ENGLEWOOD Josey Jewell Jersey , Colo. (AP) — who also served stints as general manager for the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, has died following a long illness, the Broncos said. He was 51.Heckert stepped away from the Broncos after last season after being diagnosed in recent years with amyloidosis, a rare disease that causes a buildup of amyloid proteins in the heart, kidney, liver and other organs. He died Sunday night.Heckert spent 27 years in the NFL, including the last five in the Broncos’ personnel department. He was the teams’ director of pro personnel from 2013-16 before becoming senior personnel adviser in 2017.“Tom was an integral part of our organization and we’re all incredibly saddened today,” general manager John Elway said in a statement. “With his many years of experience and time as a GM, Tom was a tremendous resource and a key member of our team. He was a very good evaluator. He had an eye for talent, and we always trusted his voice.”Before coming to Denver, Heckert was the general manager for the Browns (2010-12) and the Eagles (2006-09).“We are saddened to learn of Tom Heckert’s passing,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “Tom gave everything he had to this organization for nine seasons and played a major role in the construction and success of our team during that time. In addition to being a talented evaluator and respected voice, he was a mentor and friend to so many within our organization and around the league. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him and our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time.”The Eagles went to the playoffs seven times in Heckert’s nine seasons in Philadelphia, winning five NFC East titles, making five appearances in the conference championship and reaching one Super Bowl.“Tom came to Philly in 2001 and made an instant impact on and off the field,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said in a statement. “He hired great people and his legacy is seen throughout the league in high-ranking front office positions and how many people today are talking about him and telling Heckert stories.“He took the time to help all of us get better and learn more about how to evaluate and build teams. His record as a GM was outstanding. When he worked here everyone wanted to be around him and listen to his stories about his time in the league and his experiences around the game. He was one of the first people to congratulate us all when we won the Super Bowl. Thoughts and prayers are with his family, including his kids.”Heckert began his NFL career in 1991 as a scout with the Miami Dolphins, who promoted him to assistant director of pro personnel/college scout in 1999 and director of pro personnel in 2000. He was hired by the Eagles as their player personnel director in 2001 and was promoted to vice president of player personnel in 2003.His father, Tom Sr., worked for more than 20 years as an NFL player personnel executive before retiring in 2007.His time in Denver included three playoff trips, two Super Bowl appearances and a win over Carolina in Super Bowl 50.“It’s easy to see why Tom was widely respected and had so many great relationships across the league,” Elway said. “I’ll always be grateful for how he helped me transition into this position. My prayers go out to Tom’s family, friends and everyone he worked with during his career.”Matt Russell, the Broncos’ director of player personnel, worked with Heckert in Philadelphia and Denver.“Tom was one of the best because he combined exceptional player evaluation skills with his incredible network of connections around the NFL,” Russell said. “Those relationships he formed are a testament to how well he treated everyone. Tom was a loyal friend and my heart goes out to his family.”The Browns also released a statement expressing the organization’s sympathy: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tom Heckert and share our sincerest condolences with his family and friends Isaac Yiadom Jersey , including the many lives he impacted with the Browns organization and throughout the entire NFL during his established career.” As "What ifs" Week rolls on, this one alters the outcome of two games from that season. Is the outcome still the same?" NFL What IfsMHR Radio PodcastDenver Broncos OffseasonWhat if the Broncos went undefeated in 1998?New,6commentsAs “What ifs” Week rolls on, this one alters the outcome of two games from that season. Is the outcome still the same?MDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:What if the Broncos went undefeated in 1998?TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailThank goodness the first two “What ifs” never played out. If John Elway played in Baltimore for the Colts or Peyton Manning decided not to play in Denver, both would have changed the Denver Broncos — and not in a good way.For the next scenario in SBNation’s NFL “What ifs” Week, let’s go in a different direction. Adam Malnati and I went through the various scenarios on a special MHR Radio Podcast (ApplePodcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher). What if the 1998 Broncos had finished the regular season undefeated? When Denver headed to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants in Week 15, remaining unbeaten was all the team had to play for. The Broncos entered the game 13-0 and in complete control of the AFC. As we all know, Denver lost to the Giants 20-16 and would follow suit the next week with a 31-21 loss at the Miami Dolphins.But what if the Broncos had won those two games, and ended the season with a win over the Seattle Seahawks? Denver still would have had home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and more than likely hosted the Dolphins in the AFC Divisional playoffs. Would that game have been closer had the Broncos beat Miami in the penultimate game of the season? There’s a chance what happened to Denver two years prior against the Jacksonville Jaguars happens again (I think it’s a minute chance, but it’s still there). Do the Broncos still host the New York Jets in the AFC Championship? Face the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl? Or does that change to the Minnesota Vikings? The downside for this scenario is how much could change and alter how the season finished. The motivation the team got for the playoff run thanks to the two regular-season defeats was a big factor; especially against Miami. To put it in a different way: It pissed off an already great football team. Not to mention the pressure of going undefeated was removed and with it the constant talk after the loss to the Giants. If the Broncos won those two games and entered the playoffs 16-0, the pressure and stress would have been amped up. Now Denver isn’t just playing to repeat, it’s playing for history. The 1998 team was built for that, though, and it would have been so much fun to see if it could have finished the job (unlike the New England Patriots). Had the Broncos gone on to win Super Bowl XXXIII, they would have been the second team to go undefeated, and the first to go 19-0. For the best team in Denver history, that’s the only way the 1998 season could have gone any better. But the risk is there it wouldn’t go as planned if the Broncos won those two games and Elway wouldn’t get his magical send off.While it would have been a blast to see Denver try to finish 19-0 in 1998, I’m thankful it played out the way that it did. MHR Radio is now on ApplePodcasts, Google Play, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher,TuneIn and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Please subscribe to the one that fits your fancy, and also rate and review what you hear.