Michael Shapiro contributed to this story
Leaving a legacy as one of the most successful team owners in the history of the NFL, as well as the man who established the Denver Broncos as one of the league's vanguard franchises, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died Thursday night at 75 after a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease, the team said in a statement.
“We are saddened to inform everyone that our beloved husband and father, Pat Bowlen, passed on to the next chapter of his life late Thursday night peacefully at home surrounded by family,” the Bowlen family said in a statement.