December 1, 1960 - It was on this day that Dean Griffing became the first person to be officially named the General Manger of the Denver Broncos. Griffing began his career in professional football during his second year after college (1936) when he was named the coach and general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. The Roughriders won the league championship that year. For nearly twenty-five years, Griffing directed the fortunes of teams in the CFL, including Toronto, Calgary and a second stint with Saskatchewan. It was during this second time with the Roughriders that Griffing became acquainted with coach Frank Filchock -- the man who would become the first head coach of the Broncos. Griffing stepped away from professional football for two years to become the executive director of the Optimist Bowl, a college bowl game played in Tucson, Arizona. Then, in 1960, he accepted the call to become Denver's first general manager.