U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 67, is Now a Partial Owner of the Denver Broncos

Condoleezza Rice, who served as the United States Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, just joined the Denver Broncos ownership group.

“It is an honor to be part of this ownership group. Football has been an integral part of my life since the moment it was introduced to me, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Broncos organization today,” the politician wrote in a statement issued on social media. “I spent much of my younger years in Denver, so to be able to combine my love of the game with my love for this great city and team is an adventure of a lifetime and a great opportunity.”

She was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and raised there until she was a teenager until her family moved to Colorado. She attended an all-girls Catholic high school and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver. Given her background in the state, being a partial owner of its most promising football team is incredibly exciting for Rice.

Rob Walton, the heir to the Walmart fortune, led a group of like-minded individuals to purchase the Denver Broncos in a $4.65 billion deal. Including Rice, the group consists of Walton’s daughter, Carrie Walton Penner; her husband, Greg Penner; and Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments and chair of the board for Starbucks Corporation.

Rob Walton welcomes Condoleezza Rice into the exclusive Denver Broncos ownership group

“We’re pleased to welcome former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to our ownership group,” Walton shared in a statement that addressed the 67-year-old’s introduction to the ownership group.

Offering a comprehensive background of her, the Walmart heir included the information, “A highly respected public servant, accomplished academic and corporate leader, Secretary Rice is well known as a passionate and knowledgeable football fan who has worked to make the sport stronger and better. She is the daughter of a football coach and served on the inaugural College Football Playoff Committee.”

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“Her unique experience and extraordinary judgment will be a great benefit to our group and the Broncos organization,” Walton concluded.

The Broncos franchise was sold for a record purchase price and is awaiting review by the NFL. Like all team purchases, it needs to be reviewed by the league in order for the sale to be approved. Twenty-four yes votes are needed for approval, which will officially put the Denver-based team in the hands of Walton’s group.