Bowlen becomes the 16th NFL team owner to be elected to the Pro Football HOFGETTY IMAGES
Broncos Owner PAT BOWLEN was elected to the Pro Football HOF's '19 class, and the selection adds the sport’s "most prestigious individual accomplishment" to Bowlen's resume, according to Ryan O'Halloran of the DENVER POST. Bowlen became the 16th team owner and only the second current owner (the Cowboys' JERRY JONES) to be selected to the HOF. Six of Bowlen’s seven children (all but one of his sons, JOHNNY) and several Broncos officials "were in attendance" at the NFL Honors on Saturday to represent Bowlen, whose fight with Alzheimer’s "prevented him from attending the celebration." Bowlen's children "called him via FaceTime" after receiving the news. ANNABEL BOWLEN "represented her father during a group news conference with the other inductees." BRITTANY BOWLEN and PATRICK BOWLEN III "represented their father on stage during the televised unveiling." The HOF class of '19 was recognized during the Super Bowl and Bowlen was represented by his two oldest children, BETH BOWLEN-WALLACE and AMIE KLEMMER. The full class includes Bowlen, longtime Cowboys scout GIL BRANDT (contributor’s category) and former players JOHNNY ROBINSON (Senior’s committee), CHAMP BAILEY, KEVIN MAWAE, TY LAW, TONY GONZALEZ and ED REED. During the selection meeting, NFL Network's JIM TROTTER "presented Bowlen’s case" (DENVER POST, 2/3).
LONG LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS: In Denver, Mike Klis wrote Bowlen earned his HOF election because of his "success during his 35 years as the Broncos’ owner and his deep contributions to the league." Bowlen was the first NFL owner to "reach 300 wins within 30 seasons," and the team has won three Super Bowls under his watch. Bowlen grew the game on a "national scope as he ushered in the league’s leadership transition from old guard owners ART MODELL, LAMAR HUNT and the MARAS and ROONEYS to a new generation" in the '80s when he and Jerry Jones "began to expand the NFL’s revenue growth." Bowlen "led the negotiations" for the league’s $18B TV contract in '98 and "also negotiated" the league’s CBA in '06 with late NFLPA Exec Dir GENE UPSHAW (9NEWS.com, 2/2). In Colorado Springs, Woody Paige in a front-page piece noted Bowlen "led the charge" for a new stadium when Mile High Stadium was "literally falling down" by putting up $150M of the cost for the Broncos' current home. Bowlen "changed the landscape of the Broncos and the entire NFL -- spearheading the selection of PAUL TAGLIABUE as commissioner and chairing the ownership committee that signed the league’s largest TV package with multiple networks." Bowlen was "responsible for creating Sunday Night Football." Paige: "Let’s hope Pat ... knows he deservedly has earned the NFL’s highest honor in the hallowed Hall" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 2/3).
ANOTHER STAR IN THE HALL: In Dallas, David Moore noted Brandt was elected for his work as the "personnel architect of the Cowboys for the better part of three decades" and being a man on the "cutting edge of technology and player evaluation." Brandt becomes the 17th member of the Cowboys in the HOF. Brandt "helped assemble the rosters for teams that went on to win two Super Bowls and 13 division titles and enjoyed 20 consecutive winning seasons." He oversaw the "selection or signing of 10 players" who are now in the HOF and 15 "who are in the club's Ring of Honor" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/3). In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill notes Brandt is "considered to be the godfather of modern scouting, as he pioneered many of the scouting techniques used by NFL teams today." He was the "first one to use computers for scouting and talent evaluations, and the first one to use psychological tests to evaluate the mental makeup." Brandt and the Cowboys were the "first to scout other sports for talent and the first to look outside of the United States for players" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/3).
CLASS EVALUATION: ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold noted the HOF board of selectors met for 7 1/2 hours Saturday, and among the modern-era finalists, the discussion about Reed "was the shortest, lasting just 2 minutes, 20 seconds" (ESPN.com, 2/2). NBCSPORTS.com's Peter King breaks down the time of discussion for all 18 nominees, noting Brandt took the longest at 34 minutes. He was followed by Law (27 minutes), TONY BOSELLI (26 minutes) and Mawae (25 minutes) (NBCSPORTS.com, 2/4).
