Report: Broncos Chose Not to Submit Bid for 2027 NFL Draft

The 2027 NFL Draft officially will not be held in the Mile High City, much to the surprise of nobody within the Denver Broncos' executive committee.

The Denver Post's Parker Gabriel reported Monday the Broncos did not submit a bid for the 2027 Draft, citing team president Damani Leech's prior stance that the annual offseason spectacle is "not on the radar."

Just cleaning this up since it's still out there with the 2027 NFL Draft announcement for Washington D.C. today:

Denver and the #Broncos did not submit a bid for it.

Damani Leech told @postbroncos last spring it wasn't on the club's radar screen and sources today reaffirm.
— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel) May 5, 2025

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It was first reported in 2022 that Denver would bid to host an upcoming NFL Draft, and last year, it was said the Broncos were "in the running" for either the 2026 or 2027 iterations — awarded to Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., respectively.

Leech, however, dispelled such speculation in remarks to The Post last spring.

“There’s been no official submission on our behalf for hosting the draft,” he said in May 2024. “Now, obviously it’s a major NFL tentpole event and it’s really, really exciting, but it’s not something that we’re currently working on.”

While the Draft didn't pan out, the Broncos have worked toward extending their brand via the NFL's International Series, a number of regular-season games played outside the United States each season. That project could culminate with a long-rumored matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin this fall.

"[Head Coach] Sean [Payton] really vocalized his interest in playing in Germany," Leech said in March. "I think some of that goes back to [that] he likes to travel, I think he likes the team being alone-ish together and what that does from a culture standpoint with the team. He likes the idea of being first and playing in a city like Berlin for the first time in the NFL regular season. Selfishly, with my international background, I love the international games. I think they’re special—not just for the teams that are playing—but I think they’re special for the league overall where we are now and where we can be going.”

Among other proverbial irons in the fire, the organization has also begun the process of deciding whether to renovate Empower Field at Mile High — with whom the Broncos' lease expires in 2031 — or build a new stadium in Denver, Aurora, or Lone Tree.

“I love this role, and I love this job. Part of what I love so much about it is making things better," Leech said. "Not just for myself, but for our staff and also for our fans. A stadium is a signature opportunity and moment to do that and be a part of it. You talk to other colleagues who’ve been involved in stadium projects, and they talk about it. It’s transformational for their career. It’s a special moment. Given the life cycle of a stadium, you’re lucky if you get a chance to be a part of it just once in your career. So that alone is pretty exciting.”