Pat Bowlen and those who have lobbied hard for his inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame will have to wait another year.
On Friday the Pro Football Hall of Fame Contributor Committee selected form NFL General Manager, Scout and Personnel Executive Bobby Beathard, who spent time with the Chiefs, Falcons, Dolphins, Redskins and Chargers organizations, as their nominee for the 2018 class.
Congrats to Bobby Beathard, who today was selected the Contributor candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2018.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) August 25, 2017
In 38 years in the NFL, Beathard’s teams competed in seven Super Bowls, winning four.
In his now 34 years owning the Broncos, Bowlen’s teams have also played in seven Super Bowls, winning three.
During his time as owner of the Broncos, Bowlen has enjoyed more trips to the Super Bowl than he has suffered losing seasons (four).
In the Bowlen Era, the Broncos have 343 wins, 18 playoff berths and 13 AFC West division titles. Their .612 winning percentage since 1984 when Bowlen took over the team ranks second behind only the San Antonio Spurs among all 122 North American major professional sports franchises.
In addition to his on-field success, Bowlen was also instrumental in the league’s explosive growth in the 1990s and 2000s as the head of the TV Committee. In that capacity, he added FOX to the NFL’s TV arsenal and championed “Sunday Night Football,” now one of the top-rated live sports programs each and every week it airs. He was a member of nine different owners committees before Alzheimer’s Disease forced him out of an active ownership role.
Bowlen has always been known as an owner who put winning and the fan experience ahead of his bottom line. Beloved by his players, coaches and staff, Bowlen is much more than an owner. His time in Canton will come, but not in 2018.
