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via Reuters

via Reuters

Lewis Hamilton has always had his eyes on other sporting leagues, including the world-famous Premier League, where he almost became the part-owner of legendary Chelsea FC. Although the Briton failed to accomplish his goal with Chelsea, he has found success across the pond. In an incredible turn of events, Hamilton finds himself as the part-owner of an NFL team – the Denver Broncos.

Indeed, not many saw this move coming from the seven-time world champion, who seemed pretty occupied fighting his own demons in Formula One amid Mercedes‘ struggles. Well, now that the deal has come to fruition, let’s take a look at who the Broncos are in the first place.

About Lewis Hamilton’s part-owned Denver Broncos

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Much like Mercedes AMG, the Broncos, too, did not have a very glorious start (in 1960) to their NFL tenure, lacking a winning season until 1973. Eventually, in 1977, they finally made it to the playoffs for the first time before becoming one of the most successful NFL franchises in the late 1990s.

They claimed successive Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 but went into hibernation for 17 years until the third win in 2015. The Denver outfit also holds onto one of the most infamous NFL records – the Broncos are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl defeats – 5.

USA Today via Reuters

The Broncos are 8-time AFC champions and 15-time AFC-West champions, with their latest coming in 2015. Of course, since then, it has been a rather turbulent phase for the entire outfit, with their then-owner, Pat Bowlen, passing away in 2019, after leading the way for 35 years.

Read More: Lewis Hamilton Ploughs Money Into $4.65 Billion NFL Franchise Housing Champion Russell Wilson

Until last month, the Pat Bowlen Trust was funding the Denver squad, and right when things started showing signs of falling apart, the Walton-Penner family decided to shield them from the financial crunch by taking over the ownership.

Will the arrival of Lewis Hamilton change the Broncos’ fortunes?

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Well, Rob Walton thinks so! Walton revealed Hamilton would be a limited shareholder of the Broncos alongside the major stakeholders, who bought out the team for a whopping $4.65 billion. In a statement, the former Walmart chairman said, “[Hamilton] is a champion competitor who knows what it takes to lead a winning team and is a fierce advocate for global equality, including in his own sport.”

USA Today via Reuters

“With over 100 race wins Lewis is considered the most successful F1 driver of all time. His resilient spirit and standard of excellence will be an asset to the ownership group and the Broncos organisation.”

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Watch Story: Lewis Hamilton Kicks Off Mammoth $140 Million Hollywood Passion Project

Overall, it doesn’t seem like the F1 legend will be increasing his stakes for the time being. So, what does the future hold for Hamilton with the Broncos? Will he play a pivotal role in re-kindling Denver’s glory days in the NFL?