How Much Money Do Professional Sports Mascots Make?

By: Lauren Wurth | Published: Nov 07, 2023

The world of sports is a thriving industry, and the salaries of these athletes can compare to some of the wealthiest celebrities and CEOs. For example, Mark Scherzer, from the New York Mets, makes 43 million dollars a year, while the NBA superstar Stephen Curry earns roughly 90 million.

But have you ever stopped and wondered how much money the mascot earns? Read along to be amazed at how these team players might be making more dollars than your average 9-5 job. 

1. Rocky From The Denver Nuggets

Team: Denver Nuggets
Salary: $625,000 per year

Rocky, the mountain lion from the Denver Nuggets, might be the most well-paid mascot in the world of sports. He is earning a whopping $625,000 a year. Although the Nuggets are nowhere near the wealthiest or most important team in the NBA, it’s clear who’s the best team player.

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Source: Betty Hirte/ Pinterest

He’s known for being funny and performing incredible acrobatic stunts to cheer for his team. Rocky is also in the Mascot Hall Of Fame; that’s his commitment to the job. But, of course, his duties aren’t only with the Nuggets; Rocky also tours schools in Colorado. 

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2. Gritty From The Philadelphia Flyers

Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Salary: $3,000 per hour

The Philadelphia Flyers National Hockey League is lucky to have this good-looking fellow on their side. The giant furry orange creature was first introduced to the public in 2018 and immediately became an internet sensation. He has appeared in talk shows such as Jimmy Fallon Tonight. 

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Source: adweek.com/ Pinterest

He has as much social media presence as in games and attractions. He might appear frightening to some, but others find him adorable. His backstory is that he was forced out of his secret hideout when the construction of the Wells Fargo Center began, and subsequently, the team hired him to be the team mascot. 

3. Wally the Green Monster

Team: Boston Red Sox
Salary: $70,000

Wally, The Green Monster From The Boston Red Sox

Team: Boston Red Sox

Salary: $70,000 a year

Wally, the green monster’s origin comes from the nickname of a monstrously big green wall on the left of Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. Larry Cancro came up with the idea in 1997 when trying to find a new attraction that would raise sales. 

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Source: wally.mlblogs.com/ Pinterest

At first, people were skeptical about Wally, but soon he became a favorite among children, and adults started to ease up on his strange appearance. Not only does he cheer at the stadium, but the monster also keeps busy working at private events and doing charity appearances. 

4. The Presidents From The Washington Nationals

Team: Washington Nationals
Salary: $300 per appearance

The Presidents From The Washington Nationals

Team: Washington Nationals

Salary: $500 per appearance 

This is a different mascot because it instead consists of an ensemble of six presidents who appear at every home game at the Nationals Ballpark. Their show consists of a presidential race between George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, William Howard Taft,  Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. 

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Source: Betty Hirte/ Pinterest

Amongst the presidents, Teddy Roosevelt is one of the fan’s favorites, but this is due to his imminent losing streak. Unleashing the “Let Teddy Win” movement advocating for his success. Fortunately, in 2012 the former president won for the first time since the beginning of the races and was cheered with glory. 

5. Harry The Hawk From The Atlanta Hawks

Team: Atlanta Hawks
Salary: $500 per hour

Harry the Hawk is a beloved NBA mascot, better known for his fabulous dance moves and unmatchable energy. He’s also an avid social media celebrity known for making many appearances at charity and community events throughout the state. 

Source: zimbio.com/ Pinterest

He might not be the best-paid mascot, but six figures a year sounds pretty good for the feathered stunt-man. In addition, he is one of the oldest mascots in the NBA; his first appearance dates back to 1986 and is still received with great clamor.  

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6. Mr. Met From The New York Mets

Team: NY Mets
Salary: $600 per hour

When your mascot has appeared as the #1 mascot in the world on Forbes’s list of top global mascots, you know he will be earning the salary to go with it. The baseball-headed man is also amongst the oldest to ever debut to the public. 

Source: Mitzy Andino/ Pinterest

He was introduced in 1964 as a costume, although previously, he had already been a cartoon in yearbooks and scorecards. He is often seen in safety messages around New York’s subway system, on This is Sportcenter television ads, and has his own Build-a-Bear Workshop store. What a busy guy!  

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7. Poe From The Baltimore Ravens

Team: Baltimore Ravens
Salary: $60,000

Poe the raven is named after another illustrious resident of the Baltimore area: Edgar Allan Poe. But this NFL mascot is more on the lighter and even funny side of the character. He is known for being goofy around the crowd.

Source: brobible.com/ Pinterest

Poe wasn’t the only mascot for the Ravens. Up until their retirement in 2008, three ravens were cheering for the team, Poe’s brothers were called “Edgar” and “Allan,” and they had very distinct personalities.   After Poe’s injury in 2022, the brothers were brought back to cheer for the season while Poe recovered. 

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8. Benny The Bull From The Chicago Bulls

Team: Chicago Bulls
Salary: $200,000 per year

Benny is an icon, he appears in T-shirts, posters, and caps. He’s featured in the NBA Jam Tournament Edition video game, and Wesley Willis even wrote a song about him!  He debuted in 1969 and has earned a lot of recognition ever since, including Hall of Fame and 12-time winner of NBA all-star mascot.

Source: @ATTMichiganAve / Twitter.com

He might be one of the most recognizable mascots in the world of basketball. And this fame comes with a hefty paycheck. The eclectic supporter doesn’t only cheer up the court, he’s also available for hire at parties and wedding receptions. 

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9. Rowdy

Team: Dallas Cowboys
Salary: $65,000 per year

Rowdy earns more than most Americans do. Unlike most of his counterparts in his field, Rowdy can be classified as a calm class mascot but still gets his mascot job done.

Source: @ATTStadium / Facebook.com

It has not been all glittery with Rowdy; his salary came into the limelight when one of the team’s cheerleaders knew what he earned yearly. The cheerleader argued that the Mascot’s yearly earnings compared to what she was making was unfair. She even brought her argument to court!

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11. Grizz

Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Salary: $300

Grizz made his first debut in 1995 when his team the Memphis Grizzlies were in Vancouver. The furry Mascot got a title as the NBA mascot of the year.

Source: @MemphisGrizzlies / Facebook.com

The Mascot has, however, not reached the levels of his fellow mascots but don’t be sorry; he still earns more than most people do. The Mascot also makes some private appearances where he charges people to add up to his cup. These appearances cost around $300 and don’t last over an hour.

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12. Sluggerrr

Team: Kansas City Royals
Salary: $400

You wouldn’t believe that wearing a costume and waving your hands to entertain others could earn you an hourly rate of $400 per hour. The Mascot’s name comes from a brand of margarine.

Source: @happyrockfire / Twitter.com

Sluggerrr was in trouble since he was accused of throwing a hotdog at a fan, which was quite a scandalous deed. After this, Slaggerrr lost his paycheck, and an immediate replacement was made.

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13. Mr. Redlegs

Team: Cincinnati Reds
Salary: $400 per hour

Mr. Redlegs started as the team’s uniform patch until 2007, when he came in as a real costume mascot. At one time, the head of this Mascot came off in the field, revealing the real human behind the costume.

Source: @PGPT27 / Twitter.com

Mr. Redlegs decided to poke fun at the next appearance when he wore the head with neck braces. Mr. Redlegs takes home $400 after every hour he works as he displays some funny moves to excite the crowd.

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14. Thunderbug

Team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Salary: $40-45,000 a year

Tampa Bay Lightning has quite an unusual bug for a mascot. Many would think that the thunder bug is a bee, but actually, the bug only comes out when it’s time for harvest.

Source: @SheaDann / Twitter.com

Thunderbug takes home $40-50,000 a year as his salary. He is known to walk around the field cheering on his team while still launching t-shirts to the fans. His job is to keep the fans excited in every game.

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15. Bernie Brewer

Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Salary: $275 per hour

Here’s a mascot with the most touching history among his counterparts. In 1970, a great fan of the Milwaukee team sat on the scoreboard for forty days to attract crowds to the stadium. He sat there until 40,000 people showed up.

Source: Facebook

After three years the Mason passed away, and the team decided to come up with a mascot to honor him. The Mascot earns $275 per hour during his appearances. The fans of Milwaukee can get a slice of the team’s history by hiring the Mascot for $275 and for no longer than an hour. Nonprofits and other charities can also enjoy the mascot’s presence for a discount of $100 off the usual $275 per hour.

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16. Jazz Bear

Team: Utah Jazz
Salary: $300 per hour

Utah Jazz Bear made his first debut in 1994. Since then, this fluffy bear has cheered on the Utah Jazz in more than 800 matches at their home games. The bear is also very famous in his home that one day, the governor of Utah had a day named after Jazz Bear (10th of October). He appears at many public events bringing in his new sets of hype on the occasions. The bear is also open to hiring for private appearances.

Source: @NBANewsNow247 / Twitter.com

Jazz Bear charges $300 an hour, and considering that he is a busy bear, Jazz Bear takes home a mouth-watering money bag each year. The actor behind Jazz Bear was changed in 2018, which made a turnaround in how the Mascot plays around in the field.

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17. Jaxson de Ville

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Salary: $400 per hour

The NFL team decided to name their Mascot Jaxson after their city to pay homage to it. The mascot appears in almost all of their homeland games. He is estimated to earn $400 per hour for his appearances.

Source: @jacksonvillejaguars / Facebook.com

This estimate might be close to what the long-standing mascot was earning before. Dvorak played the role for over two decades. Later on, he handled the mantle over to another person, saying it was time for ‘cooler opportunities.’ By the time he was handing over his role in 2015, Dvorak was making $400 for an hour and may be making even more today.

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18. Paw

Team: Detroit Tigers
Salary: $200 per hour

With a good name to match the Detroit Tigers, Paw is the team’s Mascot who is also hired for other private appearances. The Mascot might seem to earn a considerably lower amount than most of his other mascot friends. However, Paw is really busy and smart, always playing his cards right to bag extra cash.

Source: @mulho2mj / Twitter.com

He sometimes gets hired for private parties and office occasions where he attracts more than $160 per hour, starting with the bookings. So don’t be sorry for him; he makes more than most Americans.

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19. Steely MC Beam

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Salary: $40,000 per year

He is a fitting mascot for the Pittsburgh Steelers and also has a matching name. It’s not new or surprising that the Mascot carries a steel beam under one of his arms when he is cheering for his team and entertaining the fans.

Source: @OurFordStore / Twitter.com

The Mascot is likely to be pulling a whole $40,000 each year. For most people, this is good money for the job of entertaining people and having fun while doing it.

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20. NJ Devil

Team: New Jersey Devils
Salary: $1,200 per hour

He does not limit himself when it comes to cheering for his team, so you can decide to hire him for your private party for $1,200 per hour. If you need a devilish feel for your party or wish to move along to new dancing styles that the Mascot will teach you, then the NJ Devil is very affordable for any party you may have.

Source: @devils_fanly / Twitter.com

You might not believe it, but the pesky little boy is always fully booked. So, you might have a hard time getting him to your party. The fact that the NJ Devil keeps a full and busy schedule shows that this guy is quite wealthy, thanks to his funny, playful moves.

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21. Moondog

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Salary: $300 per hour

Perhaps he is a favorite to many because of his doggie nature. Most people love the scene of a fun-loving dog. Moondog got its name from the famous Dj Alan Freed, who also loved the name Moondog.

Source: @CavsMoondog / Twitter.com

Cleveland decided to name their Mascot after this city legend. Although Moondog’s salary has never been publicly shared, it is an estimated $300 per hour as he showcases his funny side and cheers his team.

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22. Ragnar the Viking

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Salary: $1,500 per game

Unlike most mascots, the Minnesota Vikings team’s Mascot does not put on full gear, but he puts on full Viking armor instead. This Mascot is the perfect definition of a strong and sturdy icon for the team. What better way to represent the Minnesota Vikings than with a Viking mascot?

Source: @UnderdogsFootball / Facebook.com

For 20 years, Joseph Juranitch perfectly played the part, and until he left the mascot role, he was already earning $1,500 per game. However, in 2015, Juranitch wanted an incredibly large raise of up to $200,000 per game, but the team could not afford him. So in 2015, Juranitch left his armor for someone else to take over.

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23. Lou Seal

Team: San Francisco Giants
Salary: $500 per hour

San Francisco clearly chose the fitting Mascot to represent them because seals are naturally endearing, loveable, and calm. Lou Seal joined the team in July 1996. The Mascot intrigues the crowds a lot with his playful role.

Source: Facebook

Lou Seal earned a spot in the Hulu series known as Behind the Mask. He is also one of the highest-paid mascots. He gets to take home more than $500 an hour after making his appearances.

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24. The Baltimore Oriole Bird

Team: Baltimore Orioles
Salary: $350 per hour

The orange and blackbird mascot has been a darling to Orioles fans for a long time. He is known to be rich in entertaining the fans and cheerleading his team. He is also estimated to be a rich bird earning $350 per hour. $350 per hour is an amount that is way above many Americans’ wages per hour.

Source: @Orioles / Facebook.com

The bird does not always stay within his home nest as he enjoys entertaining crowds at other events as well. As a busy Baltimore bird earning $350 an hour, his annual income is definitely something to admire.

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25. Iceburgh

Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Salary: $250 per hour

Iceburgh has been the official Pittsburgh Penguins mascot since 1991. He and the Pittsburgh Penguins later became movie stars when they featured in the film, Sudden Death that starred the legendary Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Source: @AllenTheFox/ Twitter.com

The film was also shot in the Pittsburgh Paints Arena, thus bringing the stadium into the limelight. Iceburgh charges $250 per hour for his appearances. He also does private parties where people may hire him at the same hourly rate, which may amount to a handsome sum at the end of the year.

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26. Swinging Friar

Team: San Diego Padres
Salary: $25,000 per year

The Swinging Friar has been a Padres mascot since before the team even came to the big leagues. He has supported his team throughout their time in the minor leagues. The team named their Mascot friar after their Spanish friars who established the city.

Source: @ISS/ Twitter.com

Over time, the friar has become one of the most popular mascots of all time. The San Diego Padres do not bring him out in every game they have, but on special occasions. However, his estimated earnings a year are $25,000, making it a great sum of money for a mascot that both entertains himself and entertains grand crowds.

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27. Fredbird

Team: St. Louis Cardinals
Salary:
$400 per hour

Fredbird has been a veteran in this mascot role for the St. Louis Cardinals since 1979 when he first joined the team. Fredbird is not as popular as his mascot fellows, but he is a favorite of the St. Louis Cardinals. He entertains and excites the St. Louis Cardinals fans as the team plays their home games.

Source: @Cardinals/ Facebook.com

He mainly entertains young people, but the adults also love when he is pulling off stunts. Fredbird not only appears at the field with his team to get paid; he also performs at private parties for $400 per hour of his expertise. However, when the spokesman was asked about the Mascot’s earnings, he responded by saying that he gets paid with kisses and hugs from little children.

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28. Raymond

Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Salary: $300 per hour

According to his biography, Raymond was born in the Gulf of Mexico and later became the Rays’ Mascot. The blue furry boy always wears a basketball cap backwardly, revealing how funny he can be.

Source: @hotflvacation/ Twitter.com

The Mascot has seen a lot of trouble in the field. At one time, a drunk man attacked him but still, he stood his ground as the best calm and entertaining Mascot his fans know him to be. This Mascot doesn’t appear only with the Rays’ team; he also appears with DJ Kitty, the street team. All of these appearances make Raymond a rich mascot as Raymond still charges $300 per hours for each appearance he makes.

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29. Philly Phanatic

Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Salary: $600 per hour

The Philly Phanatic is the Philadelphia Phillies mascot who earns a whopping $600 every hour he appears on the field. He is a green creature with an unusually long mouth -or nose- which he always uses to cheer on his Philadelphia Phillies team.

Source: @kyaah_m/ Twitter.com

The green furry creature has a fascinating biography. According to Philly Phanatic, he was born on the Galapagos Islands and came to support the Philadelphia Phillies because he is their greatest fan.

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30. Nordy

Team: Minnesota Wild
Salary: $300 per hour

Having started his job in 2008, Nordy is one of the newest mascots on this list. He has a biography stating that he was born in the northern wilderness of Minnesota. He was found skating in the frozen cold when he was offered the job as a mascot, and he didn’t hesitate. He went ahead and took up the job.

Source: @gregawan/ Twitter.com

Nordy is 6 feet, 5 inches tall, and the wildcat’s homeland is at Eveleth. At the stadium you may even see him in stuffed animal form for $25, but seeing the real performance will cost you $300 per hour.

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31. Burnie

Team: Miami Heat
Salary: $100,000

Burnie is sometimes described as a terrifying mascot in Florida, and there’s some truth in it. Burnie is an anthropomorphic fireball that scares some children, but he is good at performing floor acrobatics, and he is almost an expert at hijinks.

Source: @HeraldSports/ Twitter.com

He earns around $100,000 annually, which is way lower than other mascots. However, if you never knew how much other mascots make, you would never have thought this as this seems like a crazily good amount for a mascot. Burnie also never missed any of his team’s home games.

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32. Pirate Parrot

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Salary: $38,623 per year

The Pirate Parrot is a creation in response to the Philly Phanatic. Pirate Parrot was born out of the rivalry between the Phillies and the Pirates. The two tend to be rivalries, but they originate from the same forest.

Source: @AHNtoday/ Twitter.com

Pirate Parrot is a villain’s parrot derived from the Louis Stevenson book known as Treasure Island. The parrot makes $38,623 yearly.

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33. K.C. Wolf

Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Salary: $500 per hour

The Chiefs football team formerly had a mascot of Indian origin which was later considered culturally insensitive. Therefore K.C. Wolf took over from the previous Mascot.

Source: @Musi_Fraggle/ Twitter.com

One of his favorite moments is when he helped the security stop a fan who ran out in the field. He makes $500 an hour from his appearances in the field, and he also gets paid to appear in other areas like basketball games.

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34. Billy the Marlin

Team: Miami Marlins
Salary: $75,000 per year

Billy is always seen at every Miami Marlins home game. He weighs around 250 pounds, and he is also eight feet tall. He is sometimes referred to as a natural prankster for his tricks and good nature.

Source: @HearaldSports/ Twitter.com

He got a new change of costume in 2019, which changed into a giant cartoon character.

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35. Swoop

Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Salary: $65,000 per year

His full name is Eagles Forest, and according to his biography, he was born in Neshaminy State Park. He was born with poor eyesight and limited strength.

Source: @XfinityRacing/ Twitter.com

He then became a half-human, half-eagle when the Philadelphia Eagles gave him a jersey of their team. He is now in charge of entertaining the fans and getting rid of the booing.

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36. Captain Fear

Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Salary: $60,000 per year

Captain Fear is the Buccaneers’ Mascot, who is very easy to spot with a giant head and human body costume, which he replaced in 2000.

Source: @THECaptainFear/ Twitter.com

According to the biography of Captain Fear, he is in charge of protecting the Raymond James Stadium, and he also has a pirate ship in the Buccaneers Cove.

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37. The Raptor

Team: Toronto Raptors
Salary: $60,000 per year

The Toronto Raptors’ mascot is a bright red toothy velociraptor that was derived from the Jurassic Park film. He also has a jersey with the number 95, which represents 1995 as the year in which the Toronto Raptors was fully established in the NBA.

Source: @TR_Nicky10/ Twitter.com

The raptor makes $60,000 a year plus other cash benefits which is a good gig for a mascot.

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38. Slamson the Lion

Team: Sacramento Kings
Salary: $60,000 per year

He is the Sacramento Kings’ mascot, and his name came from the biblical strong and legendary Samson, with of course, “Slamson” being a clever basketball pun. According to his biography, he was born in South Africa by Slamet the Lion and his mother Slam.

Source: @kyaah_m/ Twitter.com

This may very well be the richest lion we know. Slamson earns a considerable amount of money from his mascot role, bringing in around $60,000 every year.

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39. Clutch the Bear

Team: Houston Rockets
Salary: $100,000 per year

He is the adorable mascot of the Houston Rockets, earning a jaw-dropping salary of $100,000 a year. Clutch the Bear became even more famous after he consoled a man who once proposed to his girlfriend.

Source: @catsruntokyo/ Twitter.com

He took a beer bottle from another fan and gave it to the Man while walking off the court. Clutch the Bear won the Mascot of the Year award in 2013. He is also a very famous mascot who both young and old fans adore.

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40. Miles

Team: Denver Broncos
Salary: $10,000 per year

Miles debuted in the early nineties and then became a public mascot in 1995. His background story is that he was born in the same year that the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl in 1999.

Source: lowmaster.net

The native is then said to appear two years after the Super Bowl win. Miles now lives in Denver at Empower Field, appearing on other games and other community programs.

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