DENVER — Magic Johnson wasn’t the only sports celebrity who was part of the Josh Harris bid to own the Broncos.
Former Broncos running back star Terrell Davis was another.
“Getting that call was definitely exciting and an honor,’’ Davis said in a phone interview Monday with 9NEWS. “After playing for the Broncos as a player -- this was the only team I played for -- and then to have a chance to be part of this ownership group in some capacity would have been a dream come true.''
The Harris group wound up bidding somewhere between $4.25 billion and $4.5 billion, according to sources, but fell short to the Rob Walton/Greg Penner/Carrie Penner group that now has a sales agreement to buy the Broncos for $4.65 billion.
Harris, who also owns the NBA Philadelphia 76ers and NHL New Jersey Devils, was one of four finalists, along with groups led by Mat Ishbia and Jose E. Feliciano.
Davis -- whose seven-year career with the Broncos included two Super Bowl titles, a league MVP, a Super Bowl MVP and the ultimate individual award in 2017 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- was deep enough in with the Harris group to have signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and other documents.
“They reached out, we talked,’’ Davis said. “They said they were interested in bringing me in as part of their ownership group and they wanted to know if the feeling was mutual. And it certainly was. And then it was waiting to see what would happen. I was on standby hoping for the bid, but obviously it never came.”
After a lengthy broadcasting career, particularly with the NFL Network, Davis and his wife Tamiko and their three children Jaxon, 11; Myles, 9; and Dylan, 7, moved back to Denver in September. This past weekend, Davis coached the Broncos to the NFL Flag League Central Division championship. The fourth and fifth-grade league included the touchdown machines that were Jaxon and Myles, the latter a third grader who played up.
“First championship that I’ve coached, so I’ve got that under my belt now,” Davis said.
Once the Broncos announced Feb. 1 that their team was for sale through the Pat Bowlen Trust, there had been considerable talk of Peyton Manning and John Elway joining the new ownership group as minority investment partners. But wouldn’t players like Terrell Davis also make sense as well as the NFL is trying to increase the diversity among its ownership groups?
“I’d love to be part of this organization in whatever direction it’s in,’’ Davis said. “I’ve always wanted to be part of the Broncos. The resume is good. I’ve got a good reputation here. I’ve still got a lot of support from the fans here in Broncos Country and that means a lot.
“One of the most asked questions I get from people -- they already assume I’m a part of the Broncos’ organization. I know I can bring some value to the organization, whether it’s as an advisor, an ambassador or it’s part of the DEI [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion] programs, there’s plenty of things I’d love to be a part of.’’
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