Bowlen kids focused on dad’s induction
CANTON, OHIO» On the eve of their father’s induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the children of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen expressed confidence in upholding his legacy.
Although they both want to be the Broncos’ next controlling owner, Beth Bowlen Wallace and Brittany Bowlen attempted to side-step the issue on Friday.
“Beth and I both agree that this organization is a top priority for this family and we adore and love this community and we want to do right by them,” Brittany said. “But (the weekend) is about my dad and celebrating him and his Hall of Fame career.”
Said Wallace: “Like Brittany said, this is about the Hall of Fame, my father, and his honor. I’m so glad we’re here as a family talking about that.”
In June and October 2018, respectively, Wallace and Brittany Bowlen expressed their desire to succeed their father. Since July 2014, the
Broncos have been led by a three-person trust, headed by president/CEO Joe Ellis. It was Pat Bowlen’s desire to keep the team in the family and empowered the trustees to sell the team if none of his children are interested or deemed qualified for therole.
Walking out of McKinley High School, where media availability was held, Brittany told The Denver Post she will “soon” meet with Broncos president/ CEO Joe Ellis to map out her return to the organization.
Asked if she was excited to see what plan Ellis presents, she said, “Of course … to make a plan with him.”
On July 17, Ellis said he would be meeting with Bowlen to “go over some elements of her job description,” and that she would re-join the team, “sometime late this year or right after the season ends.”
A January 2018 story in The Denver Post outlined the document sent by the trustees to Bowlen’s seven children and his wife, Annabel, that wasn’t a checklist per se, but a list of items (education and work experience) any Bowlen child would need to meet to be considered (but not guaranteed) their father’s role.
The Bowlen children have tried to present a united front since their father was elected to the Hall in February.
The plan for the future is unknown. The plan for this weekend is to enjoy the recognition their father is receiving while continuing to mourn his death on June 13 after a long fight with Alzheimer’s and make sure fans are aware of his legacy, not only with the Broncos (three Super Bowl titles) but at the league level (instrumental in negotiating labor and television deals).
The Bowlen contingent were all over the Canton area on Induction Eve.
At the annual “State of the Hall” event, the Class of 2019 surprised Hall of Fame officials and the Bowlen family by making an undisclosed donation in Pat’s name to the Hall. Bowlen’s five daughters attend the event. Kevin Mawae made the announcement on behalf of fellow inductees Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Ed Reed, Gil Brandt, Tony Gonzalez, and Johnny Robinson.
Mawae said the idea was planted during a site visit to the Hall after he was elected.
“(Hall of Fame president David Baker) showed us some things and there was a wall with donor names,” Mawae said. “I looked at the list of names and not one Hall of Famer was on the wall and I thought it was pretty cool for our class to stand out from other classes so I reached out to my classmates to ask if they would be willing to make a donation, however big or small.
“During that time, Mr. Bowlen passed away and we decided to make that donation in honor of him.”
Wallace, her siblings and Baker became emotional as they watched Mawae’s announcement.
“Completely unexpected,” she said. “There were a lot of things we expected through this process, but that donation, I thought it was special enough and then Kevin said they were making it on Pat Bowlen’s behalf and that’s when tears streamed down my face.
“It brought to everybody’s attention the commitment this class is making to the Hall of Fame. And it was just another example of how my father impacted people around him, whether they played for him or not.”
Brittany Bowlen was also a guest at a surprise luncheon for former NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol, who Brittany considers a mentor. Ebersol, along with Pat Bowlen and Dallas owner Jerry Jones, spearheaded the creation of “Sunday Night Football.” Ebersol received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Hall.
Early Friday afternoon, Wallace and Patrick, Brittany, Annabel, and Christanna Bowlen, along with Broncos director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos (whose video tribute will introduce Pat on Saturday), headed west to Massillon and theBoys&GirlsClubtopresent the facility with a bench to honor the Broncos and their father. Pat Bowlen financed a Boys & Girls Club in Denver.
“He loved their mission and it was all-around dedication and being caring and responsible citizens for the community,” Brittany Bowlen said.
It was then back to Canton for media availability. Antonopulos, Wallace and Patrick, Brittany, Annabel and Christianna did a joint interview session.
During the group session, Patrick Bowlen said the Broncos are in good hands if they remain in the family.
“I don’t think anybody should have to worry about anything,” he said. “We’re going to follow the same rules my dad followed and we’re all going to follow his same dreams and we’re going to bring several more Super Bowls to the city of Denver. We’re going to make everyone happy.”
The busy day wrapped up with the Gold Jacket Dinner at the Canton Civic Center. During their speeches, commissioner Roger Goodell and Ebersol saluted Bowlen.
Goodell said Bowlen was “just an extraordinary man and an extraordinary contributor to the success of the NFL.”
Ebersol said Bowlen was, “the real deal with it came to being a man.”
Bowlen was honored last among the inductees, his coat in a frame. Antonopulos, Wallace and Brittany and Annabel Bowlen represented the family on stage.
On Saturday night, the six Bowlen kids in attendance are expected to be on-stage with Antonopulos as Bowlen’s bust is unveiled.