All Football Bets Are On Between Boston, Denver Mayors

Photo Courtesy of City of Boston

Mayor Marty Walsh is a betting man.

Carrying out a long-standing tradition between elected officials, on Thursday, Walsh took the call from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and placed a friendly wager on Sunday’s AFC Championship game between the Patriots and Broncos.

If —sorry—when New England wins the game in Colorado on Sunday, the Denver mayor will be subject to wearing a Patriots jersey during a session at next week’s U.S. Conference of Mayors. Hancock will also have to send Boston a hefty package filled with “fabulous green chile,” as well as a hoodie, cap, and handmade skis from Denver-based Icelantic Skis, following the game.

In the off chance Tom Brady can’t lead his team to yet another victory, Walsh cough up the goods, including five pounds of Boston’s famous chocolate turtles from Phillips Candy House in Dorchester. Walsh will also be shamed into slipping on a Broncos jersey during his first official mayoral gathering at the national conference next week if the Pats come up short.

Because he is confident in his home team, Walsh added a little extra to his end of the bargain. If New England doesn’t advance to the Super Bowl, Boston’s mayor will make a sizable donation to the Denver Public Library system in the form of signed books by local authors like Dennis Lehane, James Carroll, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Kevin Cullen, Shelley Murphy, and Brian McGrory.

Not bad, considering Walsh’s predecessor, Mayor Tom Menino, used to keep the wagers strictly food-based.