Ebersol pulling for Bowlen to be inducted

Dick Ebersol remembers the date — as if he could ever forget. Nov. 22, 2004, was when he met longtime Broncos owner Pat Bowlen at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters for another round of meetings that culminated with a promise.

Bowlen told his friend and former NBC Sports boss that he had his vote and that, as head of the NFL’s broadcast committee, Bowlen would see through with their vision of making Sunday night the night for football viewing in America.

Six days later Ebersol survived a plane crash in western Colorado that killed his youngest son, Teddy, and the flight’s crew, leaving Dick bedridden and in emotional despair over the tragedy. Months went by before he finally phoned Bowlen to check up on their plan.

“After a bout of crying by both of us he said, ‘I got another vote,’ ” Ebersol said. “I said, ‘Who’s that?’ And he said, ‘Paul Tagliabue is on board. The commissioner sees your vision, wants us to do it and the two of us will really begin to push for it to happen.’ And then he said, ‘Are you still prepared to offer up all the things that you promised?’ I said, ‘Of course, I am.’ That was the end of January, and by the 14th of April we made a deal, shook hands and ‘Sunday Night Football’ was born. It has become the No. 1 television show in a country that has an addiction to television.”

For six consecutive years “Sunday Night Football” has been the top TV program in America, besting TV comedies and dramas and movies that had long dominated the ratings.

“Pat saw and understood and listened to what I thought I could pull off in organizing that whole thing initially,” Ebersol said.

As “Sunday Night Football” enters what could be its seventh season of TV domination, Ebersol hopes its visionary will soon enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame as an inductee.

Friday the Hall’s ninemember contributors committee — a subcommittee of the full panel of voters — will convene to select its one finalist for the Class of 2018.

The category was created in 2015 to honor the backlog of worthy nonplayer or coaching candidates who have influenced the game off the field.

Bowlen’s name has come up often, but he has never made the final cut.

Last year, as one of the 10 finalists, he lost out to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Tagliabue (only Jones was granted entry). The year before it was former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Sr. And in 2015, Bill Polian and Ron Wolf earned the two seats.

Whomever is selected Friday is no lock to enter the Hall; an 80 percent vote in favor by the full selection committee ahead of Super Bowl LII is required. But the feeling is if Bowlen’s name is called, Bowlen’s bust will be in Canton, Ohio.

The push for Bowlen to win over voters has reached an unprecedented height.

His former quarterback turned general manager, John Elway, personally reached out to committee members to vouch for Bowlen and offer any support they need in making their selection. Terrell Davis, in Canton this month for his own enshrinement, urged voters during his speech to “make sure that this champion is enshrined in 2018.” David Hill, the former Fox Sports chairman, echoed the sentiment, telling Broncos TV that Bowlen “has had an indelible touch on the history of the National Football League” and that his legacy is “mega.”