The NFL is an exclusive ownership club of the uber-rich, which enthusiastically embraces the shared goal of generating as much profit as possible.
Ever since the late great Al Davis passed away back in 2011, the last bastion of rogue ownership has been well and truly replaced by an ever-growing billionaires club. One can only presume it's all how NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had hoped things would develop under his watch.
The Denver Broncos are a case in point because, after decades spent under the charismatic and passionate rule of the late Pat Bowlen, things got messy. Unfortunately, Bowlen's declining health and eventual death resulted in the Broncos going through some massively turbulent times — before the exorbitant Walmart money showed up.
Now that the Kansas City Chiefs have secured their second World Championship of the Patrick Mahomes era, it’s further driven home the inescapable fact that the Broncos have a considerable mountain left to climb. While the Chiefs' part-owner and CEO Clark Hunt is never going to tire of his team's dominance, he's also well aware that the arrival of the likes of Greg Penner within the Broncos hierarchy could dramatically alter the AFC West balance of power.
Within the world of major NFL back-scratching, the Broncos resolving their ownership issues sits relatively easy with Hunt, even if the on-field challenge might be about to get much tougher for Kansas City.
“I’ve talked to Greg several times. He’s going to be, and is, a great owner,” Clark told 9NEWS' Mike Klis during Super Bowl week. “They’re certainly competitive. We have a great history and rivalry with the Broncos and I know they’ll get better as we move forward.”
Where exactly the Broncos now position themselves will develop over time, particularly because Penner and majority owner Rob Walton will get to know the new business landscape they've recently entered into much better. Restoring the franchise to its winning form of old certainly proved tricky under the rudderless leadership of failed head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The clear intention to bounce back is obvious after Sean Payton was successfully headhunted to replace Hackett.
Rooted painfully in the Broncos' craw is the massively toxic, and still active, 15-game losing streak against the Chiefs. Last season, even interim head coach Jerry Rosburg came tantalizingly close to prying the nasty thorn free.
Thus, Hunt is well aware of how the NFL is a constantly spinning wheel of competitive balance.
“Things ebb and flow,” Hunt told Klis. “I remember a decade or so ago when we didn’t win many games, either.’’
As the Chiefs' dynasty rolls onward, rehabilitating the Broncos probably just got a whole lot harder, but re-caffeinating the entire franchise first is priority No. 1 for the Walton/Penner ownership group. The Payton hire did much to effectuate that initial objective.
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