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Coach Mike Shanahan's Broncos collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs.

Bowlen and Shanahan were family, and maybe that’s why Shanahan was as shocked as anyone when he got the call to head to Bowlen’s office for a meeting Tuesday.

“Lunch,” Shanahan said when asked what he thought the meeting was about. He was only half-joking.

The meeting lasted only about five minutes, not because of any bad blood, but because “I think we were both broken down,” Shanahan said.

Bowlen, in Shanahan’s opinion, is the best owner in sports and the Broncos its best organization. By reflex, the coach often used the word “we” when discussing the team he is no longer part of.

“This is the best I’ve felt about the team in the last five, six years,” he said. “They’re young, they’re character guys, the direction we’re going.”

There’s no debating that, at least on offense. Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and rookie left tackle Ryan Clady are long-term solutions for a team that ranked second in the league in yardage gained this season.

The defense, however, was abysmal, allowing 400-plus points for two straight years.

Denver was a good draft, a few good free-agent signings away from shoring that up, Shanahan figured. Bowlen always gave him room to operate in the offseason.

“Pat Bowlen and I will be best friends forever,” Shanahan said. “He stood by me when I had to make tough decisions. I know this was tougher on him than it was on me.”

Indeed, Bowlen spoke softly and looked as shocked as anyone in the city as he stood at the microphone, discussing a decision hardly anyone ever thought he would make.

On many occasions since those Super Bowl wins, Bowlen called Shanahan his coach for life.

“Yes, I’ve said that,” Bowlen said, “I don’t have any regrets about saying it.

“I guess nothing’s forever.”

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