How Much is Pat Bowlen Worth? Pat Bowlen & Career Highlights Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

As one of the most talked-about figures, Pat Bowlen has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What was Pat Bowlen's net worth?

Pat Bowlen was an American attorney who was also the majority owner, and Chief Executive Owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. At the time of his death  in 2019, Pat Bowlen had a net worth of $1 billion. The majority of his net worth was attributable to his ownership of the Denver Broncos. In the years following his death, the Broncos sky rocketed in value. In June 2022 the team was sold for $4.5 billion. Each of his seven children received $643 million for their 1/7 shares of the team.

Elway led the Broncos to five AFC championships in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 1998 as well as to two Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999. The Denver Broncos saw a resurgence in their fan base, began to turn a profit, and had the opportunity to do so because of Pat Bowlen.

John Elway Ownership Offer

Pat Bowlen was born in 1944 in Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin. His father, Paul Bowlen, had become a millionaire in the Canadian oil business. Bowlen got his BA and JD from the University of Oklahoma. Though he had plenty of oil money in his family, Pat became wealthy on his own with a successful law practice in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Bowlen also worked as an executive for his father's company, Regent Drilling and as a real estate developer.

In 1984, as the Broncos faced bankruptcy under former owner Edgar Kaiser, Bowlen along with his brothers John and Bill and sister Marybeth purchased a majority stake in the NFL franchise for $78 million. One year later the rest of his family joined to purchase the entire franchise.

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In 1998, as Elway's career was winding down, Bowlen approached the legendary quarterback with a two-part offer:

At the 1983 draft, future Broncos superstarJohn Elwaywas initially drafted as the #1 pick by the Baltimore Colts. Elway did not want to play for the Colts and even threatened to take up an offer to play baseball or the New York Mets over playing for the Colts. The Colts eventually relented and traded Elway to the Broncos in exchange for an offensive lineman named Chris Hinton.

Part 1) Bowlen would sell John a 10% stake in the Broncos for$15 million.

Ultimately, Pat Bowlen's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.