ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sporting a Peyton Manning jersey, a visor and a lifetime of football memories, Bettye Garrett celebrated her 108th birthday at Broncos training camp.
Born in 1917 and believed to be the oldest professional sports fan in the U.S., the Denver native spent her milestone day surrounded by players, fans and the family tradition that has defined her for decades.
"I live in Denver, why not be a Broncos fan?" Garrett told DenverBroncos.com with a grin.
It's a simple answer, but for Garrett, being a Broncos fan isn't just about the city she grew up in — it's about family, loyalty and years of memories.
Her Broncos journey dates back to when the franchise was founded. Garrett — who was born three years before the NFL was officially founded in 1920 — celebrated her 43rd birthday just seven days before the Broncos played their first game. Her brother was an original season ticket holder and began attending games during the 1960 season.
"It was always really fun," Garrett said. "We had seats clear on the south end; you probably have heard about how crazy the south stands were. … My tickets were $7.50."
Regardless of the weather, Garrett and her family were there.
"There were times we used to take sleeping bags into the game because it was so cold, but we never missed a game," she said. "We always showed up regardless of the weather. I enjoyed it. I still sit and watch every game from beginning to end."
Now, decades later, those tickets remain within the family, passed along to her two sons and grandchildren.
On Day 4 of the Broncos' Training Camp powered by Ford, the Broncos welcomed a special guest — 108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett — to watch practice on her birthday.
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton and Carrie Walton Penner during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Sean Payton during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Quinn Meinerz during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Riley Moss and Marvin Mims Jr. during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets D.J. Jones during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Marvin Mims Jr. during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets D.J. Jones during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Jonathon Cooper during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Jonathon Cooper during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Riley Moss and Jonathon Cooper during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Miles the Mascot during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Matt Peart during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Matt Peart and Marques Cox during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Broncos players during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Jahdae Barron during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Jahdae Barron during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets RJ Harvey during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett meets Pat Surtain II during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett received an autographed football during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
108-year-old fan Bettye Garrett and her family during a training camp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit on July 29, 2025 in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos
Football runs through the Garrett family — from her late husband, who played football growing up, to her four sons who all played the sport. The Broncos, she said, have always been "a family tie."
Her son, Jim Garrett, who joined her at training camp, echoed the sentiment.
"It has always been a Garrett family tradition," he said.
Garrett has cheered through generations of Broncos history, from John Elway's 16 seasons to Peyton Manning's tenure — and all three Super Bowl-winning seasons.
"Of course, just like everybody else, my favorite players were Peyton Manning and John Elway," she said.
Reminiscing on her lifetime of football fandom, Garrett sat on the sidelines like a seasoned professional. She ended the day meeting Owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner and Head Coach Sean Payton, and she received a handful of player autographs and a special birthday wish from Miles.
Through it all, she credits her love for sports with helping her live such a long and full life.
"I've always liked sports, so I figured that's part of why I've lived so long," she smiled.
The Broncos welcomed more than just a fan on Tuesday — they celebrated the living proof of the team's heart and history.
