One of the most famous fans in NFL history died this morning.
Tim McKernan, known as “Barrel Man,” passed away at the age of 69. McKernan attended Broncos games for more than thirty years. He was suffering from terminal lung disease.
McKernan wore a gigantic orange barrel – and little else but a Cowboy hat — to Broncos games. He “retired” his barrel in 2007 and was honored by the team during a halftime ceremony.
The Denver Post writes that his first barrel was on exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s difficult to think of many fans more synonymous with a team than “Barrel Man” and the Broncos.
We send our condolences to the family that knew him best away from the football stadium.
“My kids grew up knowing grandpa in the barrel,” McKernan’s son Todd said Saturday.
What a super fan this man was. Journey well, Barrel Man!
Guy was hilarious.
Met him when we saw a Raiders game in Denver, obviously the game itself was not very entertaining.
Just a nice guy having fun at a game.
as Josh McDaniels would say , ‘That gut wore a mother####ing barrel!”
Probably because he realized that Kyle Orton was Denver’s franchise QB.
You’ll be missed Barrel Man!
The very definition of a real super fan.
As a kid i remember watching Broncos games and seeing Barrel Man and assuming he was some form of an official mascot. Later on I realized he was just a great fan that personified America’s love for the NFL. Not having him around will be like not having the horse statue at the stadium or rebuilding Mile High Stadium at sea level. Hopefully the Broncos can find some way to remember one of their greatest fans.
What ever happened to the inventor of “The Wave”, a.k.a. Krazy George of the A’s?
Rest in Peace Barrel Man…
Not only is his barrel in the hall, I am pretty sure he is in the hall as a rep for all Broncos fans. What a legend.
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
that guy was an awesome fan! looking at some of the comments on the denverpost site he was a good guy off the field as well.
Barrel Man > Jet fan firefighter and boyfriend
He was to the Broncos what St Vince is to the Packers.
Godspeed, Funny Man.
God Bless the Barrel Man. Its a shame that the NFL has been taken over by corporate monsters that wont allow fans like Barrel Man to bring life to these golf clapping stadiums.
From a surly Eagle fan
R.I.P…but when he said he got to Canton before Elway, I pretty much didn’t care anymore.
Broncos fan? Good riddance.
Let’s see if Florio lets this comment post.
RIP Barrel Man. A true fan if there ever was one.
RIP. He was a true fan
Was he 69 or 67? Conflicting with the Denver Post, florio.
Jerry Seinfeld says: “That’s a shame.”
Barrel Man was a true Orange and Blue fan. He will alwasy be a Legend. RIP Barrel Man.
Poor guy, I saw him get pushed down a long flight of stairs at Vet Stadium in Philly when I was a kid. They carried him off on a stretcher. It was my first Eagles game. I thought they killed the poor bastard. Lesson I learned… never wear an “Orange Crush” barrell to Philly on opening day…. glad he survived….
R.I.P. Barrel Man
I never met him.
He always looked like some crazy old nudist you want to avoid.
I still wonder how he got the barrel to the middle of a row of seats.
With all the “anti-terrorism” measures and increased “security” at stadiums such fans just aren’t wanted anymore.
When a business buys tickets as a tax right off to reward employees and entertain clients, it doesn’t want attendees to be bothered by crazy people interested in the game and acting weird.
Dude must have froze his cookies off out there dressed like that
On a sad note, his final game was a few weeks ago when San Diego came to town and Denver got crushed.
A lot of Denver’s fans were hoping that since word had gotten out that it would be “Barrel Man’s” final appearance the Broncos would be extra-inspired to beat the Chargers.
Nope.
Hope Mario and Donkey Kong don’t attack you with a hammer in the afterlife.
And don’t think I am a dick for typing that- have a sense of humor you assclowns.
Barrel Man is laughing. After all, anyone willing to get naked under a barrel in 20 degree temperatures surely has a sense of humor.
RIP Barrel Man.
Thats too bad. Obviously by my user name I am not a Broncos fan but it still sad to hear he passed.
He was a great fan of football.
My drivers ed teacher was the barrel mans brother. I rmbr hearing stories about him real class guy. Sorry for your lose Mr. McKernan.
R.I.P. Barrel Man- A true fan of the game.
Pugdog says:
Poor guy, I saw him get pushed down a long flight of stairs at Vet Stadium in Philly when I was a kid. They carried him off on a stretcher. It was my first Eagles game. I thought they killed the poor bastard. Lesson I learned… never wear an “Orange Crush” barrell to Philly on opening day…. glad he survived….
You Philly fans pride yourself in being classless, agressive fans. I am a friendly, knowledgeable fan (unlike blowhard Igls fans). But I would love to go to a Philly game in Philly just to beat the shat out of one of you fat, unshaven a-holes.
He represented another era. A time when football fans expressed themselves with unique styles. You saw it in the Dawg Pound in Cleveland, Pittsburg. Green Bay, The old Minnesota before they moved indoors and of course Oakland in the Glory Days.
Fans of this type were encourged.
Now the Sunday experience is a sterile and sanitary corporate blah. If you celebrate after scoring you cost your team a penalty and the QB’s are off limits.
I didn’t personally know Barrel Man, but I’ve met and spoke to him several times over the years at Mile High. He was indeed a true Old School fan and he will be missed.
RIP my friend.
rip.
Bengals fan in Denver… The guy flat out represented and I always laughed out of admiration at him when it was -20 degrees out but he still came dressed to impress.
We’re all fans here, and he simply did his thing. This dude, Raider Nation, “The Bengals Thing”, and Dawg Pound fans are probably the only noticeable fans around the league. Maybe Saints fans too… but I acknowledge them out of respect for the city and the home field advantage they own. NFL needs more of these types of fans. He’s part of the game’s greatness.
If dude has a son… the kid should carry on the legacy. Sorry to hear this news.
I’m not a Broncos fan, but how could you not love this guy? The game should be fun, and he certainly made it that. RIP, Barrel Man.
Beauregard, totally agree with what you’ve posted. Sure, the stadiums are more comfortable now, but the atmosphere at NFL games doesn’t seem very fun to me. Between, the outrageous prices for, well, everything, and the ugliness so many fans show, I prefer watching at home. Of course, I live just east of Oakland, so…….
Fireman Ed is a great “mascot”.
RIP Barrel Man, Mile High Stadium just isn’t the same without your presence.
Truly awesome fan. God speed, Barrel Man. RIP.
Good guy, the most dedicated fan in the league. He even went to a Raiders game in Oakland where he was beat up and thrown down on the ground in a bathroom. Raider fans threw all kinds of stuff at him. And spit on him.
He should be in the Hall of Fame for fans.
Hey Eddie,
I have gotten in two altercations after 20 years of having season tix for the Bird, one was protecting a nice guy with his Dad in Redskins garb, and the other was protecting an elderly skins fan 2 years later. Now I go to away Eagles games twice a year, why??? Less a–hole Eagle fans. I love my team, but, unlike the majority of Eagles fans who have class, the select few ruuined all of our reputations. I wish the guys who pushed barrell man down the steps were still sitting in an 8×8 cell. The guy was just having fun. Also, I have been to a dozen away stadiums in my Eagles jersey and been treated with comradery in every one, cept Cleveland. We were verbally abused. That’s expected. For the record, Minnesota was the best road experience of my life. Those fans deserve the success they are now enjoying.
BTW Eddie, your attack on me was neither friendly or with class. Random Eagle fan…OK. I was traumatized by the incident. I am neither a bastard, or fat, however, I didn’t shave today….
Pugdog says:
Poor guy, I saw him get pushed down a long flight of stairs at Vet Stadium in Philly when I was a kid. They carried him off on a stretcher. It was my first Eagles game. I thought they killed the poor bastard. Lesson I learned… never wear an “Orange Crush” barrell to Philly on opening day…. glad he survived….
Its trash like this is why sooo many things have changed the way we get to celebrate at the games.. freakin morons like this Eagle fan.I guess if they cant beat them on the field this is their only resort… trashbags.the Eagles another BULLSHIT talking fan base whos team never won a DAMN THING.If i had seen someone push the guy I would of kicked him in the nuts till he sang soprano.. but then again not many Eagle fans have any balls …
R.I.P BARREL MAN..
ps. i HOPE he haunts the hell out of you …lol
The Broncos should pay a nice tribute to Barrel Man in their next home game.
I’m a Raider fan and met him about 10 years ago at a game in Denver. He was a great person, and respectful to visiting fans.
RIP.
They just don’t make fans like him anymore. Even if they did some jerk in administration wouldn’t allow him into the stadium. the NFL is even less about the fans these days and only about revenues.
Go in Peace, Barrel Man. You’ve got the best seat in the house now and it’s free.
Giants fan in the (Big Blue)grass State
Have any of the people posting about how terrible Eagles fans are actually been to a game since the Vet was demolished? I go at least once a year and have never had or seen a problem, even for Eagles-Cowboys games. Also, there are several “family sections” now where there is no alcohol allowed if you’re really concerned about your well-being. I’m just sayin…
Barrel Man will live on via NFL films presentations. What a great fan.
KDUB,its nice you spoke up and defended the REAL Eagle fans..guys like pug sure do blemish the fanbase.
rockotica, my comment was rejected, so I guess I need to tone down the language. You are an absolute piece of trash. “good riddance” shows us all how clever and edgy you are. Meanwhile, a man died what was likely a pretty slow death, knowing what was coming. His family is mourning him, and some of them just may see your comments bidding him ‘good riddance.’ You are garbage.
“Poor guy, I saw him get pushed down a long flight of stairs at Vet Stadium in Philly when I was a kid. They carried him off on a stretcher. It was my first Eagles game. I thought they killed the poor bastard.”
And that pretty much says it all about Philadelphia sports fans, doesn’t it, the fans who even booed Santa?
I remember seeing bits and piecesabout this barrel guy over the years, but last night I Googled him and was impressed by what I read about him. He wasn’t just a nutjob fan going to extremes. This started with him losing a bet, and it caught on; he kept it going until it became a huge, constant thing. Coudn’t have been fun all the time, I saw pics of him in nothing but that barrel when all around him were bundled up and still freezing, and there he was with no jacket on, not even a shirt! Supposedly a very nice, friendly, down-to-earth man.
And Philly fans thought it would be fun to push this old man down some steps and watch him roll his way to a hospital?
It’s not just the Eagles fans (you know, the ones who cheer as an opposing player lays on the field injured), but Philly fans in general (Phillies, Flyers, Sixers). Not every fan in Philly is a classless jerk, but far too many of them ARE – more than any other city, and far bigger jerks at that.
This man provided a lot of entertainment for Bronco’s fans, it seems, and his passing must be a sad day for them. Condolences for Donks fans everywhere today.
Godspeed Barrel Man
I know you will be looking down @ Arrowhead today
” He even went to a Raiders game in Oakland where he was beat up and thrown down on the ground in a bathroom. ”
raises two interesting questions:
Are Raiduh fans even worse than Philly fans? (Not even close in my opinion).
And, more importantly, how the hell does dude even GO to the bathroom in that get-up? (nevermind, I really don’t think I wanna know)