Eight days ago, after the Broncos' last pre-Super Bowl practice that was held at Dove Valley, team president and CEO Joe Ellis addressed the players. He told them about Pat Bowlen, the Broncos' longtime owner. He told them what Bowlen means to the franchise and how his message and ways laid the foundation for the team's daily operations.
Super Bowl 50 is the Broncos' seventh since Bowlen purchased the team in March 1984. But it will be the first he cannot attend. Bowlen resigned control of his day-to-day duties with the team in 2014 because he has Alzheimer's disease.