John Elway

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Lore & Background

Elway's college career at Stanford set the stage for his professional legend. In 1982, during the final game of his senior season against Cal, he led a drive that culminated in what appeared to be a winning field goal by Mark Harmon with four seconds left. However, Cal executed 'The Play,' lateraling the ball five times for a touchdown, costing Stanford the Hall of Fame Classic bowl invitation and potentially Elway's Heisman Trophy. Despite this heartbreak, he finished second in Heisman voting and held nearly every Pacific-10 record for passing and total offense by graduation. Known as a dual-threat quarterback who set the 'Elway cross' tradition due to his powerful throws, he also excelled in baseball, signing with the New York Yankees after being drafted in 1981.

In Their Own Story

January 12, 1987, marked a turning point in NFL history during the AFC Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. Trailing late, Elway engineered a 98-yard, game-tying touchdown drive, a moment forever dubbed 'The Drive.' Although the Broncos subsequently lost Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants, and suffered two more Super Bowl losses, Elway's resilience defined his tenure. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 1997 season with a victory in Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers. The following year, in Super Bowl XXXIII against the Atlanta Falcons, Elway was named MVP in what became the final game of his career. This win capped a run where he set a then-record of five Super Bowl starts, a mark later broken by Tom Brady.

Reader's Guide

Elway's path to Denver began with a standoff after being selected first overall in the 1983 NFL draft. He threatened to join the Yankees full-time unless traded, eventually moving to the Broncos where he played for 16 seasons. His playing career concluded with back-to-back championships in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII. After retiring in early 1999, Elway returned to the organization in various front office roles over 11 years, rising to general manager. In this executive capacity, he guided the Broncos to four division titles, two AFC Championships, and victory in Super Bowl 50. His dual success makes him one of only two individuals associated with all three of the franchise's Super Bowl wins, alongside Gary Kubiak.

Did You Know?

• Elway is the only quarterback to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls.
• He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round of the 1979 MLB draft and later signed with the New York Yankees in 1982 for $150,000.
• Elway holds the distinction of being associated with all three Super Bowl wins for the Denver Broncos as both a player and an executive.
• He finished second in Heisman Trophy balloting after his senior year at Stanford, largely due to the loss known as 'The Play'.
• At the time of his retirement in 1999, Elway had the most victories by a starting quarterback and was the second most prolific passer in NFL history.