Saturday, June 15, 2019
DENVER BRONCOS
Pat Bowlen dies after battling Alzheimer’s
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
Pat Bowlen, the Denver Broncos owner who transformed the team from also-rans into NFL champions and helped the league usher in billion-dollar TV deals, has died. He was 75.
In a statement on the team’s website, Bowlen’s family says he died late Thursday night at home surrounded by loved ones. The statement did not specify a cause of death. Bowlen had battled Alzheimer’s for several years.
Bowlen, elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, was the first owner in NFL history to have his team win 300 games — including playoffs — in three decades. He had as many Super Bowl appearances (seven) as losing seasons, and the Broncos had a 354-240-1 record since he bought the team in 1984.
Under his stewardship, the Broncos won Super Bowls in 1998, ’99 and 2016.
Buffalo Bills
Third-round pick Dawson Knox signs
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.
The Buffalo Bills have their entire 2019 draft class under contract after signing rookie tight end Dawson Knox to a four-year deal.
The Bills announced the signing Friday, a day after completing their series of offseason mandatory practices and six weeks before the team reports to training camp in suburban Rochester, New York. Buffalo gave up two fourth-round picks to move up in the draft order to select Knox in the third round.
Knox had 39 catches for 605 yards in 28 games at Mississippi. Buffalo signed its other seven rookie draft picks in early May.
Buffalo also shuffled tight ends by claiming Keith Towbridge waivers and releasing Mik’Quan Deane. Towbridge was claimed a day after being released by the Tennessee Titans, and returns to Buffalo, where he has spent parts of the previous two seasons.
The Bills also announced their training camp at St. John Fisher College will run from July 25 through Aug. 6.
DETROIT LIONS
Roberts waived after trade falls through
ALLEN PARK, Mich.
The Detroit Lions waived tight end Michael Roberts after trying to trade him to the New England Patriots.
The Lions say trade conditions put Roberts back on the team’s roster before they took him off it for the second straight day.
Roberts failed a physical with the Patriots, according to a person aware of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced. Roberts declined comment when reached by the AP on Friday.
Detroit announced Thursday it received a conditional pick from New England in exchange for Roberts. He became expendable this offseason after the Lions drafted Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson early in the first round and signed veterans Jesse James and Logan Thomas.
Associated Press