Paige: Pat Bowlen Is One of Colorado's Most Important Sports Figures

Paige: Pat Bowlen is one of Colorado's most important sports figures

By Woody Paige The Denver Post July 23, 2014

This one's for Pat.

After his birth 70 years ago as the son of a Canadian wildcatter and a steadfast Wisconsinite, Patrick Dennis Bowlen never stopped skating, swimming, skiing, biking, hiking, competing and running.

He ran as a youngster so he could play football and hockey. He ran the 440 in track in high school. He ran wind sprints and pass routes trying to make the University of Oklahoma football team. In his 20s, Pat ran his own law firm. He later would run several of his father's businesses, then run an independent oil and gas and natural resource company he started. He passionately ran hundreds of miles a week. He ran the New York City Marathon in 3 hours, 3 minutes. He ran, biked and swam in two Ironman events on the Big Island of Hawaii and finished 137th, then 135th out of a thousand entries, the majority half his age.

Then before stepping down as owner Tuesday because of his battle with Alzheimer's disease, he ran the Denver Broncos for 30 years to six Super Bowls and 307 victories with only five losing seasons. He ran the franchise to two Super Bowl championships and the pinnacle of prestige, pride and power in the National Football League. He ran the campaign to get, and help fund, a new stadium for Denver. He ran first in the race to keep John Elway in Denver as a quarterback and make him the highest-paid player in the NFL, to bring Elway back to the organization as the chief of football operations and the effort to bring Peyton Manning to Denver.

Bowlen admitted he committed errors in three decades, but it was not for the lack of committing his financial resources and football wherewithal to the Broncos. He has been the owner, and he has been the No. 1 fan. While he has been running the franchise, the Broncos have reached the postseason 16 times in 30 seasons. Compare that deed to other owners in every professional sport in every city.

He was not ever standing Pat.

The legacy and level of triumph for the longest-running owner, executive, coach and player in Colorado history have been established and probably never will be duplicated. Pat has proved himself.

Mr. B must be included among the half dozen most iconic figures in the history of Colorado sports.

Pat Bowlen the Denver sports megastar has earned the right to slow down and enjoy life.

Of all his accomplishments and actions, this one for Pat is the most courageous and difficult, and could have the most impact and influence.

More than 5 million people in this country, and approximately 30 million around the globe, suffer from Alzheimer's, and 50,000 annually die in North America from complications of the disease.

Pat is acknowledging publicly that he has Alzheimer's, and he no longer will serve as the CEO of the Broncos.

The Broncos' owner always said he wouldn't give up ownership of the team: "I will die with my boots on."

Bowlen is not dying, but he still wears his cowboy boots, and he has much left to achieve. Pat and his wife, Annabel, have raised millions for charities and nonprofits, and he has been a creative force in the mushroomed development of the NFL. With his creativity and wealth of knowledge, Pat always will be of service to the Broncos, Denver and pro football.

In May of 2009, during a lengthy state-of-the-Broncos interview with Pat when the team was in a bad state, I asked, "How is your health?" The candid Broncos owner blurted out (as he has been prone to do): "Physically, I'm great. But I have short- term memory loss."

I'm two years younger than Bowlen. I said, "We all do, Pat."

He hesitated, then added, "But I don't remember much about the (two) Super Bowl wins."

I was shocked. So were most who read his comments.

Bowlen was a fitness freak who ran laps while the Broncos practiced. He was sharp as a steak knife. He was feisty as a junkyard dog. When Elway returned, I asked Bowlen if he could envision a third Vince Lombardi Trophy in the team's headquarters.

Bowlen used an expletive before declaring, "We're going back to the top." But our conversations the past three years after games on the road and during the offseason didn't have the same old Bowlen zing and zest. This was an owner who once wore a fur coat on the sideline at the end of a game and had no ctrl-alt-delete on his tongue.

Truthfully, Bowlen was somewhat introverted when he arrived in Denver, uncertain how he would be accepted after he and his family (two brothers, a sister and his mother) purchased the majority of the team's ownership from fellow Canadian Edgar Kaiser Jr., not a popular person in Colorado.

But Bowlen got comfortable in his western boots and his skin. And Pat brought his mother, Arvella, to Denver. She lived across Cheesman Park from me and was a hoot. And, unknown to most, it was the Arvella Bowlen Trust that really owned the Broncos. She lived to 90 but had some memory problems, and Pat always was fearful that he eventually might have similar issues.

He did.

In 2011, Bowlen turned most of the day-to-day business leadership to trusted longtime lieutenant Joe Ellis and the football operation to Elway. But Bowlen always has reported first thing each morning to Dove Valley and met with both Ellis and Elway. And no decisions, from the Manning signing, to the Tim Tebow trade, to the $100 million spending sprees for free agents, were made without Bowlen's approval.

When Jim Saccomano, the Broncos' venerable media relations guru, asked Bowlen what he wanted to add to his biography in the annual guide, Bowlen said, "I want to be No. 1 in everything."

He was, at last, at Super Bowl XXXII. When Bowlen was handed the trophy, he could have pontificated, and mentioned that the victory over the Green Bay Packers was particularly meaningful to him. In 1944, Paul and Arvella Bowlen, who were living in Alberta, while Paul attempted to find wet, not dry, wells. Arvella learned she was pregnant and told Paul she was going home to Prairie du Chien, Wis. (population 6,000), to have the baby. Later, young Pat would return from Canada to school in Wisconsin and grew up as a Packers fan.

Instead, after the Super Bowl, Pat said simply, "This one's for John."

Pat Bowlen also has failed to tell people that he once loaned the owner of the Montreal Alouettes' Canadian Football League team $1.5 million to finish the season. And he turned down offers to own teams in the CFL and the defunct United States Football League because he wanted to own an NFL team. Kaiser and Bowlen were members of the same Catholic church, and Bowlen said one Sunday, "Edgar, if you ever decide to sell the Broncos, I hope you'll give me a call."

Bowlen owning the Broncos is the best thing that ever happened to Denver professional sports. How many contractual problems have the Broncos had? None, really. Cheap? No. Losers? Rarely. Sure, they've lost Super Bowls, but they certainly have been to a lot of them. There have been some who didn't like Bowlen the owner or Bowlen the man, but there is no one who can deny that while the Broncos are the soul of the city, Bowlen has been in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s the real beating heart of the Broncos.

A wide receiver in high school, Pat went off to Oklahoma (his dad's school) and was a walk-on for the football team.

"I found out right away I wasn't good enough," he told me.

He didn't play in a college or a professional game, but Bowlen belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of what his team has done and what he did as the head of the league's television committee that secured billion-dollar contracts from the network.

And Pat belongs in our hearts today.

There have been rumors and speculation the past few years. But there are reasons and rationales for privacy that anyone who has been touched by Alzheimer's should understand.

Last year an audience of 2,200 showed up for the Mizel Institute award for community enrichment given to Pat Bowlen. At the end, he stood on the stage in the middle of Broncos Hall of Famers Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Floyd Little and Gary Zimmerman. Even though he didn't speak, there were tears in Pat's eyes that said everything. He got the award, and he got it.

The Broncos should win one for Pat this season.

He is No. 1.

Kiszla: Broncos owner Pat Bowlen always "got it” By Mark Kiszla The Denver Post July 23, 2014

In a city whose heart bleeds orange, you can't spell Broncos without Mr. B.

So pardon us for feeling a melancholy shade of blue as Alzheimer's disease forces Pat Bowlen to relinquish power in day-to-day operations of the NFL team that has done Denver proud during three decades of his ownership.

For the past 30 years, Bowlen expected the Broncos to win the Super Bowl every season. And so did the rest of us.

Mr. B's primary cause had a profound effect: Nothing less than a championship was good enough for every player in the locker room, every ticket-holder in the stadium and every family room that shook with Rocky Mountain thunder whenever Denver crossed the goal line.

As Bowlen walks away at age 70 to wage a fight against a disease that can rob even the strongest man from his fondest memories, the urgency to win a championship increases with each step that Mr. B takes. If time can run out on the reign of a legendary NFL owner, then nothing lasts forever.

The clock ticks louder on a team built to win now. Nobody knows how many touchdown passes remain in the arm of quarterback Peyton Manning or exactly how many more playoff runs Mr. B will enjoy.

Nearly a year ago, as the Broncos embarked on a championship quest that fell one victory short against Seattle in the Super Bowl, Bowlen told The Denver Post he is the franchise owner, but the real power resides in heart of Broncomaniacs, who view winning football as a birthright. "This is their team. It's not my team," Bowlen said.

Mr. B gets it: A sports franchise is far more than a rich boy's toy. For better or worse, the Broncos have become one of Denver's leading reasons to brag ... or cry. From coast to coast, the Broncos stand somewhere between Chipotle burritos and snow on Mount Evans as symbols of the region.

On the night in 1984 when word began to spread the Broncos were on the verge of being saved from bankruptcy by the son of a Canadian oil baron, the quarters in my pocket jingled as I ran from the apartment of a newspaper colleague to contact league sources on a pay phone at a convenience store. Times change. Thirty years later on a summer afternoon, as I pumped gas at a convenience store, word came through my car's speakerphone that Bowlen was stepping away from a team now worth more than $1 billion.

Any NFL investor can get rich. Great owners, however, do far more than count their money. While the Orange Crush bestowed an identity on the lost time zone and John Elway gave Denver those good championship vibrations, it was Bowlen who insisted the Broncos brand must always stand for excellence.

This is not to confuse the simple X's and O's of football with intricacies of computer science. But just as Steve Jobs put the shine on Apple, the Broncos were Mr. B.

Anybody paying close attention, however, suspected this end was near. After the Broncos beat New England to win the AFC title, Bowlen was a ghost of the brash owner who had paraded the sideline after big victories in the old days while wearing a fur coat.

"This one's Super," said Bowlen in January, as Denver punched its ticket for the sixth NFL championship game of the owner's reign. Handlers kept close watch on Bowlen, treating him as delicately as a Fabergè egg, then whisked him to an idling vehicle spitting smoke from its exhaust pipes. It was time for Mr. B to go home.

When Elway returned in January 2011 as the front-office executive entrusted with restoring glory to a team that had lost its way, he came back as the dutiful, favorite son of Bowlen.

Whether that same sense of family purpose can be maintained as a new ownership structure shakes out? It remains to be seen.

For every Dan Rooney who does his father proud by preserving the Steelers as a civic treasure in Pittsburgh, there are a Jeanie and Jim Buss who turn the Los Angeles Lakers into something more closely resembling a family feud.

The Broncos will certainly strive to be a winning organization for the next 30 years. But it would be foolish to take excellence as a guarantee in the absence of Mr. B.

Bowlen bridged the gap between the old guard that loved football like a mom-and- pop business and football czars who made the NFL shield one of the most profitable and powerful icons in the sporting world.

William Clay Ford, the last surviving grandson of the Model T's creator, left this earth as owner of the Detroit Lions in March. A few days later, NFL leaders grieved again when Ralph Wilson of Buffalo died at age 95. During the upcoming season, the Bills will pay their respects by wearing a uniform patch saluting their departed owner.

One of these years, if there is any justice, the league will honor Bowlen by inducting him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The time is ripe for the Broncos to do something even better in recognition of everything Bowlen has done for a city where Broncomania has become a near- religious experience:

On the night of Feb. 1, 2015, with the turf in the Super Bowl stadium blanketed in blue and orange confetti, wouldn't it be cool if Elway handed the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Mr. B? Pat Bowlen resigns control of Denver Broncos, acknowledges he is dealing with Alzheimer's disease

By Mike Klis The Denver Post July 23, 2014

Pat Bowlen, one of the most iconic owners in NFL history who helped guide the Broncos to six Super Bowl appearances and two world championships in his 30 years as owner, is relinquishing control of the team as he acknowledges he is dealing with Alzheimer's disease.

Team president Joe Ellis will assume control of the Broncos as Bowlen focuses on his health.

"It's a really, really sad day," Ellis said. "It's sad for his family, his wife and his seven children. It's sad for everyone in the organization. And it's sad for all the Bronco fans who know what Pat Bowlen meant to them as an owner. It's a day nobody wanted to see happen."

Bowlen, 70, has placed his Broncos' ownership in the Pat Bowlen Trust that is controlled by non-family members. Final-say authority with the team is held by Ellis.

Bowlen's long-term goal is for one of his seven children to run the team when they're ready. To be clear, the Broncos will not be put up for sale.

A statement by the Broncos to The Denver Post said the trust was set up by Bowlen more than a decade ago as part of his long-stated desire to keep team ownership in his family.

Bowlen had first revealed to The Denver Post in May 2009 that he was experiencing short-term memory loss. Bowlen, his family and the team on Tuesday acknowledged for the first time that his condition had developed into Alzheimer's, a brain condition that worsens as it progresses and currently has no cure. "As many in the Denver community and around the National Football League have speculated, my husband, Pat, has very bravely and quietly battled Alzheimer's disease for the last few years," Annabel Bowlen said in a statement. "He has elected to keep his condition private because he has strongly believed, and often said, 'It's not about me.' "Pat has always wanted the focus to be solely on the Denver Broncos and the great fans who have supported this team with such passion during his 30 years as owner. My family is deeply saddened that Pat's health no longer allows him to oversee the Broncos, which has led to this public acknowledgment of such a personal health condition."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease and it is the sixth-leading cause of death. Bowlen lost his mother, Arvella, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's, in 2006.

Mr. B's leadership

"This is a sad day for the NFL," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement to The Denver Post. "Pat Bowlen's leadership has been critical to the success of the Broncos and the entire NFL. From building a championship team that is a pillar of the community to his important work for the league on television and labor matters, Pat's love of the game drove him and we have all benefited from his passion and wisdom. But the time has come for Pat to focus on his health and we fully support him. Joe Ellis has been a trusted executive for Pat for many years after working with us at the league office. Joe's deep experience ensures that the Broncos will continue to have strong leadership."

Although the revelation of Bowlen's condition is an emotional blow to the Broncos' franchise, business in many respects will continue as usual. Bowlen already had removed himself from the team's day-to-day operations in 2011 after he promoted Ellis, his longtime right-hand man, to president.

One of Bowlen's most significant decisions before stepping back was working alongside Ellis in reshaping the Broncos' football operations department in 2011. Together, Bowlen and Ellis hired legendary quarterback John Elway to run the football operations department. Elway then hired John Fox to succeed Josh McDaniels as coach.

With Ellis overseeing the club's day-to-day operations and Elway running the football department, the Broncos have won three AFC West Division titles and reached no less than the Elite Eight of the NFL playoffs in each of their three seasons.

After signing free-agent Peyton Manning in 2012 to become their quarterback, the Broncos have gone 13-3 in each of their past two seasons and last season won two AFC home playoff games at Sports Authority Field at Mile High to reach their seventh Super Bowl, sixth under Bowlen.

To be sure, the past three seasons have been a remarkable rebound from the low point in the Bowlen era, which was a 4-12 season in 2010. "No one fills Pat Bowlen's shoes," Ellis said. "Everybody in this organization — John Elway, John Fox, the players, all the Broncos' employees, we understand what Mr. Bowlen's goals and objectives are and it's our obligation to fulfill them.

"Not only is he firm in his commitment to winning, he also wants to make sure people in his organization do things the right way, and sometimes that's not always the case. But when he saw mistakes, even if they were his own, he recognized them and corrected them quickly. That's the standard he set. It was clearly defined. It's easy to see and it's so easy for all of us to follow. That's what we're going to do in the future."

For the better part of three decades at Broncos' headquarters, Bowlen was affectionately known by his players, executives and employees as "Mr. B." He was the type of owner who struck that delicate balance between being in the office every day and making the tough decisions when he had to, but also letting the people he hired do their jobs.

By any measure, Bowlen has been one of the most successful owners in all of sports.

Looking forward

Bowlen was 40 in 1984 when he and his siblings bought the Broncos from Edgar Kaiser for $78 million. Forbes recently listed the Broncos' value at $1.16 billion, although that might now be a low estimate considering the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers were recently tentatively sold for $2 billion.

Last year, Bowlen became the first NFL owner to reach 300 career victories by his 30th season. The Broncos won the AFC championship in the 1986, '87 and '89 seasons with Dan Reeves as coach, 1997 and '98 seasons under Mike Shanahan, and the 2013 season with Fox as coach.

They won back-to-back Super Bowls with Elway at quarterback in 1997 and 1998.

Perhaps the most astonishing feat during the Bowlen era is that the Broncos had only five losing seasons during his 30 years. Compare that to the Detroit Lions, who have posted losing records in 12 of their past 13 seasons, or the Oakland Raiders, who have nine losing seasons and two 8-8 records in their past 11.

"The reason Mr. B has been so successful is he put all his resources, his passion, his energy into winning," Ellis said. "He's a modest, kind, humble guy but you will not meet a more competitive man."

Although he was born in Wisconsin and attended college at the University of Oklahoma, Bowlen had roots in Canada, and it took a while for the Denver region to warm up to the outsider. Shy by nature, Bowlen was initially perceived as aloof by the Denver region and his image wasn't helped when he was seen wearing a fur coat on the sidelines early in his ownership tenure.

But Bowlen put away the fur coat after "The Drive" game in Cleveland in January 1987 and in time became one of the NFL's most respected and beloved owners. And productive.

Besides his work with the Broncos, Bowlen was co-chairman of the NFL's labor committee for 10 years and also chaired the broadcasting and NFL Network committees. In the NFL fiscal year from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, the 32 NFL teams split $6 billion in national revenue largely built on network TV contracts.

His work largely done, Bowlen had not been active on the league committees in recent years and it was Ellis who represented the Broncos at the 2014 owners meetings in March.

Ellis, 56, worked three years with the Broncos from 1983-85, spent nine years in the NFL office, where he worked alongside Roger Goodell, now commissioner, among others, then returned to Denver, where he has spent the past 17 years with the Broncos.

Going forward, Ellis will add Broncos CEO — which had been Bowlen's role since he purchased the team in March 1984 - to his title as team president.

Ellis and Elway will continue to head the franchise in 2014, but Bowlen told The Denver Post in his last wide-ranging public interview, in August: "If something were to happen to me, I've already made this clear, this team is going to stay in the Bowlen family no matter what. It's a great asset. And it's a lot of fun if you do it right."

Bowlen has five children with his wife Annabel — Patrick, John, Brittany, Annabel and Christianna. Patrick and John are Broncos employees, and Brittany works in the league office.

Bowlen also has two children — Beth, who also works for the team, and Amie — from a previous marriage.

"Now is not the time to talk about the kids individually or collectively," Ellis said. "This is really hard for them. It's a very difficult time for Annabel and the children. They've been given an overview of the future, but their focus is on their father's health and care. They have great sadness that he won't be around to do what he did so well for 30 years. Out of respect for those kids and Annabel, now is not the time to speculate what the future holds." Challenging as the Broncos' ownership situation might appear, it is not unprecedented. San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos announced in 2008 that he was suffering from a severe form of dementia. The team has long been run by his son Dean, who serves as Chargers' president and CEO.

Bowlen long ago got his affairs in order so the Broncos could carry on.

"The future is in good shape," Ellis said. "We have great people working in the football area. We have great people working in the business area. They're committed to our fans, the mission that Pat Bowlen has put in front of us. We want to carry that out on his behalf and on behalf of the fans and the family."

Joel Dreessen released by Denver Broncos after failed physical

By Troy Renck The Denver Post July 22, 2014

All signs pointed to Tuesday's decision. A spectator during offseason workouts at a deep position, tight end Joel Dreessen was released after failing his physical.

Dreessen's desire was to complete the final year of his contract with the Broncos. However, an injured left knee sabotaged his chances, along with the emergence of Julius Thomas and a strong field of backups. Dreessen expects to sit out this season, aiming to return in 2015 as a long snapper, a role he filled for the Houston Texans in 2009.

"I'm going to keep training. I've always enjoyed working out. See if I can't get my body to a point where it will cooperate a little bit more," Dreessen said. "If my body comes around, I would love maybe in 2015 to have an opportunity to be a long snapper and a backup tight end. I would love to do that."

The Broncos talked with Dreessen about restructuring his contract before agreeing to part ways. Dreessen was due $2.5 million this season and remains entitled to an injury-protection benefit of $1.05 million.

"Joel was part of the transition when we came in and when he came from Houston. ... He was a great part of helping us change the culture and getting this thing turned around," general manager John Elway said. "Unfortunately, he just had a knee that he couldn't recover from. We are going to miss Joel. He was a big part of what we've done over the last three years."

Dreessen understood the Broncos' decision because the team plans to place multiple players on the PUP list and needs healthy players for practice.

Said Dreessen: "The Broncos have been so good to me. I cannot praise 'Greek' (head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos) and his guys enough for how good they've been to me. We've explored every single possible option to get me healthy. I know a lot of times ballclubs when they have veteran guys with nagging issues, they'll try to wash their hands of him. But we explored every possible option, but it's probably going to be tough for me to play in 2014."

The left knee acted up on the first day of OTAs in 2013. Dreessen underwent two surgeries, but nothing helped. "I just was not the same guy last year," he said. "There was a lot of pain, a lot of frustration."

Behind Thomas, a Pro Bowler last season who has received a long-term contract proposal from the team, the Broncos employ Jacob Tamme and Virgil Green.

Dreessen, one of only 12 players to start a high school (Fort Morgan), college (CSU) and NFL game in Colorado, started 15 games in 2012, posting a career-best 41 receptions for 356 yards and five touchdowns.

Dreessen, a nine-year veteran, was drafted by the Jets in 2005. He spent five seasons with the Texans before signing with the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent on March 29, 2012. The former two-time All-Mountain West performer received a three-year, $8.5 million deal from the Broncos, his favorite team growing up. Court hearing for Broncos safety T.J. Ward delayed

By Tom McGhee The Denver Post July 22, 2014

A Denver County Court judge delayed a hearing Tuesday for Broncos safety T.J. Ward, who is accused of throwing a glass mug at a bartender, at the request of his lawyer.

Abraham Hutt asked Judge Johnny Barajas for the delay saying that he needed time to review discovery he had just received.

Barajas set the next hearing for Aug. 4, and the trial for Sept. 23.

Ward was charged with misdemeanor assault and disturbing the peace after the incident at PT's All Nude, 3480 S. Galena St. on May 10.

Ward was holding a bottle that he hadn't purchased at the bar when the bartender told him to take it to his car or throw it away.

When the bartender saw him pour from the bottle into a cup filled with a non- alcoholic drink he bought at the bar, she took the cup and poured it out. He is accused of hitting her in the wrist with the mug.

Elway hits the greens on eve of training camp

By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press July 22, 2014

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) — The greens and not the greenbacks are what held John Elway's attention on the eve of training camp.

The Denver Broncos boss spent his last hours of summer vacation playing a nine- hole exhibition Tuesday at Cherry Hills Country Club, site of this year's BMW Championship, in a friendly foursome that included defending champion Zach Johnson.

Before teeing off, Elway told The Associated Press he hopes to get a long-term deal done with star receiver Demaryius Thomas within the next two weeks.

Elway would have preferred to reach agreement with Thomas before the Broncos report for training camp Wednesday, but he said the sides have exchanged proposals and "we're a ways apart right now."

Elway added that he doesn't want talks to drag beyond the start of the preseason Aug. 7, when Denver hosts Seattle.

"Well, we'll probably take it a week or two at the most into camp. Once we get into two weeks I don't want to go past that because that's when we start focusing on the season," Elway said. "So, hopefully we'll try to get something done here in the next couple of weeks."

Thomas was the lone bright spot for Denver in its blistering loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl, catching a record 13 passes (for 118 yards), including Peyton Manning's 100th TD toss with the Broncos. He caught 92 passes for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, then added 26 receptions for 306 yards and three TDs in the playoffs.

The Broncos also want to sign Julius Thomas to a long-term deal following his breakout season, but Elway sounded less optimistic about reaching a deal with his big tight end, saying, "We've got an offer out to Julius that we haven't heard anything back on."

Both players are entering the final year of their contracts and signing them now would cap a very productive offseason for Elway, who landed DeMarcus Ware, Emmanuel Sanders, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib in free agency. In the exhibition benefiting the Evans Scholars Foundation, Elway, a scratch golfer, teamed with Charlie Rymer of the Golf Channel and played against Johnson and John Lynch.

Elway said he felt fortunate to play alongside Johnson, an 11-time Tour winner who was getting his first taste of the venerable golf course best known as the site of Arnold Palmer's comeback from a seven-shot deficit in the final round to win the 1960 U.S. Open.

"I've played with Tiger, I've played with quite a few of these guys," Elway said. "They're all tremendous golfers. I'm a lover of golf, so it's always fun to be able to watch them play."

Speaking of Woods, Johnson was asked during a news conference if he would use a captain's pick on Tiger if he were Ryder Cup captain.

"I don't know," Johnson said. "I mean, as a competitor, I want him on the team. He's the best player I've ever played with. ... There are some guys that ooh and ah me, but he's the one that's done the most. His game never ceases to amaze me. I want Tiger healthy, bottom line, I want the man healthy. He's great for the game — when he's healthy, when he's playing. So, hopefully that's now."

Johnson said he wouldn't be surprised if Woods, who's been bothered by a bad back much of the year, made the team on his own accord. However, he'd have to finish at least third at the Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship to do so.

The BMW Championship, the third of four FedEx Cup playoff competitions, takes place Sept. 1-7.

"Selfishly, the only negative is it interferes with my football watching," Johnson cracked.

A winner should be crowned that Sunday in time for everyone to watch the Broncos open the season against Indianapolis that night, however.

Elway, who played a major role in bringing the BMW Championship to Denver as president of Cherry Hills in 2011, said he hopes the course becomes a regular stop in the rotation. Colorado has been without an annual PGA event since The International ended its run in 2006.

Notes: The Broncos released nine-year veteran TE Joel Dreessen (knee), who failed his physical Tuesday. "We're going to miss Joel," Elway said. "He was a big part of the turnaround when he came up from Houston three years ago. I feel bad for Joel, but he couldn't do it physically anymore." ... The Broncos also designed S Eric Hagg as reserve/retired. The third-year player, who was signed Dec. 31, appeared in 22 career games during his first two NFL seasons with Cleveland. Seahawks start atop AP Pro32 rankings

Associated Press July 22, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks start the preseason right where they ended last season, as the No. 1 team in the AP Pro32 NFL power rankings.

In balloting by 12 media members who regularly cover the NFL, the top three teams in the AP Pro32 were the Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.

The Super Bowl champion Seahawks grabbed 11 first-place votes on Tuesday and had 383 points.

"The world champions are still intact and have the ability to repeat, but that's a long way off," said Pat Kirwan of SiriusXM NFL Radio/CBSSports.com.

Their NFC West rival from the Bay Area earned the other first-place vote and had 360 points.

Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News put the 49ers in the top spot.

"The 49ers can run the ball and play defense," Gosselin said. "With Vernon Davis, a healthy Michael Crabtree and the addition of Stevie Johnson, the 49ers should be able to pass it now as well."

The Broncos and New England Patriots, who faced each other in the AFC championship game, followed at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Both AFC powers were active in the offseason trying to get an edge on the other.

After getting blown out in the Super Bowl, Denver added wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to help out Peyton Manning, and DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward to bolster the defense.

"Peyton Manning isn't going away just yet and the Broncos have enough firepower on offense and some key additions on defense to get back to the big game," Kirwan said.

The Patriots added Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner to help a defense that lost key starters last season to injury.

"Tom Brady still is plenty good enough to win a championship," Newsday's Bob Glauber said. "Question is whether there's enough around him to give him a chance." The Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints were tied for fifth.

ESPN's Herm Edwards thinks the Packers are a strong favorite to repeat as division champions.

"A healthy Aaron Rodgers along with the running game of Eddie Lacy and the additions on defense, Julius Peppers and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, is not good for the NFC North," Edwards said.

Alex Marvez of Foxsports.com agreed.

"This looks like Green Bay's best roster since their Super Bowl-winning team of 2010," he said.

The Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and San Diego Chargers rounded out the top 10.

The Bengals have made the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and lost in the first round each time. They haven't won a playoff game since 1990, which ties for the sixth-longest streak of postseason futility in NFL history.

"The time is now for this roster, especially QB Andy Dalton." ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold said.

Rounding out the bottom of the poll were the Cleveland Browns,, Jacksonville Jaguars and, at No. 32, the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders, who added Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley in the offseason, finished 4-12 last season.

"The Raiders have been through seven head coaches since posting their last winning record in 2002," noted Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

Jets eliminating paper season tickets

Associated Press July 22, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets are doing away with paper tickets for season ticket holders and offering those fans a rewards plan for showing up regularly and behaving properly.

The high-end rewards include Super Bowl tickets and a trip to a road game on the team plane.

Other NFL clubs, such as the Broncos and Chiefs, already have gone to paperless access control systems. But as Seth Rabinowitz, the Jets' vice president of marketing and fan engagement said Tuesday: "Certainly we are the first to do this much."

That begins with a simpler way to enter MetLife Stadium. Season ticket holders will use wallet-sized smart cards that are loaded for 2014. No more paper that can get torn, wet or chewed up by the dog.

The program also will provide incentives for the season ticket holders to keep coming, with bonus points accumulating throughout a season. Once a fan has been to seven of the 10 home games, the rewards points increase significantly, right through the home season finale.

Program participants will manage their accounts (tickets, points and rewards) through a separate portal. Program participation is free.

The program is not based on spending money for food or souvenirs, but on showing up, sharing what Rabinowitz calls a "sense of community" and comporting oneself properly at games. There will be bonus points for fans' involvement with the team's local broadcast partners, too.

"We want to get better at tailoring what we give them," Rabinowitz said. "They don't accept one size fits all, nor should they. The message is to come to the games and be a good fan — they don't have to do anything out of the ordinary — and their loyalty is rewarded."

The Jets' long-term plan is to expand the program beyond game day to include other events and tie-ins with sponsors.

Extra points will not be accumulated for attending preseason games, which traditionally do not attract full houses and often are attended by fans who are not season ticket holders. Rabinowitz said the Jets discussed that issue, but for 2014 there will be no separate segment of the program directed at the exhibitions.

Jets season tickets are nearly sold out each season. Longtime fans — the Jets have a few who have had season tickets dating to the AFL's Titans, and many more from their years at Shea Stadium — will be recognized in the program. They will receive extra bonus points for their loyalty, and the team plans to honor them at a game this season.

"They wear it like a badge of honor," Rabinowitz said of those fans. "In many cases, attending these games has come to define their lives."

With no appearances in a Super Bowl since 1969, the loyalty of those ticket holders can't be questioned.

Should a season ticket holder relinquish his seat or seats for a game, the fan attending can join the rewards program and set up a separate account, Rabinowitz said.

As for those attractive rewards such as the Super Bowl trip or attending an away game with the team or sitting in the owner's suite, they will be part of a rewards auction site. Other prizes with a set value, such as an autograph session, will be available through a rewards marketplace simply by redeeming bonus points.

"We are saying that we want you there and will reward you for coming, for cheering your lungs out," Rabinowitz said. "Hopefully, these rewards are like pennies from heaven."

7 ex-NFL players appeal terms of concussion deal

Associated Press July 22, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Seven former professional football players have filed a court challenge to a tentative class action settlement of concussion claims that would cost the NFL at least $765 million.

They argued that some players won't be fairly compensated under the plan, especially those whose awards would be reduced or negated because of prior strokes or other factors. Their appeal echoes their previous complaints about the plan, which would cover nearly 20,000 retired players for 65 years.

Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody has granted preliminary approval of the settlement pending a fairness hearing in November, when other critics can challenge it and perhaps decide to opt out and reserve the right to sue individually. Her approval came after the NFL agreed to remove the $765 million cap to ensure the fund doesn't run out.

The group appealing the judge's decision includes 2008 Pro Bowl player Sean Morey, now Princeton University's sprint football coach. The group's lawyers appealed the decision by Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody on Monday.

"Conflicts within the class leave many class members without adequate representation," lawyer Steven F. Molo wrote in the appeal. "This class, as certified, is doomed."

He noted that families of players diagnosed posthumously with the debilitating brain disorder chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in the future would not receive the $4 million given to families that received the diagnosis before preliminary approval of the plan this month. Instead, the players would be treated and compensated for the various symptoms they exhibit during their lives.

Plaintiffs' lawyers who negotiated the settlement with NFL lawyers for more than year called the appeal premature since the agreement has not been finalized.

"This petition is entirely without merit, and only serves to confuse and obscure the tremendous benefits retired players will receive if this settlement is approved by the Court," lawyer Christopher Seeger said in a statement Tuesday.

The appeal was filed in the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Meadowlands stadium honored for security

Associated Press July 22, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — MetLife Stadium, site of last February's Super Bowl, has been recognized for its achievements in security.

The home of the New York Jets and Giants was presented with the 2014 Facility of Merit for Safety and Security Award by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at The University of Southern Mississippi. The NFL nominated the stadium, which also received the award in 2011.

MetLife Stadium President and CEO Brad Mayne says Tuesday, "We're honored to be recognized by the sports industry and the NFL for the accomplishments by our security team in creating a safe, comfortable and secure environment for our guests." Broncos' Pat Bowlen steps down

ESPN.com News Services July 23, 2014

Longtime Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has given up control of the team as he battles Alzheimer's disease.

The Denver Post first reported Bowlen, 70, would step aside. Team president Joe Ellis will assume control of the Broncos.

"It's a really, really sad day," Ellis said in a statement to The Denver Post. "It's sad for his family, his wife and his seven children. It's sad for everyone in the organization. And it's sad for all the Bronco fans who know what Pat Bowlen meant to them as an owner. It's a day nobody wanted to see happen."

Bowlen purchased the Broncos in 1984 from Edgar Kaiser. In Bowlen's 30 years as owner, the Broncos reached six Super Bowls, winning back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998.

Bowlen told The Denver Post in May 2009 that he was dealing with short-term memory loss, but on Tuesday the team and Bowlen's family acknowledged for the first time that his condition had developed into Alzheimer's.

"Going forward, Pat Bowlen's indelible contributions to the Broncos, the NFL and this community will continue to define his three decades of ownership and serve as the standard he has set for his franchise," the NFL said in a statement to The Denver Post.

"With more than 300 victories, including six AFC championships and back-to-back Super Bowls, Mr. Bowlen has established the culture of winning that is responsible for the Broncos' sustained success. His work on various league committees has helped the NFL achieve unprecedented prosperity, and his philanthropic generosity has had a positive impact on so many throughout the Rocky Mountain Region." Peyton Manning top QB in new 'Madden'

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 22, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- There are Pro Bowl selections and plenty of all-everything teams revealed in every NFL season. Some players are named, some are snubbed and the discussion on all fronts can be lively.

And then there's what Donny Moore does. Moore, who laughingly calls himself a "former sandwich artist who has had the greatest of opportunities, is a 36-year-old guy whose decisions are debated, sifted through and often even used as verbal barbs in not only living rooms across the country, but in locker rooms around the NFL."

That's because Moore has the final say about player rankings in "Madden," the wildly popular Electronic Arts video game. The 26th edition -- "Madden NFL 15" -- is set for release on Aug. 26.

And when it comes to the Denver Broncos' game, players will soon discover what NFL defenses did last season -- because quarterback Peyton Manning is at the top of the heap. Manning, who threw for an NFL single-season record 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards last season on the way to this fifth MVP award, is tied for the game's top rating for quarterbacks at 98.

Moore gave Manning and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers a 98 rating -- "it's a 0 to 99 system, there are no 100 ratings in the game," Moore said. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees checked in at 96; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was rated at 93.

And while the debate rages around the league about whether Russell Wilson is a top-10 quarterback, Moore said he will be in this year's "Madden," as Wilson was also given a 93 rating.

Calculating Manning's rating, Moore said, was simply a matter of balancing past production, plenty of advanced metrics on the statistical side, and giving Manning the eye test.

"You're constantly looking at it, having your eyes on everything," Moore said. "It's not only what you see, relative to his peers, relative to the league, but what the metrics tell you as well. A guy like Peyton has such a long track record, from our standpoint it's going to take a lot to push that rating down any. A younger player's rating may be far more volatile ... But we update through the season and through the playoffs."

Moore said Manning's rating in the gaming world represents a complete bounceback from the quarterback's return from spinal fusion surgery that caused him to miss the 2011 season, which are also the only games Manning has missed in his career. Since signing with the Broncos in 2012, Manning has started every game -- 32 regular-season games to go with four playoff games, with 92 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.

"There were a lot of unknowns there when he came back, but the feeling was it would affect his throw power," Moore said. "We dropped him down to 84, 85 range, got back up to 89 in 'Madden 13,' I believe. And then to where he is now where we just looked at everything, throw power, awareness, all of those things."

Whether it be on Twitter or in person, Moore said plenty of NFL players have approached him about a ratings adjustment, and that speed tends to be the flashpoint from time to time.

"What usually happens is a big play will happen on Sunday and fans will start tweeting the player, 'Oh man, you did great, you need to talk to 'Madden' to get your rating up,' " Moore said. "And then they'll start following me and we'll go back and forth ... Guys always want to talk about their ratings, they're sort of 80 percent joking, 20 percent serious."

Moore said earlier this year, as he sat "in my cubicle at the office," he could hear Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, on site for a visit, questioning other staffers about how to get his speed rating adjusted. Moore said he then stepped over to meet the quarterback "and I look down and he's got a walking boot on because he just had surgery, so I was kind of going back and forth with him about how a walking boot would affect his speed."

"But in the end we want to just get it right," Moore said. "Whether it's a quarterback everybody knows like Peyton or a long snapper, we want to be right. We strive for perfection, we don't get it, but we always strive for it. But as far as Peyton, I've got a good feeling we're right on that one."

Broncos release Joel Dreessen

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 22, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos tight end Joel Dreessen had hoped his balky left knee would cooperate enough to get at least one more season with his home- state team.

But that wasn't the case Tuesday when the Broncos released the Fort Morgan, Colo., native after the ninth-year veteran failed his physical with the team. Broncos players are formally scheduled to report for training camp Wednesday with the team's first practice Thursday.

The move was expected by many in the Broncos' hierarchy given Dreessen, who turns 32 Sunday, did not participate in any of the team's offseason program after having the third surgery of the last two offseasons combined on the knee earlier this year. Dreessen is believed to have had a microfracture procedure in the latest surgery.

Earlier in the offseason, during the team's OTAs, Dreessen said "I hope I can keep working and get back on the field, that's what I want. You want to play for this team with all we can do in this offense.''

Dreessen, who also graduated from Colorado State, played in 13 games this past season after he had two operations on his knee in the months leading up to the 2013 campaign. He finished with seven catches in a crowded position in a year Julius Thomas emerged as the starter, Dreessen's lowest catch total since his four receptions in 2007, his first year with the Houston Texans.

Dreessen and fellow tight end Jacob Tamme were both signed in free agency in 2012 as the Broncos tried to gather more targets for Peyton Manning, who had been signed that March. This season was to the final year of Dreessen's three-year, $8.5 million deal.

On the business side Dreessen was set to count $3.167 million against the salary cap so the Broncos will have $666,668 dead money charge with Dreessen's release. But they also gain just over $2.5 million in cap space, something they will need if they still intend to sign wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to a long-term deal before the roster is cut to 53 players next month.

The Broncos now have 87 players on the roster, three under the limit of 90. Report: Broncos owner Pat Bowlen steps down to deal with Alzheimer's disease

By Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz USA Today Sports July 23, 2014

Pat Bowlen, the Denver Broncos owner who won two Super Bowls and oversaw one of the NFL's most consistently competitive franchises, is giving up control of the team after acknowledging to The Denver Post that he has Alzheimer's disease.

"As many in the Denver community and around the National Football League have speculated, my husband, Pat, has very bravely and quietly battled Alzheimer's disease for the last few years," Annabel Bowlen said in a statement to the Post. "He has elected to keep his condition private because he has strongly believed, and often said, 'It's not about me.'

"Pat has always wanted the focus to be solely on the Denver Broncos and the great fans who have supported this team with such passion during his 30 years as owner. My family is deeply saddened that Pat's health no longer allows him to oversee the Broncos, which has led to this public acknowledgment of such a personal health condition."

Joe Ellis, the Broncos' team president since 2011, takes over the day-to-day operations of the team from Bowlen. The longtime owner's stake in the team was placed in the Pat Bowlen Trust, the team told the Post in a statement, with the intention for the franchise to be taken over by one of his children. The team is not expected to be up for sale.

Since Bowlen bought the team in 1984, the Broncos have won more than 300 games and been to six Super Bowls. The franchise won its first two championships behind quarterback John Elway, who now serves as the team's general manager and executive vice president of football operations, in 1997 and '98.

"It's a really, really sad day," Ellis said, per the Post. "It's sad for his family, his wife and his seven children. It's sad for everyone in the organization. And it's sad for all the Bronco fans who know what Pat Bowlen meant to them as an owner. It's a day nobody wanted to see happen." Seahawks grant ESPN special access to training camp practice

By Nate Davis USA Today Sports July 22, 2014

The Seattle Seahawks have never been depicted on Hard Knocks. But the reigning Super Bowl champions are prepared to provide some authentic hard knocks to NFL fans after granting ESPN special access to their training camp.

Rather than document the latest adventures of quarterback Russell Wilson, loquacious cornerback Richard Sherman and coach Pete Carroll off the field, ESPN's cameras will focus on their hyper-competitive personalities between the lines during SportsCenter Special: Seahawks Training Camp, which will air live for nearly two hours Tuesday, July 29. The show will coincide with Seattle's first padded practice of the summer.

"Hopefully we can break new ground and give the fans some fresh and unique access they haven't seen before," Jay Rothman, who produces Monday Night Football for the network, told USA TODAY Sports.

"There's more character development in Hard Knocks. Our show will be less personal, more football storytelling."

Rothman is planning a fast-paced, fluid program which mirrors the Seahawks' signature up-tempo practice sessions. ESPN talent — MNF analyst Jon Gruden, NFL Live analyst Darren Woodson, correspondent John Clayton and host Kenny Mayne — will be deployed around the Seahawks' picturesque Virginia Mason Athletic Center, which borders Lake Washington in the suburb of Renton. Gruden and Woodson will essentially be embedded on the field with the offense and defense, respectively.

"The fact we get to watch the champions — I know I sound like a little kid sometimes — but what a way to kick off the season," Gruden told USA TODAY Sports.

"Can't wait to spend the day getting an up-close idea of how intricate their practices are."

The objective, according to Rothman, is to "explain to fans what's going and to be able to show the application for how (practice drills) translated into a Super Bowl win for these guys. And also to give fans an experience they haven't had before, that nobody's really seen before.

"The magic is not being too much in tape (pre-packaged material), but maintaining the integrity of live (action) — raw and real — while sprinkling in a little flavor and really presenting a day in the life of Seahawks training camp."

Seattle practices are known for being lively.

Sherman's mouth rarely stops, Carroll is a constant whirl of enthusiasm, and the competitive spirit even extends to players fighting to get their music on the practice playlist.

Rothman attended a minicamp during the spring and remembers watching the defense's famed Legion of Boom secondary pick off six of Wilson's passes during what he described as a "heated" affair.

Gruden can't wait to be in the hip pocket of Wilson, whom he's followed since interviewing him for his Gruden's QB Camp pre-draft series in 2012.

"I think he's one of the more unique people we have in America today," gushed Gruden. "Captain of N.C. State, Wisconsin, a Rose Bowl winner, and now a Super Bowl champion. Wow."

The Seahawks have already provided a script of the nine-period practice to ESPN, allowing the network to dissect everything from individual drills to 9-on-7 periods to red-zone showdowns between offense and defense.

If the Pacific Northwest's infamous rain intervenes, everything will be filmed on the team's indoor field.

Unlike past training camp visits — remember ESPN canvassing Tim Tebow and the New York Jets in 2012? — there will be no SportsCenter desk on site. Mayne and Clayton, both longtime residents of Washington state, will float around the field and likely interact with the 3,000 "12th Man" fans expected to be in attendance. General manager John Schneider will grant an interview to Clayton.

But Carroll and the players will be focused on the field. Rothman hopes his cameras and talent are as transparent as possible and doesn't expect any other interviews to occur until practice's conclusion.

The genesis of this experiment occurred while Rothman randomly clicked onto his network in April and saw Baseball Tonight: Gameday, which entailed a two-hour insider's look at batting practice before a Boston Red Sox-Texas Rangers game at Fenway Park. Rothman didn't even know the project was in the works but was immediately hooked. "It was so raw, and it was so real," he says, again invoking buzzwords he's attached to his latest endeavor. "I couldn't stop watching (and thought), 'Why aren't we doing this for football?' "

Gruden, who has observed younger brother Jay take the coaching reins of the Washington Redskins during the offseason, admits that being in the middle of a camp practice will almost certainly fuel his coaching jones. He already knows what play he'll call if Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell gives him an opening.

"He's got the read option, the stretch running game, Russell," said Gruden. "But I'd probably call (running back) Marshawn Lynch's number to get just 3 yards."

Stay tuned. Rothman's not giving everything away after all.

"We'll have a few tricks up our sleeve," he said.

Clay Matthews Jr., Elvis Dumervil among NFL's top 10 pass rushers

By Chris Burke SI.com July 22, 2014

Taking notice of this truth may be difficult given the NFL's offensive explosion in recent years -- hard to see the forest for the trees and all -- but the league finds itself amid a pass rushing heyday. Up-tempo, creative offenses have forced defenses to counter with more nimble athletes all over the field and hybrid defenses that increase responsibilities for those in the front seven.

Hand in hand with the evolution have come edge players who are faster, stronger, better at finding the quarterback. Last year alone, 24 defenders finished with 10 or more sacks, the highest total since 1992.

QBs are under constant pressure. These players are usually bringing the heat ...

Honorable mention: Mario Williams, Bills; Terrell Suggs, Ravens; Calais Campbell, Cardinals; Cam Jordan, Saints; Jared Allen, Bears; Charles Johnson, Panthers; DeMarcus Ware, Broncos; Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, Redskins.

Well, that's quite a list, particularly when we take into consideration just how long Suggs, Allen and Ware have been wreaking havoc on offenses around the league. Williams, with 13 sacks last season, and Jordan, at 12.5 as his development fueled the Saints' defensive turnaround, may have been the toughest omissions looking ahead to 2014. Suggs was not far back either, off a bounceback 2013 that saw him sip from the fountain of youth.

Ware might be the next longtime NFL stalwart to rebound. The former Cowboy should thrive in Denver. He flashed some of his unblockable ways of old last season, despite being hampered severely by injuries.

10. Robert Mathis, Colts: Hard to have a list of the NFL's top pass rushers without including the 2013 league-leader in sacks. Mathis took to a more free-wheeling rush linebacker role in the Colts defense last season, setting a new career mark with 19.5 sacks. He had not topped 11.5 sacks in a season prior to that, though he has long been a steady source of disruption -- his 111 career sacks are a Colts' franchise record. 9. Clay Matthews Jr., Packers: When Matthews is at his finest, he arguably is as dynamic as any player here. He has had a tough time staying healthy of late, however, with a combined nine games out of the lineup over the past two seasons. Matthews has 20.5 sacks over that timeframe nonetheless, doing yeoman's work for a Green Bay defense that has had its fair share of hiccups. If he stays healthy for a full 16 games, Matthews should reclaim his previously locked-down Pro Bowl spot and might challenge for Defensive Player of the Year.

8. Tamba Hali, Chiefs: Kansas City ought to be the envy of most teams in the league when it comes to pass-rushing prowess, due to the presence of Hali and Justin Houston together. Between them, they've totaled 58.5 sacks since Houston joined the Chiefs as a rookie in 2011. Hali and Houston also were responsible for a whopping 100 QB hurries last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

Houston, 25, probably has a brighter future than the 30-year-old Hali, but the veteran Hali remains a reliable headache for offenses. He has hit double-digit sacks in three of the past four seasons, counting his 11 last year.

7. Greg Hardy, Panthers: Fans outside of Carolina may not have been as familiar with Hardy, a sixth-round pick in 2010, as they were with others on this list. Hardy offered a proper introduction last season, as his 15 sacks and dominant work at DE helped Carolina take the NFC South crown. Of course, those that had been paying attention could read the tea leaves earlier -- Hardy had 11 sacks during 2012, one year after batting down 11 passes as a disruptive end.

6. Elvis Dumervil, Ravens: The MMQB's Greg Bedard tracked the effectiveness of every pass rusher in the league last season using a ratings formula called "Pressure Points." Dumervil, in his first season with the Ravens, was at the top of the heap. That's no real surprise given the ex-Broncos' past work -- his 17 sacks paced the league in 2009 and he averaged more than 10 sacks as a DE in '11-12, after missing the '10 season with an injury.

5. Aldon Smith, 49ers: On the field, Smith has established himself as one of the NFL's more dominant defenders. Off the field is where the problems continue to arise for Smith, who is facing a likely suspension to start 2014 after taking a five- game leave of absence in '13 to attend rehab. Getting his life in order is a more important challenge for Smith than playing football, but the 49ers hope that the ultra-talented Smith does not let his abilities go to waste.

With 42 sacks in 43 NFL games, Smith is on an early pace to distinguish himself as one of the best sack artists ever. But he must be in the lineup to do so.

4. Cameron Wake, Dolphins: Now five years removed from making the CFL-to-NFL leap, Wake remains one of the Dolphins' all-time great finds. He secured his third overall and second consecutive Pro Bowl bid in 2013, after landing on the '12 All- Pro first team. Few, if any, defensive players are as quick off the edge as Wake, who has made a habit of undressing tackles by dipping his shoulder and turning on the jets.

Wake has averaged 11.5 sacks and 42 QB hurries over the past four seasons, with the Dolphins switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense midway through that time.

3. Robert Quinn, Rams: Strictly in terms of getting to the quarterback, Quinn may have established himself as the NFL's top dog in 2013. Certainly, there was not a better 4-3 defensive end in that regard last year.

In his third NFL season, Quinn enjoyed a breakthrough to the tune of 19 sacks -- up 8.5 from the year prior -- as he and Chris Long (8.5 sacks) combined to form arguably the league's top pass-rushing duo. Already locked up through 2015 thanks to the Rams' picking up his fifth-year option, Quinn is trending toward a massive, perhaps record-setting payday come 2016. The arrival of rookie Aaron Donald at DT, where he joins Michael Brockers and Kendall Langford, will mean O-lines have to take some attention off Quinn, a scary proposition for often helpless quarterbacks.

2. Von Miller, Broncos: Miller's season-opening suspension and season-ending injury limited his contributions to a fleeting nine games in 2013. Per usual, Miller took full advantage of his time on the field, compiling five sacks and constantly harassing opposing QBs. Over 40 career games, Miller now has 35.5 sacks, buoyed by the 18.5 he managed back in 2012.

Though the lines are becoming more and more blurred in distinguishing defensive ends versus outside linebackers, Miller's frequent positioning as the fifth man on a 4-3 line stands out. He is not a pure DE; he is not a traditional 3-4 OLB.

But no matter how he is designated, Miller continues to be a wrecking ball for the Broncos.

1. J.J. Watt, Texans: If you're looking just at the statistics, Watt was not the best pass rusher in the NFL last season -- not even close, really. He finished with 10.5 sacks, tied for 16th-best and down a full 10 sacks from his Defensive Player of the Year performance of 2012.

There still is not a defensive lineman capable of impacting a game in more ways than Watt can, and that very much included getting after the quarterback during the '13 campaign. According to those Pressure Points metrics, Watt was far and away the league's most dominant "interior" pass rusher from his 3-4 end spot. And he accomplished that despite drawing blocking attention comparable to what Jadeveon Clowney faced at South Carolina. "I’m hitting the quarterback at a pretty high rate -- not getting as many sacks," Watt told Bedard after Week 15. "I’m having to fight through some more things, a couple of more things being thrown at me. Finding different ways to get to the same destination."

To Watt's first point, he was credited with 36 QB hits and 38 hurries by Pro Football Focus last season, both numbers surpassing what he posted in that remarkable '12 run. Watt also racked up 80 tackles, second only to Rob Ninkovich's 91 among defensive linemen, a nod to the all-around game that helps set Watt apart from the competition.

"He has a great combination of power, speed and determination to wreak havoc in your backfield," Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton said prior to one of his team's two matchups with Houston last year. "He's not just a good pass rusher, but he's hell to deal with as far as trying to run the football. He takes on double teams, he splits double teams. He finds ways to get into your backfield and disrupt your run game." Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen stepping back

By Chris Wesseling NFL.com/Around The League July 23, 2014

Owner Pat Bowlen is resigning control of the Denver Broncos, acknowledging that he is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Team president Joe Ellis will assume control of the organization, as Bowlen concentrates on his health.

Bowlen, 70, has no intention of selling the team. He created the Pat Bowlen Trust a decade ago to ensure that ownership of the Broncos will remain in his family. The hope is that one of his seven children will eventually take over.

"This is a sad day for the NFL," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Pat Bowlen's leadership has been critical to the success of the Broncos and the entire NFL. From building a championship team that is a pillar of the community to his important work for the league on television and labor matters, Pat's love of the game drove him and we have all benefited from his passion and wisdom. But the time has come for Pat to focus on his health and we fully support him. Joe Ellis has been a trusted executive for Pat for many years after working with us at the league office. Joe's deep experience ensures that the Broncos will continue to have strong leadership."

Bowlen has been one of the most iconic figures in Colorado sports history.

Since purchasing the team and saving it from bankruptcy in 1984, the Broncos have gone to the Super Bowl in six of 16 playoff appearances, highlighted by back- to-back Lombardi Trophies in 1997 and 1998.

Bowlen's importance to the NFL, and Denver in particular, cannot be overstated. He brought stability to a franchise on the brink of disaster. Since taking ownership, the Broncos have posted 90 or more wins in three consecutive decades while managing the fewest losing seasons (five) in the league over that stretch.

Although this is a sad day for the Broncos community, Bowlen has ensured that day-to-day operations will remain in steady hands thanks to general manager and executive VP of Football Operations, John Elway.

The two men are inextricably linked in NFL history. The organization's greatest success came with Elway running the offense and Bowlen handling the business aspects. Now the Broncos stand as the AFC's powerhouse, with Elway pulling the strings of the football operation and Ellis stepping in for Bowlen.

Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen battling Alzheimer's, hands control of team over to Joe Ellis

By Bronco Mike MileHighReport.com July 23, 2014

This is a sad day for Broncos fans everywhere.

Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen is battling Alzheimer's disease and as a result is handing over control of the team.

Via Mike Klis and the Denver Post:

Bowlen, 70, has placed his Broncos' ownership in the Pat Bowlen Trust that is controlled by non-family members. Final-say authority with the team is held by Ellis.

Bowlen's long-term goal is for one of his seven children to run the team when they're ready. To be clear, the Broncos will not be put up for sale.

A statement by the Broncos to The Denver Post said the trust was set up by Bowlen more than a decade ago as part of his long-stated desire to keep team ownership in his family.

Statement from Pat's wife Annabel Bowlen:

"As many in the Denver community and around the National Football League have speculated, my husband, Pat, has very bravely and quietly battled Alzheimer's disease for the last few years. He has elected to keep his condition private because he has strongly believed, and often said, 'It's not about me.'

"On behalf of Pat and the rest of my family, I want to thank all Broncos fans for their overwhelming support and how respectful they continue to be of his privacy. We look forward to sharing many more successful seasons of Denver Broncos football with you."

Official Statement from the Denver Broncos:

"In recent years, Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has taken a reduced role with his team while courageously and privately battling Alzheimer's disease.

"The Broncos are very saddened that Mr. Bowlen is no longer able to be part of the team's daily operations due to his condition. We continue to offer our full support, compassion and respect to 'Mr. B,' who has faced Alzheimer's disease with such dignity and strength.

"As Mr. Bowlen focuses on his health, the Broncos have announced changes to their leadership structure that will ensure the long-term stability of the franchise.

"Mr. Bowlen's ownership of the Broncos is held in a trust - the Pat Bowlen Trust - overseen by non-family trustees, with president Joe Ellis continuing to operate the team with full authority on all matters. Plans for this trust were arranged by Mr. Bowlen beginning more than a decade ago as part of his succession plan to keep the Broncos in the Bowlen family.

"Mr. Bowlen's long-term hope is for one of his children to run the Broncos at the appropriate time, and his succession plan will continue to be implemented by our organization in compliance with NFL ownership policies.

"Ellis, who has worked with Mr. Bowlen for nearly 30 years, also has been named the Broncos' chief executive officer and adds those responsibilities to his role as team president. He serves as the club's representation for all league matters.

Roger Goodell's statement on Pat Bowlen:

Mr. Bowlen has owned the Broncos since purchasing the franchise in 1984 from Edgar Kaisar. Through his efforts, this team has become one of the greatest franchises in all of sports. There will be time to discuss the great successes the Broncos have had under Pat Bowlen. There will be time to speculate where we go from here. But for now a great man has passed the torch and is in a battle for his life. It is our time to grieve.

Thank you Mr. Bowlen.

There are no words to express the collective gratitude of an entire region. The Broncos have brought so much joy and fellowship to millions of people, and it was all made possible through the vision Pat has molded and executed throughout the years.

Some of my greatest memories as a human being revolve around this great sport and the team I love. I know you feel the same.

Pat Bowlen will never be forgotten. Not in Broncos Country.

Thank you Pat Bowlen, you are the greatest owner in all of sports. Once Again, Bowlen's Leadership Evident

By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com July 23, 2014

Leadership is not about micromanagement, pushing others aside and doing everything. Nor is it about sitting on a throne and issuing edicts. Leadership is about empowering others and setting an example to follow.

As the Broncos' owner and chief executive officer, Pat Bowlen did that for three decades. Even as he grappled with Alzheimer's disease in recent years, he led with a strong, dignified presence. As always, he was visible on the practice field and the sideline, but not overbearing; he let the people he entrusted with football and business operations do what they do best.

As Bowlen steps away from day-to-day stewardship of the Broncos, he offers another example in leadership: how to walk away while leaving behind an organization that is exponentially greater than the one he purchased. This should come as no surprise; Bowlen has always understood the various tenets of leadership, and how to get results at every step.

He's always known leadership is about giving credit where it is due. Sixteen years ago, he stood on a podium at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium, held aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy and said, "This one's for John." In four words, Bowlen offered a deep, sincere appreciation for a member of his organization who was empowered to help lead the way to victory.

A year later, on the other side of the continent, Bowlen received his second Lombardi Trophy, and saluted the fans whose support made the on- and off-field success of the organization possible, "This one's for you!" The supporters have been vital to the organization since two decades before Bowlen became the Broncos' owner in 1984. He had become the fans' leader, too -- and a great leader always knows how to take care of the individuals who make collective success possible.

Bowlen's ownership was defined by the results that grew from his leadership; no owner ever got to 300 wins faster. His leadership often came by example, as the long-time triathlon competitor kept a schedule as rigorous in its own way as the Ironman itself.

That's why if you drove by Dove Valley late at night in the 1990's and 2000's, you'd often see lights ablaze in the big office overlooking the practice fields. For other staffers working through the late-night hours, it was no surprise to see Bowlen there, hard at work, as was the case after 10 p.m. one March Sunday several years ago.

Work for Bowlen has always been more than just running the Broncos, and this evening was no exception. The NFL owners' meetings, where Bowlen had myriad responsibilities, were quickly approaching. His work at these meetings defined his legacy as much as his duties at Dove Valley: chairmanship of the NFL Management Council Executive Committee, former chairmanship of the Broadcasting Committee and work on various other owners' committees, including the one that oversaw the creation of the NFL Network.

His contributions in these realms were colossal. The NFL's television revenues have soared, a reflection of how it used television to grow its prominence on the American social and cultural landscape. The league has not lost a regular-season game to labor strife in nearly 27 years, more than seven years longer than any other major professional sport.

He leaves the NFL in a far better place than he found it 30 years ago. His vision and experience helped the league prepare for its future. Thus, it is no surprise that his one of his last -- and most enduring -- contributions to the Broncos is the creation of the Pat Bowlen Trust, a group of non-family trustees that assures the club's stability for the future and was part of Bowlen's succession plan to continue family ownership of the team.

When you think of some of the NFL's most stable franchises, you think of families, enduring through generations. The Rooneys in Pittsburgh. The Maras with the New York Giants. The Halases and McCaskeys in Chicago. Family ownership is a common thread of such flagship organizations. And in these cases, the family business is football. The trust provides the best chance of assuring that future for the Broncos.

"Although we wish Pat were in better health, he developed a plan many years ago for the continuation of his values with the hope of keeping the Broncos in the Bowlen family," Bowlen's wife, Annabel, said in a statement. "I know that his goals will be effectively implemented by Joe Ellis, who has worked with Pat for nearly his entire ownership of the Broncos."

Ellis was on the staff when Bowlen bought the Broncos. In the three decades since, Bowlen has been his mentor. The depth of Bowlen's trust was revealed when Ellis represented the team at the league's ownership meetings this year. He learned how Bowlen ran an organization, how he conducted business, and is now crucial to making Bowlen's contribution an enduring one.

That reveals Bowlen's final gift to the Broncos and their fans before focusing on his battle with Alzheimer's: the structure for a graceful, smooth transition. No power struggles. No internal tugs-of-war for influence. The Broncos will be run tomorrow as they were the day before. The lofty expectations that have defined a 30-year run that included two world championships, six conference titles, 11 AFC West crowns and 16 playoff appearances will remain unchanged -- as will the ability to commit the financial resources to meet those expectations.

Nevertheless, this moment is one of profound sadness for the Broncos, Bowlen, his family, and friends. The notion of him leaving an everyday role once seemed unfathomable. For many fans, he is the only owner they've ever known. This is a man who often said he would be carried out of Dove Valley "in a pine box."

Circumstances changed that. Alzheimer's disease changed that. But on a team and league level, Bowlen has long been prepared for the unexpected. Like the best of his coaches, he always has a game plan -- and trust in the people to execute it. They have a difficult task, but they have the faith of Bowlen, even if they will no longer have his daily presence at the office.

His focus now must be on his health and the challenges posed by Alzheimer's. No one is better equipped to handle this struggle than Bowlen, who has tackled as many challenges in the physical fitness arena as he did in business -- and succeeded without fail. The philosophy he set for the Broncos was simple: "to be No. 1 in everything." Now the former triathlete will focus on being No. 1 in fighting a disease that affects one out of every nine people 65 or older.

As he steps away, the organization he leaves behind is in secure hands, just as it has been since the day he first walked into the Logan Street headquarters on Denver's north side. He will continue to lead, but in a different way, now -- by example to the millions who struggle, directly or indirectly, with Alzheimer's.

His leadership is now defined by courage and resilience. It is equal to anything from the last 30 years.

And it is another line in a lengthy legacy that is still being written. Broncos Designate Dreessen Released/Failed Physical

By David DeChant DenverBroncos.com July 22, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos designated tight end Joel Dreessen as released/failed physical on Tuesday, ending his two-year run with the team.

The nine-year veteran joined the Broncos via free agency prior to the 2012 season, coming over from Houston after five seasons with the Texans.

In his first year in Denver, he started 15 of 16 regular season games and caught 41 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns.

Last year, Dreessen played in 13 games and made seven catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Broncos Designate Hagg as Reserve/Retired

By Lauren Guidice DenverBroncos.com July 22, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — On Tuesday the Broncos designated third-year safety Eric Hagg as reserved/retired.

Hagg signed a future contract with the Broncos on Dec. 31, 2013. During his first two NFL seasons, which he played with the Cleveland Browns, he appeared in 22 career games with four starts. During that time, he accumulated 32 tackles, two passes defended and one fumble recovery.

He was selected by the Browns in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Nebraska. With the Cornhuskers, he totaled 130 tackles, six interceptions, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 49 games.

Statement from the Denver Broncos on owner Pat Bowlen

Denver Broncos July 23, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos on Wednesday released the following statement on Owner Pat Bowlen:

“In recent years, Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen has taken a reduced role with his team while courageously and privately battling Alzheimer’s disease.

“The Broncos are very saddened that Mr. Bowlen is no longer able to be part of the team’s daily operations due to his condition. We continue to offer our full support, compassion and respect to ‘Mr. B,’ who has faced Alzheimer’s disease with such dignity and strength.

“As Mr. Bowlen focuses on his health, the Broncos have announced changes to their leadership structure that will ensure the long-term stability of the franchise.

“Mr. Bowlen’s ownership of the Broncos is held in a trust—the Pat Bowlen Trust— overseen by non-family trustees with President Joe Ellis continuing to operate the team with full authority on all matters. Plans for this trust were arranged by Mr. Bowlen beginning more than a decade ago as part of his succession plan to keep the Broncos in the Bowlen family.

“Mr. Bowlen’s long-term hope is for one of his children to run the Broncos at the appropriate time, and his succession plan will continue to be implemented by our organization in compliance with NFL ownership policies.

“Ellis, who has worked with Mr. Bowlen for nearly 30 years, also has been named the Broncos’ chief executive officer and adds those responsibilities to his role as team president. He serves as the club’s representation for all league matters.

“Going forward, Pat Bowlen’s indelible contributions to the Broncos, the NFL and this community will continue to define his three decades of ownership and serve as the standard he has set for his franchise.

“With more than 300 victories, including six AFC Championships and back-to-back Super Bowls, Mr. Bowlen has established the culture of winning that is responsible for the Broncos’ sustained success. His work on various league committees has helped the NFL achieve unprecedented prosperity, and his philanthropic generosity has had a positive impact on so many throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. “The Broncos have the utmost appreciation for Mr. Bowlen and are completely focused on adding to his championship legacy with him in the years ahead.”

Statement From Annabel Bowlen, Wife of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen

Denver Broncos July 23, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos on Wednesday released the following statement from Annabel Bowlen, wife of Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen:

“As many in the Denver community and around the National Football League have speculated, my husband, Pat, has very bravely and quietly battled Alzheimer’s disease for the last few years. He has elected to keep his condition private because he has strongly believed, and often said, ‘It’s not about me.’

“Pat has always wanted the focus to be solely on the Denver Broncos and the great fans who have supported this team with such passion during his 30 years as owner. My family is deeply saddened that Pat’s health no longer allows him to oversee the Broncos, which has led to this public acknowledgment of such a personal health condition.

“Alzheimer’s has taken so much from Pat, but it will never take away his love for the Denver Broncos and his sincere appreciation for the fans.

“My family will stand strong with Pat as he continues his courageous fight against a disease that is unfortunately all too common. One in nine people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s, and my family is experiencing the same difficult emotions that so many have felt when someone they love and respect is afflicted with this condition.

“Although we wish Pat were in better health, he developed a plan many years ago for the continuation of his values with the hope of keeping the Broncos in the Bowlen family. I know that his goals will be effectively implemented by Joe Ellis, who has worked with Pat for nearly his entire ownership of the Broncos.

“Long-term, I fully support Pat’s hope of keeping the Denver Broncos in the Bowlen family.

“I am extremely proud of Pat’s incredible accomplishments as owner of the Broncos, most notably the winning tradition he has established and the positive impact he has made in our community. Pat would be the first to say that none of the Broncos’ success would be possible without the players, coaches, employees and fans whom he’s shared such a strong connection with over the years.

“On behalf of Pat and the rest of my family, I want to thank all Broncos fans for their overwhelming support and how respectful they continue to be of his privacy. We look forward to sharing many more successful seasons of Denver Broncos football with you.”