Former Broncos wide receiver John "Jack" Dolbin, who played for the team for five seasons and was a part of the 1977 AFC Championship team, passed away on Aug. 1 at the age of 70.
Born in 1948 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Dolbin had a unique path to the NFL that wound through multiple smaller leagues in the early '70s, first with the Pottstown Firebirds of the Atlantic Coast Football League and Schuylkill County Coal Crackers of the Seaboard Football League. In 1974, Dolbin joined the Chicago Fire in the World Football League, which helped springboard him into the NFL.
In his five years with the Broncos, Dolbin caught 94 passes for 1,576 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed nine times for 89 yards. His finest season came in the Broncos' best year of the era, as well, when he started in 13 of 14 games in the 1977 season that ended in a Super Bowl XII appearance.
Following his NFL career, Dolbin became a chiropractor, educator and lecturer. Dolbin's career received recognition in retirement, as he became a member of the Pottsville All Sports Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame.
For more information on Dolbin's life and how you can contribute to his memorial fun, please visit his obituary on legacy.com.
