NFL Rumors: League could get its first black majority franchise owner thanks to Broncos purchase
One of the biggest power shifts of the offseason is scheduled to be with the Denver Broncos. As the final legal hurdle has been cleared, the sale of the team is expected to take place this offseason.
There are still procedural hoops to jump through, but the team is lining up for bidders, with new ones appearing out of thin air. One such bidder would be a historic first.
NFL Rumors: Will the Denver Broncos have a black majority owner?
According to AJ Perez, a new bidder has emerged that would be a racial breakthrough in the NFL. Robert F. Smith, a billionaire and Denver native, has emerged as another candidate to take control of the franchise.
The team is estimated to be valued at 6.7 billion, which gives a hint as to the Mariana Trench that is Smith's pockets.
However, those who are ready to write his name in stone should know that there is still a good chance the team goes to someone else. Smith would be the seventh bidder or group interested in acquiring the team.
Meaning, the potential owner has a face value chance of about 14 percent.
NEWS: Billionaire Robert F. Smith emerges as a potential bidder for the Denver Broncos, sources tell @MMcCarthyREV and I. Here's our @FOS scoop on the Denver native's interest in the team and how Smith could become the NFL's first Black majority owner. frontofficesports.com/broncos-could-…
It is unclear if he would be acting alone in attempting to purchase the team or if he is interested in splitting the cost with someone. If he decides to act alone, he would be able to match bids easier than other groups, who would need to have multiple parties agree to buy the team.
JUST IN: Sources tell @FOS that billionaire Robert F. Smith has emerged as a potential bidder for the Denver Broncos should the team hit the open market.
frontofficesports.com/broncos-could-…
If acting alone, it also opens the door to allowing Smith to be impulsive and stubborn. Put simply, if he wakes up on the day of the bidding and decides he wants the team at any cost, he has a great chance to do it.
According to Front Office Sports, Smith likely has more money than Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Jay-Z: three of the seven parties interested in the team.
As one of the richest men in the world, Smith could be a top-two contender for the team depending on his level of commitment.
Since winning the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2015 season, the Broncos have only had one positive record (2016). In 2021, despite starting 3-0 and eventually falling to 7-6, the team failed to win a game in the team's final four games of the season.
The Broncos have since fired head coach Vic Fangio and are searching for his replacement. The Broncos have said their goal was to find a new head coach before the team sale gets started.
What's next for the Broncos? As far as NFL franchises go, there is no single bigger change than getting a new owner.
Who will own the team and what changes will be coming? One can only wait and see.