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DENVER -- **The final honor given Wednesday night at the Denver Athletic Club's Athlete of the Year Awards Banquet was a career achievement award to former Broncos PR man Jim Saccomano.
Saccomano recently retired after 36 years with the Broncos, in which he worked under six different job titles. Most recently, he was the team's vice president of corporate communications.
"I'm humbled and I'm honored, and I don't think that'll be a feeling that'll ever go away," Saccomano said.
Wednesday night's honor only adds to a host of accolades Saccomano received during his career, including the inaugural Pete Rozelle Award (1990), given annually to the NFL's outstanding public relations staff, and the Charlie Callahan Award for Public Relations.
Last season, the press box at Sports Authority Field at Mile High was re-named in his honor.
"He's the guardian of team history and he's the keeper of the flame," said Andrew Mason, the independent analyst of DenverBroncos.com, who has known Saccomano for 12 years. "He's the living, breathing embodyment of the Broncos' half-century legacy."
A Denver native, Saccomano bought his first Broncos season tickets in 1964. In total, he has seen 876 games in person.
"To have grown up here and then to be recognized...It just was very cool, very exciting," he said.
His best memories include the people, relationships and Hall of Fame inductions, but Saccomano said the Super Bowl championships stand out the most.
In his acceptance speech, he detailed the keys to a successful career: "Keep it simple. Keep it honest. Work real hard."
The longest-tenured pro sports administrator in Colorado history at the time of his retirement, Saccomano is now in a consulting role with the Broncos.
He closed his speech Wednesday night by quoting longtime Yankees Manager Billy Martin.
"Many people have been honored...who are more accomplished than I," he said. "Many have been honored more deserving than I. But no one's ever been honored who is more proud than I. I thank you all very, very much."
