New GM: ‘I really wanted this job’
Broncos’ Paton ready to run his own team
George Paton couldn’t pin-point the moment. Maybe during his initial interview with the Broncos on Jan. 8. Or the four days until his next meeting at team headquar ters. Or the late-night Jan. 12 flight back to Minneapolis.
After 24 years working in NFL front offices, he was ready to run his own shop, in Denver.
“The more I dug in, the more I learned (about the Broncos), the more I really wanted this job — bad,” Paton said Tuesday during his introductor y video conference. “This was a job I really wanted.”
Impressed with his decades of experience, the Broncos signed Paton to a six-year contract last Wednesday, ending a nine-day search to replace John Elway, who moved into the role of president of football operations.
Paton was at the Broncos’ facility Saturday to begin burrowing into the depth chart, the salary cap situation and, well, ever ything else. It’s a big job, but one Elway and president/ceo Joe Ellis feel Paton is equal parts qualified and prepared to tackle.
“From the beginning of our interview process,
George stood out,” Ellis said. “He’s a seasoned, smart, steady person and executive who is going to be a great asset for the Broncos for many years to come.”
Paton rose up among five candidates. Only he and New Orleans executive Terry Fontenot received second interviews, but only Paton had an in-person meeting before being offered the job.
“To be asked to take the general manager reins from John Elway, with all he’s accomplished in this organization as a player and executive, that’s an incredible honor … I don’t take (it) lightly,” said Paton, who spoke to reporters from the team auditorium wearing an orange tie and a Broncos pin on his coat. “I’ve worked in this league for almost 25 years now. I’ve always appreciated this iconic franchise that (late owner) Pat Bowlen has built.
“We’re going to need an all-hands-on-deck approach if we’re going to get to where we need to go.”
All hands are required because so much work needs to be done. The Broncos’ playoff drought is at five consecutive years, they finished a whopping nine games behind AFC West champion Kansas City and they have issues all over the roster (cornerback, quarterback, running back and defensive end … just to name four).
Paton has been on the
NFL general manager radar for nearly a decade, but declined several inter view opportunities, a nod to his situation in Minnesota as next in command to general manager Rick Spielman. He wasn’t going to just jump at any front-of fice chance, the theory went.
“It never consumed me to be a GM,” Paton said. “Was (being a) GM in the back of my mind? Sure, but I didn’t think about it during the season.”
Paton said Ellis eliminated any concerns about how the Broncos would be run under new ownership — either Brittany Bowlen (the choice of the trustees) or an outside buyer. Having a six-year contract also helped.
“Joe was completely upfront about the ownership situation,” Paton said. “It’s not a concern of mine. They have ever ything here to win and they have great leadership with Joe.”
Paton will have final say on personnel and lead the front office; Elway has one year left on his contract and will be an on-call executive to serve as a sounding board and evaluator for Paton.