Getty Robert F. Smith speaks onstage in 2019.
The Denver Broncos should have a new owner by next season. Following a court ruling on January 11, the team has a clear path for a potential sale.
If the Broncos are sold, there will be many interested bidders. Woody Paige of the Denver Gazette previously reported that there would be six potential bidders.
According to Front Office Sports, a new name has entered the picture. Billionaire Robert F. Smith would emerge as a potential bidder, if the Broncos are put up for sale.
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Who is Robert F. Smith?
Forbes estimates Robert F. Smtih has a net worth of $6.7 billion. He is the richest black person in the United States.
Smith grew up in Denver. He is the founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, an American investment firm.
Outside of business, Smith has been active, as well. He is the board chairman of Carnegie Hall, and he served as the chairman of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
The Broncos have an estimated value of $3.75 billion. Smith easily has the wealth to be the majority owner in a potential bid.
If Smith bought the Broncos, he would become the first Black owner in the NFL.
Currently, Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars is the only non-white majority owner in the NFL. He has owned the Jaguars since 2011.
John Elway & Peyton Manning Among the Potential Bidders
According to Paige, John Elway and Peyton Manning are among the potential biddes. They would be in two different potential ownership groups:
With Bowlen-Kaiser lawsuit over, Broncos Joe Ellis will announce plan for new ownership quickly. According to my sources, six candidates to bid. Peyton Manning and John Elway will be in two different groups. Another Colorado-based group is doing the research for bid.
Elway or Manning would be a welcome addition to any ownership group.
Elway is without a doubt one of the most influential figures in team history. He was the quarterback of the Broncos for 16 seasons; he won two Super Bowls (XXXII, XXXIII) and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. Elway remains the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards (51,475) and passing touchdowns (300).
After his retirement, he served as the team’s general manager and executive VP of football operations from 2011 to 2020. He is currently the Broncos’ president of football operations.
In an interview with 9News, Elway said he is not looking to be the face of the franchise:
“I’m not looking to be the face of the franchise. Whoever puts up that kind of money and whoever is that owner, it’s their franchise. It’s their team. My hope would be to help support the new owner.”
Peyton Manning spent four seasons with the Broncos (2012-2015). His 2013 season remains one of the best in NFL history. He broke the single-season record for both passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55). He is the franchise’s all-time leader in quarterback rating (minimum 100 pass attempts).
Manning led the Broncos to a Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers.
Unlike Smith, Elway and Manning do not appear to have enough money to individually put together a competitive bid to buy the team. Neither of them is a billionaire.
Still, they would both be an interesting addition to any potential bid.