[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 25 (Monday, June 22, 1998)]
[Page 1137]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Honoring the 1998 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos

June 16, 1998

    Good afternoon. Thank you very much. Commissioner Tagliabue, Mr. 
Bowlen, Coach Shanahan, friends of the Broncos, I'm delighted to see all 
of you here. I want to especially acknowledge the presence here of 
Governor Romer and Senators Allard and Campbell and Hatch, 
Representatives DeGette, Schaefer, and Schaffer, and Mayor Webb, Ms. 
Martinez. And I'd like to say a special word of appreciation to 
Secretary Federico Pena and his wife, Ellen. He has been mayor of 
Denver, the Secretary of Transportation, and now the Secretary of 
Energy. And this is his last public event before going into the private 
sector, and he is going out on a high. So, thank you very much, Mr. 
Secretary.
    Let me say to all of you, I think every football fan loved the last 
Super Bowl. Denver had one of the toughest roads to the Super Bowl in 
history, winning as a wild card team with a 12-point underdog, and won a 
magnificent game.
    I learned that--where's Terrell, where are you? [Laughter] I asked 
him if he thought I would look good in that five-button coat. [Laughter] 
And he said it wasn't Presidential. [Laughter] He was--I learned in 
doing a little research for this event that he's the only person to ever 
win the MVP Award in his hometown and the only person ever to score 
three rushing touchdowns. And not only that, he sat out a quarter, as 
you remember, with a migraine. So that's a pretty impressive 
performance, running behind the lightest, but maybe the best offensive 
line in pro football. As you can look up here, light is a relative term. 
[Laughter]
    There are a lot of things about this team I like. Three of the 
players actually have connections to my home State, which made me feel 
very happy. But I can tell you that maybe the most remarkable thing is 
the loyalty of the community, the steadfastness of John Elway. We're 
sorry he couldn't be here, and we're glad he's okay. Fifteen seasons, 
over 48,000 yards, and he's the oldest person ever to score a touchdown 
in the Super Bowl. That's like being light--old is a relative term. 
[Laughter]
    And Coach Shanahan, you've only been there 3 years, which is a 
remarkable tribute to your ability, and also to the teamwork of this 
team. I'm sure that every 1,000-yard receiver or 1,500-yard rusher, or 
star quarterback who's ever been part of a Super Bowl team would say 
that it's teams that win championships. And a great team won this 
championship. We're honored to have them in the White House today.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 6:15 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Paul Tagliabue, commissioner, 
National Football League; Pat Bowlen, owner, Mike Shanahan, coach, 
Terrell Davis, running back, and John Elway, quarterback, Denver 
Broncos; and Mayor Wellington E. Webb and city councilwoman Ramona 
Martinez of Denver, CO.