Hanging on Allie Engelken’s office wall is a sign that reads “I’d rather try and fail, rather than fail to try.”

This is often the rallying cry of the Broncos’ community development team, which Engelken oversees. It’s made of only four people: Engelken, executive director; Liz Jeralds, senior manager; Katie Shuster, the coordinator; and Bobby Mestas, director of youth and high school football. But while the team is small, their impact is massive, as they’ve taken that 10-word motto to heart.

Thanks to their work off the field, the Broncos have been finalists for ESPN’s Sport Humanitarian Team of the Year Award in back-to-back years (2020, 2021), which is awarded to a professional sports team that “demonstrates how teamwork can create a measurable impact on a community or cause.” The Broncos are the only NFL team to be nominated for the honor in consecutive years.

“The Broncos are a really good example of a team that goes above and beyond,” said Melissa Pardi, the NFL’s senior director of social responsibility business integration and partnerships. “They continue to be shining stars for the league.”

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Over the past year, their work has contributed to more than 850 volunteer hours through 744 engagements, creating the Inspire Change program that includes a series of social justice initiatives, contributing more than $1 million to COVID-19 relief efforts, donating $300,000 to the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club’s renovations and being the only pro sports team to fully fund its own branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, among other efforts.

None of that is possible without the work of Engelken, Jeralds, Shuster and Mestas, who pride themselves on giving back to a community that’s given so much to them.

“We challenge ourselves to grow and I think that’s what keeps us engaged and excited and motivated to keep operating at this really high standard that we’ve set for ourselves,” said Engelken, who joined the staff in 2017. “I think at the very foundation of the four of us as human beings, we care about what we do. And we’re passionate about it for the right reasons. And I don’t want to get choked up, but that’s where the care comes from. Every team is different, every structure is different, but we have the passion for it and we have the resources to be able to make it come to life.”

The four are quick to point to others when talking about their success, including Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis, who was recently recipient of the Mizel Institute Community Enrichment Award. And most notably late owner Pat Bowlen, who pushed the Broncos to be the best in everything they did, on and off the field.  

But a good amount of the credit, they said, goes to players and the front office for acquiring not only good players on the field, but great players off it.

“I think first and foremost, it’s really woven throughout the entire organization from top to bottom,” said Jeralds, who’s been with the Broncos since 2013. “As soon as you become a part of the Broncos family, community is a part of that. It’s really a responsibility and an opportunity to do good for the community that supports us not only Sundays but really throughout the year in everything we do.”

Most recently, though, the Broncos haven’t been that successful on the field, not having a winning season since 2016. One would assume a down year on the field would mean a down year off it — that maybe fewer players, coaches and staff would want to be out in the community.

Not for the Broncos.

“I’d say this roster for the last six or seven years — the leadership and the commitment to community service has been the best I’ve seen,” said Mestas, who’s worked for the Broncos since 2002. “There’s no one out there trying to stop us from doing great community work. That’s something that we should always hit our goals.

“When it comes to giving back to the Denver metro area and the state of Colorado, in this day and age, we can’t afford to have a bad year.”

It’s that passion that has made the Broncos an organization that cares about more than football and why those they work with sing their praises. 

Said John Andrew, athletic director for Denver Public Schools: “It’s that grass-roots mentality. They put their hands in the dirt. They make themselves visible, which that right there is why they’re special. Obviously, I’m gushing about these people. I’m sure they have faults, but I’ve yet to experience them and I’ve worked with the Broncos since 2008.”

Said Rich Barrows, director of the Broncos Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver: “They set the example. They’re at the food bank and the homeless shelters when other people didn’t want to come out last year serving it up, and that was before the vaccine. Who does that? They’re in it. They’re hands-on. And those four — Allie, Liz, Katie, Bobby — they pour out their heart and soul while doing it.”

So while Engelken, Jeralds, Shuster and Mestas often deflect praise and may not be the ones scoring touchdowns, they mean just as much to the Broncos and Denver community as some of their most valuable players. In many ways, they’re a “dream team,” Engelken said. They all have separate roles, but work as a cohesive unit that strives to try new things and serve its community any way possible — whether it’s donating money, organizing youth football camps, or standing on the front lines of social justice marches with their players. 

And as long as they’re together, the Broncos will continue to offer a helping hand.

“I think we complete each other,” said Shuster, who joined the Broncos staff in 2019. “I think each of us has strengths and weaknesses that play off of each other. So when we all come together as a whole, as a collective group, whether it’s creating an event or brainstorming together or just hanging out as a group of coworkers and friends, we can have that open communication. We’re very comfortable with each other.

“We’re like a little, tiny family. When you put us all together, you make that family whole.”