The Denver Broncos are officially for sale.
The Pat Bowlen Trust announced Tuesday that it is in the "beginning of a sale process" for the franchise.
Hall of Famer Pat Bowlen bought the Broncos in 1984 and the club went on to appear in seven Super Bowls, winning three of them. Denver had 21 winning seasons and claimed 13 AFC West titles during this span. Bowlen ceded control of the team in July 2014 to team president Joe Ellis when Bowlen acknowledged that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Bowlen died in 2019 at the age of 75.
"Nothing Pat accomplished would have been possible without the players, whom he loved dearly," the Bowlen family said in a statement. "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."
Led by Hall of fame quarterback John Elway, the Broncos reached three Super Bowls in the late 80s, shortly after the Bowlen's purchase. They finally got over the championship hump following the 1997 regular season by defeating the heavily-favored and reigning champion Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII, leading to Pat Bowlen's iconic toast: "This one's for John!" The Broncos would repeat as champs by dismantling the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII.
More than a decade later, and with Elway now working as Bowlen's GM and executive vice president of football operations, the organization would play in two more title games, winning the latter against the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
While a sale wont be completed for some time, a new era in Denver has already commenced. George Paton was appointed GM in 2020, with Elway being reassigned to president of football operations. Last week, they hired Nathaniel Hackett to be the team's new head coach.
“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,” Ellis said in a statement.