Tag: Joe Ellis

This 49ers team could have been a Broncos team

The Broncos could have hired Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch in 2017, and they also explored trading up for Christian McCaffrey in the draft.

For the second time in five years, the San Francisco 49ers are in a Super Bowl. Perhaps the Denver Broncos could have been in a similar scenario had a few hires gone their way in 2017.

After former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak stepped down for health reasons following the 2016 season, the candidates to replace him included Kyle Shanahan, the son of legendary former coach Mike Shanahan.

Shanahan interviewed for Denver’s opening, but the team, led by John Elway and Joe Ellis at the time, ultimately decided to hire Vance Joseph instead. Joseph went 11-21 in two seasons before being fired. Shanahan has reached four conference title games (and two Super Bowls) since being passed over by the Broncos.

That same year, San Francisco hired former Denver safety John Lynch as their general manager. The Broncos did not have a GM job available for Lynch because Elway held that role, but late former team owner Pat Bowlen offered Lynch a job with the team “many times.”

Lynch waited for the perfect opportunity, which arrived when the 49ers offered him the GM position. Had things gone differently, the Broncos could have had Shanahan as their head coach and Lynch as a member of the front office. But wait, there’s more…

That same spring, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey — the son of legendary Denver receiver Ed McCaffrey — was a top prospect in the NFL draft. Elway and the Broncos attempted to trade up for McCaffrey on draft day but the price proved to be too steep.

McCaffrey was picked eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers. Denver stayed put at No. 20 and landed Utah left tackle Garett Bolles. After struggling early in his career, Bolles earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020. He’s a good player, but McCaffrey is an elite player, winning Offensive Player of the Year this season after leading the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards.

Seven years ago, the Broncos could have hired Shanahan and Lynch, and (for a price) traded up to land McCaffrey as well. Some fans in Denver might contend that it wouldn’t matter if the Broncos still didn’t find a quarterback, but Shanahan has proven he can win without an elite QB.

Denver’s connections to San Francisco don’t stop with Shanahan, Lynch and McCaffrey, either.

Brian Griese, the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach, was Elway’s backup when the Broncos won Super Bowl XXXIII. Klay Kubiak, San Fran’s assistant QBs coach, is the son of Gary Kubiak, who served as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and QBs coach for back-to-back Super Bowl wins under Shanahan in the late 1990s, then he won a title as Denver’s head coach in 2015.

Anthony Lynn, the 49ers’ assistant head coach and running backs coach, was a backup behind Terrell Davis for a pair of Super Bowl wins. Bobby Turner, another San Fran running backs coach, held that same role with the Broncos under Mike Shanahan from 1995-2009, winning two Super Bowls.

With so many connections to Denver, this San Francisco squad should have the full backing of Broncos Country on Super Bowl Sunday.

Joe Ellis steps down, Greg Penner becomes new Broncos CEO

Joe Ellis stepped down from his role as Broncos president/CEO. Greg Penner will serve as the new owner/CEO and Damani Leech will become the new president.

When late former Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen stepped down from his day-to-day duties in 2014 due to his battle with Alzheimer’s disease, team president/chief executive officer Joe Ellis became the team’s de facto owner.

Ellis was part of Bowlen’s trust that was set up to manage the team until a new owner was established. Following the sale of the team to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, Ellis’ time running the club has come to an end.

“As I step down as President & CEO, it has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to be part of the Denver Broncos for 27 seasons,” Ellis said in a statement. “I am forever thankful to our dedicated staff, the players and coaches for making this franchise what it has become today — one of the best organizations in all of sports.”

Ellis will serve as an advisor for the team’s new ownership group this season, but the the Broncos are filling his two former titles with new executives.

Walton is the team’s majority owner but his son-in-law, Greg Penner, will handle day-to-day ownership duties as the team’s new CEO. Penner is essentially the new Ellis, the executive tasked with running the club.

To fill Ellis former title of team president, Denver hired Damani Leech. He will be responsible for managing the team’s business operations. Broncos general manager George Paton will continue to run the football operations.

A new era in Denver begins now.

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Broncos release statement on Rob Walton agreeing to buy team

“I am confident that their leadership and support will help this team achieve great things on and off the field,” Joe Ellis said of the new Walton-Penner ownership group.

Rob Walton is leading a group with his daughter and son-in-law that have agreed to purchase the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion, according to multiple reports. The sale is pending NFL approval, but that approval is expected in the coming weeks.

After announcing the sale agreement on Tuesday evening, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement:

I have enjoyed getting to know Rob Walton, Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner throughout this process. Learning more about their background and vision for the Denver Broncos, I am confident that their leadership and support will help this team achieve great things on and off the field.

I sincerely appreciate the cooperation of our football leadership, executive team and staffs at both UCHealth Training Center and Empower Field at Mile High over the last few months and years. We also want to recognize the work of Allen & Company and Proskauer Rose, which have guided us through this process in a timely and efficient manner.

While this purchase and sale agreement is pending approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership, today marks a significant step on the path to an exciting new chapter in Broncos history.

Walton will become the team’s majority owner with Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner serving as minority owners. Mellody Hobson is also expected to join the team’s new ownership group.

Denver now has a new head coach, a new quarterback and new owners ahead of the 2022 season (pending approval). It’s an exciting time to be a Broncos fan.

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NFL releases statement on Brian Flores’ lawsuit

“We will defend against these claims, which are without merit,” the NFL said in response to Brian Flores’ lawsuit.

Brian Flores has filed a lawsuit against the NFL for racism in hiring with the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos listed as defendants. Flores accused the Broncos in the lawsuit of interviewing him in 2019 merely to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule.

The NFL responded to that lawsuit with the following statement:

The NFL and our clubs are deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices and continue to make progress in providing equitable opportunities throughout our organizations. Diversity is core to everything we do, and there are few issues on which our clubs and our internal leadership team spend more time. We will defend against these claims, which are without merit.

The Broncos interviewed Flores for their head coach opening in 2019 after firing Vance Joseph. Denver ended up hiring Vic Fangio, and Flores took a head coach job with the Miami Dolphins. Fangio was fired by the Broncos and Flores was fired by the Dolphins in January.

Denver general manager George Paton interviewed 10 candidates to replace Fangio last month, opting to hire Nathaniel Hackett.

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Brian Flores accuses Broncos in lawsuit of interviewing him merely to satisfy Rooney Rule

Brian Flores’ lawsuit says he was interviewed “only because of the Rooney Rule, and … the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate.”

Brian Flores accused the Denver Broncos in a lawsuit of interviewing him merely to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule when the team had a head coach opening in 2019.

The Rooney Rule today stipulates that NFL teams must interview two ethnic-minority candidates when hiring head coaches. At the time of Flores’ interview with the Broncos — noted to have been with then-general manager John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others — the rule mandated one minority candidate be interviewed. The Broncos fired Vance Joseph following the 2018 season, and interviewed five candidates to replace him: Mike Munchak, Vic Fangio, Chuck Pagano, Zac Taylor and Flores.

Flores was the only Black candidate interviewed. Fangio got the job and Munchak received a position on his staff. Pagano took a role with the Bears and Taylor became the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach. Flores was hired by the Miami Dolphins as head coach.

Flores filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the NFL alleging racism in hiring. The lawsuit names the NFL, Giants, Dolphins and Broncos, specifically, and the other 29 teams referred to as “John Doe Teams.”

Here is his accusation against Denver in the class action complaint:

Incredibly, this was not Mr. Flores’ first sham interview that was held only in an effort to comply with the Rooney Rule. Indeed, in 2019 Mr. Flores was scheduled to interview with the Denver Broncos. However, the Broncos’ then-General Manager, John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others, showed up an hour late to the interview. They looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had drinking heavily the night before. It was clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was interviewed only because of the Rooney Rule, and that the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate for the job. Shortly thereafter, Vic Fangio, a white man, was hired to be the Head Coach of the Broncos.

Ellis has been acting as the Broncos’ de facto owner since late owner Pat Bowlen stepped down in 2014 due to Alzheimer’s. Elway has been a member of the team’s front office since 2011. The franchise is now for sale and both Ellis and Elway have contracts that are scheduled to expire this offseason.

Flores spent three seasons in Miami before getting fired in January. Denver also fired Fangio in January and hired Nathaniel Hackett to replace him. Flores was not among the 10 candidates the Broncos interviewed to replace Fangio this offseason.

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Broncos announce team is going up for sale

“The trustees hope to have the sale completed by the start of the 2022 NFL season,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said.

What was expected is now official — the Denver Broncos are going up for sale this offseason, the team has confirmed.

Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

The Pat Bowlen Trust announced today the beginning of a sale process for the Denver Broncos. We have retained Steve Greenberg of Allen & Company as our financial advisor and Joe Leccese of Proskauer Rose LLP as our legal advisor for this transition of ownership.

Selling an NFL team is a complex process involving numerous parties and league approval procedures. Nonetheless, the trustees hope to have the sale completed by the start of the 2022 NFL season.

The Broncos are a special franchise that is part of the fabric of this region, and whoever emerges as the new owner will certainly understand what the team means to our great fans and this community.

The Bowlen family also released a statement.

When Pat Bowlen purchased the Denver Broncos in 1984 with the help of his siblings — John, Bill and Marybeth — he set out with the goal of being No. 1 in everything. Over the past 38 seasons, his vision enabled the Broncos to become champions on and off the field.

With today beginning the Broncos’ transition to new ownership, our family is overwhelmed with gratitude for what this organization and community have meant to us. There are truly no words to express our deep appreciation to all of Broncos Country for its unwavering support during the past four decades.

We will forever cherish Pat’s leadership as a Hall of Fame Owner and CEO, guiding the Broncos to three World Championships, seven Super Bowls, 13 AFC West titles and 21 winning seasons. Off the field, Pat ensured his team gave back to the Denver community with the same passion that Broncos fans displayed every Sunday in the fall.

Nothing Pat accomplished would have been possible without the players, whom he loved dearly. Thank you to those who proudly wore the Broncos jersey over the years for your commitment to winning and serving our community.

Our family is eternally grateful for the coaches, support staff and team employees for all of their contributions. Thank you for your countless sacrifices and dedication to the Broncos.

Pat used to say the Broncos belonged to the fans and that ultimately this was their team. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for this incredible ride. It has been the honor of our lifetime.

All of us know that the impact of ‘Mr. B’ will live on with the Broncos and in the hearts, minds and memories of the fans.

We will always cheer for the Orange and Blue. Go Broncos!

The Broncos are worth about $3.75 billion, according to a recent estimate from Forbes, but an auction-style sale will likely draw a price of more than $4 billion, which would break a U.S. record for the highest price paid for a professional sports team.

Selling the team could take months to finalize, but Denver hopes to have the process completed before the start of the 2022 NFL season.

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Joe Ellis believes the Broncos are in good hands with George Paton

“I think that the strategic vision of this franchise is in good hands with George [Paton], and it lies with him moving forward,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said.

The Denver Broncos are expected to be sold this offseason, potentially to the highest bidder. Even if the next owner is not very football savvy, though, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis believes the football side of the team will be left in good hands under general manager George Paton.

Ellis’ contract is set to expire this spring, so Paton has been leading the team’s head coach search, and he will continue leading the team’s football operations going into the 2022 offseason.

“I like everything about his thoroughness, his work ethic, his ability to administrate, his understanding of football, his understanding of what it takes to put a team together [and] to put a team on the field that has an opportunity to win every game,” Ellis said during his end-of-season press conference when asked about Paton.

“I think we’re very fortunate. I think that the strategic vision of this franchise is in good hands with George, and it lies with him moving forward. We’re lucky we have him and I think whoever the owner is in the future will recognize that very quickly.”

Denver has 11 draft picks and about $50 million in salary cap space available this offseason, so 2022 is shaping up to be a big year for Paton.

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John Elway confirms interest in owning part of Broncos

John Elway confirmed his interest in owning part of the Broncos in an interview with 9News.

The Denver Broncos are expected to go up for sale this offseason, and two former quarterbacks are interested in joining a potential new ownership group.

There have been rumors for several months that both John Elway and Peyton Manning have interest in becoming minority owners. Manning downplayed that possibility in November, but Elway publicly acknowledged his interest in a recent interview with KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

“I do have interest in being a part of it,’’ Elway told Klis.

As a potential minority owner, Elway would welcome an advisor role.

“I’m not looking to be the face of the franchise,’’ Elway said. “Whoever puts up that kind of money and whoever is that owner, it’s their franchise. It’s their team. My hope would be to help support the new owner.”

Elway won two Super Bowls as a quarterback with the Broncos during his playing days before later returning to the team as an executive. He served as a general manager for 10 years, winning a third Super Bowl in 2015.

Elway stepped down from his GM duties last year but he will remain the president of football operations until his contract expires later this offseason. Elway would like to remain part of the team going forward, and joining a potential new ownership group would allow him to do so.

Meanwhile, Manning has not yet announced his potential interest, but Klis reported Monday that the ex-QB is “listening to prospective investors” who have reached out to him. Joe Ellis, the team’s president/CEO, is expected to announce a transition toward a sale after Denver hires a new head coach.

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Potential auction-style sale would award Broncos to highest bidder

If the Broncos have an auction-style sale, the highest bidder would be awarded the team (so long as other NFL owners approve).

The Denver Broncos are expected to hit the market this offseason, and the people currently running the team might not have much say on who becomes the next owner.

The Pat Bowlen Trust — Joe Ellis, Rich Slivka and Mark Kelly — “have a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries to get the highest possible price, pending NFL approval,” according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

The trust has been running the team since Bowlen stepped down to battle Alzheimer’s in 2014, five years before his death. The trust is now expected to have an auction-style sale to award the team to the highest bidder.

Such a sale would be good news for Bowlen’s beneficiaries — his seven children (who each own 11.14%) and his brother John (22%). It might not necessarily put the team in the best possible hands, though.

But as Klis noted, the league’s 31 ownership groups would have to approve of Denver’s new owner, so there is a possible scenario in which the highest bidder could fail to buy the team if NFL owners do not approve.

For now, the Broncos remain focused on hiring a new coach. After that, they will make an announcement regarding the ownership situation.

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Legal battle won, Broncos can now move toward sale

The Broncos are now one step closer to likely being sold.

Story update: A Denver judge has ruled that ROFR Holdings Ltd.’s “right of first refusal is no longer valid or enforceable in any respect,” according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. That has cleared the final roadblock for the Broncos to potentially move toward a sale. See our original post below.

The Denver Broncos are expected to be sold this spring, but an ongoing legal dispute has seemingly slowed down the process.

In his end-of-season press conference on Sunday, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said he can’t provide an update on the team’s ownership situation until the legal matter is resolved.

“I think most of you are familiar of the fact that we are in a trial — a case in the hands of the court and the right of first refusal case — between Edgar Kaiser and Pat Bowlen,” Ellis said. “Out of respect for the court, I’m going to wait and get back to you at a later date on that …. I want the court to be able to let its process see through to the end.

“From there, I’ll be able to get back to you and let you know where things stand. I don’t have a timeline on that, but I just want to respect the court and let the judge decide what decision will be rendered at what time. It’s certainly her decision.”

ROFR Holdings Ltd. claims to have the right of first refusal passed down from Kaiser, who sold the team to Bowlen in 1984. The Broncos argue that the ROFR agreement between Bowlen and Kaiser is no longer valid because both men have since died. Now the court has to decide.

In the meantime, a potential sale remains on hold.

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