Just because Michael Hancock used to dress up like a horse in a helmet, does that make him interesting? Politico Magazine thinks so, citing the Denver mayor’s time as Huddles, the Broncos mascot.

The Mile High City’s biggest cheerleader today was profiled as a “cool-headed change agent” among America’s 11 most interesting mayors in a Sunday piece on the D.C.-based political news site.

“It’s easy to be emotional … and to do things because it looks good politically,” Hancock told Denver-based writer Caleb Hannan. “But if you’re not doing things that are going to protect and help your residents, then what’s the point?”

The other mayors profiled in by Politico were Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Hillary Schieve of Reno, Kevin Faulconer of San Diego, Greg Fischer of Louisville, Marty Walsh of Boston, Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte, Tomás Regalado of Miami, Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City, Bill Peduto of Pittsburgh and Dan Gilbert (the unofficial mayor) of Detroit.

What was Huddles Hancock up against? Consider the profile written by Blake Hounshell:

When a Nashville Predators fan was arrested for throwing a dead catfish on the ice during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals in May, a home game for the Penguins, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto responded with a barrage of fish puns. “This has turned into a whale of a story,” he wrote in a news release. “We shouldn’t be baited into interfering with this fish tale, but if the charges eventually make their way to a judge I hope the predatory catfish hurler who got the hook last night is simply sentenced to community service, perhaps cleaning fish at Wholey’s.”

Hancock has been Denver’s mayor since John Hickenlooper moved on to the governor’s office in 2011. He has twin sister and they’re the youngest of 10 children. That’s pretty interesting, too.

For the record, Hancock did Huddles duty for the Broncos when he was a senior at Manual High School in 1986.