen famously dedicated the team’s first Super Bowl championship to Elway, the general manager stood at midfield of Levi’s Stadium to reciprocate the honor. “This one’s for Pat!” Elway yelled, while hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in celebration.
Bowlen’s contributions go well beyond Dove Valley, however. He served on nine NFL committees and helped broker an $18 billion TV rights contract in 1998, a record in sports broadcasting at the time. was a proponent of international expansion, and his Broncos played in London, Tokyo, Berlin, Barcelona, Sydney and Mexico City. And locally, he’s donated more than $25 million to charities in the Denver-metro area as chairman of the board of the Broncos.
“It goes unnoticed to a lot of fans, but it doesn’t go unnoticed — at least, I hope it doesn’t — by other owners in the NFL,” Logan said. “He was a vital part of that broadcast committee and, as much as anybody I can think of, he has helped grow the NFL from a TV standpoint, and a revenue standpoint, too.”
But Bowlen and the Broncos will have to wait at least another year for his contributions to be recognized in Canton.
“Certainly Pat Bowlen remains and continues to be a very well-received candidate and I always tell people that in many instances, someone’s candidacy can be looked on more of in the question of ‘when,’ not ‘if,'” said Pro Football Hall of Fame executive vice president Joe Horrigan. “I think Pat is probably one of those candidates.”
