Tag: Joe Ellis

Joe Ellis comments on Broncos firing Vic Fangio

“Vic put his heart and soul into coaching the Broncos. I want to thank Coach Fangio for giving his maximum effort to our organization since the day he was hired.”

Joe Ellis, the Denver Broncos’ president/CEO and de facto owner until the spring, announced that head coach Vic Fangio was fired Sunday morning.

“This morning, George and I informed Vic of the decision to part ways with him as head coach of the Denver Broncos,” Ellis is in a statement released by the team.

“For the last three seasons, Vic put his heart and soul into coaching the Broncos. I want to thank Coach Fangio for giving his maximum effort to our organization since the day he was hired.

“George will have full authority to select the next head coach of the Broncos. This is his decision and his program. I have complete confidence in George’s ability to lead an exhaustive and successful head coaching search.

“We will give George every available resource and fully support him in hiring the very best head coach to lead the Broncos.”

Ellis’ contract is set to expire later this year and the team is expected to be sold. So it makes sense that Paton will be in charge of the team’s coaching decisions given that Ellis appears to be on the way out in Denver.

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Broncos front office releases statements after Von Miller trade

“Von is a special player, a special person and a Bronco for Life,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said.

After agreeing to trade star outside linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, members of the team’s front office and coach Vic Fangio released statements on Miller’s accomplished time with the team.

Broncos execs John Elway, Joe Ellis test positive for COVID-19

Two Denver Broncos executives have tested positive for the coronavirus. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell tested positive last weekend.

COVID-19 knows no boundaries. It doesn’t matter if you are young, old, rich or poor. The latest to be hit by the coronavirus in sports are Denver Broncos executives John Elway and Joe Ellis.

The Broncos are confident the transmissions originated from outside the building.

It’s the latest COVID-19 issue the Broncos have dealt with in the past week. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend and did not coach in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Denver guard Graham Glasgow tested positive last week. Offensive line coach Mike Munchak was also in COVID-19 protocol.

Elway is 60; Ellis is 61.

Per 9News.com:

Elway was not feeling well Monday morning when he reported for COVID testing. He immediately informed team trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos, who sent Elway home for the day.

Ellis was not feeling well Sunday morning, called Antonopulos, and for the first in 26 years did not attend a Broncos home game — a thrilling, come-from-behind 31-30 win against the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers. He was not in the building last Thursday or Friday, stopped in briefly to pick up a game credential Saturday, and did not go to his office Sunday or Monday, a team source told 9NEWS.

 

Broncos ‘will be prepared’ to host fans this season

The Broncos don’t know yet if fans will be allowed in the stands this season. If they are, the team will be prepared.

As NFL teams prepare for a season set to be played during the COVID-19 pandemic, some clubs have announced reduced stadium capacities for 2020.

The Broncos have not yet announced any capacity limits and team president/CEO Joe Ellis said on July 28 that the status of fans possibly attending games is still up in the air.

“We want to do the right thing,” Ellis said. “I don’t have a set number of fans for you nor do I know when fans will be in the stands. We’re going to work through that.

“We’re going to do that in partnership with the governor and the mayor, the City of Denver. Whatever we do, we’ll have the health and safety and welfare of our fans, our players, our coaches, our entire staff [in mind].”

Ellis said the Broncos will have Empower Field at Mile High prepared to host fans with extra safety precautions this fall. If fans are allowed, Denver will be ready to host them.

“There’s so much going on here and there’s so much going on trying to host fans in the stands,” Ellis said. “We will be prepared when that day comes, if it comes.”

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Broncos hopeful for a full season during COVID-19 pandemic

“I hope the news that comes in day to day remains positive . . . I’m very hopeful that we can play,” Broncos GM John Elway said.

NFL teams across the country have started training camps amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Football is hoping to follow the lead of European soccer leagues that finished their seasons during the coronavirus.

The Broncos are taking extra precautions to try to keep players, coaches and staff safe. If everyone follows the NFL’s safety guidelines, a season could be played.

“We’ve got a real chance to have a competitive advantage if we can all follow the protocols and the procedures and do right by wearing a mask and six-foot distancing and everybody wears the tracking device when they’re at the facilities, all of that kind of stuff,” team president/CEO Joe Ellis said during a Zoom conference call on July 28. “We have a chance, but if you stray from that, there’s going to be problems.”

Denver general manager John Elway was asked during a call on Tuesday if he expects the NFL to be able to complete a full season.

“Believe me, I don’t look that far ahead,” Elway said. “I’m glad we can get where we are right now, and I hope the news that comes in day to day remains positive and we can continue to move forward with it. I don’t have a prediction. I’m very hopeful that we can play.

“I think the players want to play and the fans, whether it’s at home, want to watch football. We’re hopeful that we can figure out the best way to attack this that allows us to go out and play football.”

The Broncos are scheduled to face the Titans on ESPN in Week 1.

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Broncos CEO Joe Ellis says players have a right to protest

“Whatever it is that they decide to do we’re going to stand by that as an organization,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said.

Following the death of George Floyd and other instances of police brutality this year, many NFL players are expected to protest during the national anthem this season.

Broncos players organized a march in Denver earlier this offseason. It remains to be seen if the players will demonstrate during the anthem.

“Everyone’s got a right to do as they please, express themselves as they feel,” team president/CEO Joe Ellis said during a Zoom conference call with reporters on July 28. “I’m going to respect that. We’re going to respect that as an organization. I think once we get down to 53, my guess is that the players will meet and convene. They may want to do something as a team.

“I will be there to listen and learn. It’s been an eye-opening period of about three months now. As I said, I’m going to respect — whatever it is that they decide to do, we’re going to stand by that as an organization.”

In 2017, a majority of Broncos players knelt during the anthem before a game against the Bills after President Donald Trump labeled protesting players SOBs. Four days after that game in Buffalo, Denver players announced that they would stand for the anthem going forward.

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Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had two meetings with players on Tuesday

“I think today was great for us as a team to start that dialogue,” Broncos safety Kareem Jackson said.

Denver Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis held two Zoom conference call meetings with players on Tuesday. Ellis had a meeting with offensive players and a meeting with defensive players. Broncos coach Vic Fangio and general manager John Elway were also part of the meetings.

“I thought it went great,” Fangio said on Tuesday. “Joe Ellis led that discussion. I’m going to have a team meeting with the team on Thursday through the virtual Zoom. Joe led that discussion today.

“Several players and some coaches added comments to it. I thought it was a very productive and good meeting. We wanted to have that meeting before the Broncos released anything from a statement publicly.”

Denver safety Kareem Jackson said the meetings went great.

“I think today was great for us as a team to start that dialogue and we kind of split it up offensively and defensively,” Jackson said. “That was great for Joe to be able to do that for us and also give us a chance to talk and let it be heard how we feel.

“My takeaway from it was that we have to figure out what we can do, not only as a team, but as an organization. How can we get out and how can we impact the Denver community? Maybe we can get out and put together a march as a team or something like that.”

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NFL owners accept terms of proposed new CBA

NFL owners have voted in approval of a proposed new CBA with players.

NFL owners voted to accept terms of a proposed new collective bargaining agreement with players in New York on Thursday, the league announced.

Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis was present for the vote but it’s not clear how he voted — the vote was not unanimous, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The NFLPA is yet to vote on the new CBA — their vote is expected to take place on Friday.

“Following more than ten months of intensive and thorough negotiations, the NFL Players and clubs have jointly developed a comprehensive set of new and revised terms that will transform the future of the game, provide for players – past, present, and future – both on and off the field, and ensure that the NFL’s second century is even better and more exciting for the fans,” the NFL said in a statement.

The proposed new CBA includes two significant changes — an expanded playoff format and a longer regular season.

Under the new CBA, the regular season will expand to 17 games within the next few years. The playoffs will expand from 12 teams to 14 teams, with that change happening as quickly as next season.

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Joe Ellis attending NFL owners meeting in New York

NFL owners and players might be drawing close to agreeing to a new CBA.

NFL owners have been “summoned” to New York to discuss terms of a potential new collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA, according to a report from NFL Network.

The owners will hear a report on CBA negotiations and “consider terms,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Wednesday.

The owners are meeting Thursday and players are expected to discuss the proposed new CBA during a conference call Friday. There’s a chance that the new CBA could be ratified before March 18, the start of the new league year.

Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis is attending the owners meeting as Denver’s representative, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. While the team is under control of the Pat Bowlen Trust, Ellis is acting as the Broncos’ owner.

The proposed new CBA being discussed by owners and players includes two significant changes — an expanded playoff format and a longer regular season.

Under the new CBA, the regular season will be expanded to 17 games within the new few years. The playoffs would be expanded from 12 teams to 14 teams, with that change happening as quickly as next season.

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John Elway, Joe Ellis comment on Steve Atwater’s Hall of Fame nod

Broncos legend Steve Atwater is going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Former Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. After news of Atwater’s Hall of Fame nod broke, team president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement:

This is a great day for Steve, the Broncos and all our fans. Steve was a dominant safety who changed the game as one of the most-feared players of his generation. With as modest and humble as Steve is, you would never know about all of his Pro Bowls, Super Bowls and many other accolades. He’s just an unbelievable ambassador for our team and league.

We congratulate Steve on his well-deserved election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I also want to thank and recognize Jeff Legwold and the selection committee as well as our fans, who have been so supportive of Steve’s Hall of Fame credentials.

Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway also released a statement:

 

A two-time Super Bowl champion and eight-time Pro Bowler, Atwater is the eighth former Bronco to enter Canton, joining Elway, running back Floyd Little, tight end Shannon Sharpe, offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman, running back Terrell Davis, cornerback Champ Bailey and late club owner Pat Bowlen in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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