View source for John Elway

{{Short description|American football player and executive (born 1960)}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = John Elway
| image         = John Elway OCT2021 (cropped).jpg
| image_size    =
| alt           = 
| caption       = Elway in 2021
| number        = 7
| current_team  = 
| position      = [[Quarterback]]
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1960|6|28}}
| birth_place   = [[Port Angeles, Washington]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 3
| weight_lb     = 215
| high_school   = [[Granada Hills Charter High School|Granada Hills]] <br> ([[Los Angeles, California]])<!--freshman year at Pullman HS -->
| college       = [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] (1979–1982)
| draftyear     = 1983
| draftround    = 1
| draftpick     = 1
| pastteams     =
* [[Denver Broncos]] ({{NFL Year|1983|1998}})
| pastexecutive =
* Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2011|2020}}) <br> General manager/Executive VP of football operations
* Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2021}}) <br> President of football operations
* Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2022}}) <br> Consultant
| pastadmin     =
* [[Colorado Crush]] ({{AFL Year|2003|2008}}) <br> Co-owner/CEO
| highlights    = ; As a player
* 2× [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXII|XXXII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]])
* [[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award|Super Bowl MVP]] ([[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]])
* [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL Most Valuable Player]] (1987)
* [[Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award|NFL Man of the Year]] (1992)
* 3× Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1987 All-Pro Team|1987]], [[1993 All-Pro Team|1993]], [[1996 All-Pro Team|1996]])
* 9× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1987 Pro Bowl|1986]], [[1988 Pro Bowl|1987]], [[1990 Pro Bowl|1989]], [[1992 Pro Bowl|1991]], [[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]], [[1995 Pro Bowl|1994]], [[1997 Pro Bowl|1996]]–[[1999 Pro Bowl|1998]])
* [[List of National Football League annual passing yards leaders|NFL passing yards leader]] (1993)
* [[National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team|NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]]
* [[National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[Denver Broncos#Ring of Fame|Denver Broncos Ring of Fame]]
* [[Denver Broncos#Retired numbers|Denver Broncos No. 7]] retired
* [[Touchdown Club of Columbus#Sammy Baugh Trophy|Sammy Baugh Trophy]] (1982)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1982 College Football All-America Team|1982]])
* Third-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1980 College Football All-America Team|1980]])
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders|NCAA passing touchdowns leader]] (1982)
* 2× [[Pac-12 Conference football individual awards|Pac-10 Player of the Year]] (1980, 1982)
* [[Pop Warner Trophy]] (1982)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-10]] ([[1980 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1980]], [[1982 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1982]])
* Second-team All-Pac-10 ([[1981 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1981]])
* [[Stanford Cardinal football#Retired numbers|Stanford Cardinal No. 7]] retired
; As an executive
* Super Bowl champion ([[Super Bowl 50|50]])
* [[ArenaBowl]] champion ([[ArenaBowl XIX|2005]])
| statlabel1    = Passing attempts
| statvalue1    = 7,250
| statlabel2    = Passing completions
| statvalue2    = 4,123
| statlabel3    = Completion percentage
| statvalue3    = 56.9%
| statlabel4    = [[Touchdown|TD]]–[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue4    = 300–226
| statlabel5    = Passing yards
| statvalue5    = 51,475
| statlabel6    = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6    = 79.9
| statlabel7    = Rushing yards
| statvalue7    = 3,407
| statlabel8    = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue8    = 33
| pfr           = E/ElwaJo00
| pfrexec       = ElwaJo0
| HOF           = john-elway
| CollegeHOF    = 2055 
}}

'''John Albert Elway Jr.''' (born June 28, 1960) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] who spent his entire 16-year career with the [[Denver Broncos]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). Following his playing career, he then spent 11 years with the Broncos in various front office positions, eventually being promoted to [[General manager (sports)|general manager]]. Elway and former backup quarterback and head coach [[Gary Kubiak]] are the only individuals to be associated with all three of the Broncos' Super Bowl wins.

Elway is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the sport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Elliot |date=July 2, 2019 |title=Top 25 quarterbacks of all time: Patriots' Tom Brady leads list |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/top-25-quarterbacks-of-all-time-patriots-tom-brady-leads-list-0ap3000001035041 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813121959/https://www.nfl.com/news/top-25-quarterbacks-of-all-time-patriots-tom-brady-leads-list-0ap3000001035041 |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bruton |first=Michelle |date=August 28, 2017 |title=The Top 10 Quarterbacks of All Time |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2726739-the-top-10-quarterbacks-of-all-time |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828214537/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2726739-the-top-10-quarterbacks-of-all-time |archive-date=August 28, 2017 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Teets |first=Sam |date=June 23, 2020 |title=The Greatest NFL Quarterbacks Of All-Time, Ranked 20-1 |url=https://clutchpoints.com/ranking-the-20-greatest-nfl-quarterbacks-of-all-time/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220021051/https://clutchpoints.com/ranking-the-20-greatest-nfl-quarterbacks-of-all-time/ |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=ClutchPoints |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clayton |first=John |author-link=John Clayton (sportswriter) |date=January 30, 2017 |title=Clayton's GOAT quarterback ranking |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18581054/greatest-quarterbacks-all-ranking-john-clayton-picks-tom-brady-new-england-patriots-best-nfl-qb-ever |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023181647/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18581054/greatest-quarterbacks-all-ranking-john-clayton-picks-tom-brady-new-england-patriots-best-nfl-qb-ever |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Healy |first=John |date=January 29, 2022 |title=From Elway to Brady, ranking the 10 greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time |url=https://www.audacy.com/national/sports/gallery/best-nfl-quarterbacks-ever |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818210057/https://www.audacy.com/national/sports/gallery/best-nfl-quarterbacks-ever |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |website=Audacy |language=en}}</ref> At the time of his retirement in early 1999, Elway had the most victories by a starting quarterback and was statistically the second most prolific passer in NFL history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-elway-calls-it-quits/|title=John Elway Calls It Quits|date=May 2, 1999|work=CBS News}}</ref> He was also a prolific [[Rush (American and Canadian football)|rusher]] of the ball, being one of only two players to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (the other being [[Thurman Thomas]]) and the only quarterback to do so.<ref name="nfl.com">[http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/records/superbowls/player/passing "Super Bowl Records: Individual Passing"], NFL.com</ref><ref name="Super Bowl Leaders">{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/super-bowl/leaders.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

While playing [[college football]] at [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]], Elway set several career records for passing attempts and completions and also received [[unanimous All-American]] honors. He was the first selection in the [[1983 NFL draft]], famously known as the "quarterback class of 1983", where he was taken by the [[1983 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]] before being traded to the Denver Broncos. In January 1987, Elway embarked on one of the most notable performances in sports and in NFL history, helping engineer a 98-yard, game-tying [[touchdown]] drive in the [[AFC Championship Game]] against the [[1986 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]], a moment later dubbed "[[The Drive (American football)|The Drive]]". Following that game in Cleveland, Elway and the Broncos lost in [[Super Bowl XXI]] to the [[1986 New York Giants season|New York Giants]].

After two more Super Bowl losses, the Broncos entered a period of decline; however, that ended during the [[1997 Denver Broncos season|1997 season]], as Elway and Denver won their first Super Bowl title in [[Super Bowl XXXII]]. The Broncos repeated as champions the [[1998 Denver Broncos season|following season]] in [[Super Bowl XXXIII]]. Elway was named MVP of that Super Bowl, which was the last game of his career, and in doing so Elway set a then-record five Super Bowl starts which was broken in February 2015 when [[Tom Brady]] of the [[New England Patriots]] started [[Super Bowl XLIX]]. After his retirement as a player, Elway served as general manager and executive vice president of football operations of the Broncos, which won four division titles, two AFC Championships, and [[Super Bowl 50]] during his tenure, making Elway a three-time Super Bowl Champion with the Broncos – two as a player and one as an executive. Elway was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2000 and the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 2004.

==Early life==
Elway and his twin sister Jana were born on June 28, 1960, in [[Port Angeles, Washington]], to Janet ([[née]] Jordan) and [[Jack Elway]], then the head coach at [[Port Angeles High School]]. The family of five included sister Lee Ann, a year older than the twins. They moved the following year to southwestern Washington, where Jack was the [[junior college]] head [[American football|football]] coach at [[Grays Harbor Community College]] in [[Aberdeen, Washington|Aberdeen]] for five seasons. As a youth, Elway lived primarily in [[Missoula, Montana]], and [[Pullman, Washington]],<ref name="fptpas">{{Cite news |last=Pierce |first=Oliver |date=January 23, 1987 |title=From Pullman to Pasadena |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RZMrAAAAIBAJ&pg=5009%2C3327423 |work=Idahonian |location=Moscow|via=Google News |page=17}}</ref> when his father was an assistant coach at [[Montana Grizzlies football|Montana]] and [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]], respectively.
[[File:Johnelwayhighschool.jpg|thumb|left|Elway (11) playing for Granada Hills in 1978]]

In February 1976, Jack joined the staff at [[Palouse]] neighbor [[Idaho Vandals football|Idaho]],<ref name="jejigs">{{Cite news |date=February 18, 1976 |title=Jack Elway joins Idaho grid staff |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lSBOAAAAIBAJ&pg=6731%2C586709 |work=Spokesman-Review|via=Google News |page=16}}</ref><ref name="kgmndlymnr">{{Cite news |date=February 18, 1976 |title=Idaho staff adds Elway |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2m1TAAAAIBAJ&pg=6726%2C3139743 |work=Kingman Daily Miner|via=Google News |location=Arizona |page=14 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> but a month later became the [[head coach]] at [[California State University, Northridge|Cal State-Northridge]],<ref name="cnnnch">{{Cite news |date=March 25, 1976 |title=Cal-Northridge names new coach |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ti4dAAAAIBAJ&pg=4167%2C4244127 |work=Tuscaloosa News |location=Alabama |page=18 |agency=Associated Press|via=Google News}}</ref> a [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] program in [[Southern California]]. The family moved after John's freshman year at [[Pullman High School]] to the [[San Fernando Valley]],<ref name="fptpas" /> where he played his final three years of [[high school football|football]] at [[Granada Hills High School]] in [[Granada Hills, California|Granada Hills]], under head coaches [[Jack Neumeier]] and Tom Richards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=John |date=October 12, 1986 |title=THE HIGH SCHOOLS : Hampton Does Unto Defenses Before They Can Do Unto Him |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-12-sp-3210-story.html |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref name="reione">{{Cite news |last=Reilly |first=Rick |author-link=Rick Reilly |date=May 10, 1983 |title=Elway's 'just one of the boys' |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rQ1WAAAAIBAJ&pg=2439%2C2362972 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |page=1C |agency=(Denver Post)|via=Google News}}</ref> Despite missing five games with a knee injury as a senior,<ref name="jelnatm">{{Cite news |last=Rich |first=Tosches |date=July 26, 1979 |title=Jack Elway now a troubled man |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZVhUAAAAIBAJ&pg=6672%2C1749173 |work=Ellensburg Daily Record|via=Google News |page=10 |agency=UPI}}</ref> he ended his high school career with 5,711 passing yards and 49 passing touchdowns,<ref name="waldthg">{{Cite news |last=Van Sickel |first=Charlie |date=December 5, 1980 |title=Walden: 'That's great' |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ioIwAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688%2C1828531 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|via=Google News |page=28}}</ref> and was named to the ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'' All America High School Football Team, along with future NFL stars, quarterback [[Dan Marino]] and running back [[Eric Dickerson]].<ref name="paahsft">{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Haskell |date=December 31, 1978 |title=Parade's All American High School Football Team |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rvdLAAAAIBAJ&pg=3517%2C6441242 |work=Spokesman-Review |page=12, ''Parade'' |agency=''Parade'' magazine|via=Google News}}</ref>

Known as a [[dual-threat quarterback]], meaning he was accomplished at running and escaping pressure with an impressive passing ability, he was amongst the top recruited high school players in the country, receiving numerous [[Athletic scholarship|scholarships]]. One of those offers was from his father, who became the head coach at [[San Jose State Spartans football|San Jose State]] following the 1978 season. Also an accomplished [[baseball]] player, Elway was selected by the [[Kansas City Royals]] in the 18th round of the [[1979 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=18th Round of the 1979 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Royals also selected Marino in the fourth round of the same draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=4th Round of the 1979 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ptovrpr">{{Cite news |last=Hecht |first=Steve |date=June 28, 1979 |title=NCAA ruling spurs Marino to choose Pitt over pros |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z4JIAAAAIBAJ&pg=7142%2C3679116 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|via=Google News |page=10}}</ref>

==College career==
In 1979, Elway enrolled at [[Stanford University]], where he played for the [[Stanford Cardinal football]] and [[Stanford Cardinal baseball|baseball]] teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maun |first=Tyler |date=March 11, 2015 |title=Before the Broncos, Elway eyed the Bronx |url=https://www.milb.com/news/before-the-broncos-elway-eyed-the-bronx-112011776 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Peter |date=March 26, 2012 |title=John Elway and Stanford's Football-Baseball Stars |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1119116-john-elway-and-stanfords-football-baseball-stars |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> [[Rod Gilmore]] recalled that the football team expected Elway to be a backup quarterback for three years before starting, like [[Turk Schonert]] and [[Steve Dils]]. After seeing the new player in preseason practice [[Babe Laufenberg]] and another backup transferred, knowing that Elway would be above them on the [[depth chart]]. Stanford was where the legend of the "Elway cross" began; after the freshman broke two players' fingers on the first day of practice, receivers began catching Elway's passes with their bodies instead of hands, leaving a cross on their chests from the ball's seams.<ref name="gilmore19990130">{{Cite web |last=Gilmore |first=Rod |date=January 30, 1999 |title=Even in college, Elway showed signs of greatness |url=http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs98/news/1999/990129/01074401.html |access-date=January 20, 2024 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

Elway spent his freshman season as backup to future NFL quarterback Schonert, playing in nine games as the team went 5–5–1. After Schonert graduated, Elway became the starting quarterback as a sophomore, threw 27 touchdown passes (2nd in the NCAA), and led the team to a 6–4 record heading into the final week of the season. In the [[Big Game (American football)|Big Game]] against a 2–8 [[California Golden Bears football|California]] team, Stanford was upset 28–23, dropping them to 6–5 and costing them a chance to play in a bowl game. In 1981, Elway had another fine season, ranking 7th in the NCAA with 20 touchdown passes, but the team finished the year with a dismal 4–7 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Elway College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/john-elway-1.html |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In his senior season in [[1982 Stanford Cardinal football team|1982]], Stanford was 5–5 and needed to win its final game, The Big Game against Cal, to secure an invitation to the [[Hall of Fame Classic (college football game)|Hall of Fame Classic]] [[bowl game]]. With two minutes remaining in the game, Stanford was down 19–17 and had 4th-and-17 on their own 13-yard line. Elway completed a 29-yard pass and drove the ball downfield to the 35-yard line, where Mark Harmon kicked what appeared to be the winning field goal. However, the clock had four seconds remaining, so Stanford had to kick off. What followed is now simply known as "[[The Play (Stanford vs. California)|The Play]]", in which Cal players lateraled the ball, [[Rugby football|rugby]]-style, five times – two of them controversial – and scored a touchdown to win the game, 25–20. Elway was bitter about the game afterward, stating that the officials "ruined my last game as a college football player."<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stanford-s-Elway-bitter-after-Big-Game-loss-to-3236185.php |title=Stanford's Elway bitter after Big Game loss to Cal in 1982 |date=November 18, 2007 |journal=San Francisco Chronicle |last=Miller |first=Johnny}}</ref> Stanford athletics director Andy Geiger said the loss cost Elway the [[Heisman Trophy]]. Twenty years later, Elway came to terms with The Play, saying that "each year it gets a little funnier."<ref name="alumni">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2002/novdec/features/theplay.html |title=And The Band Played On |last=Krentzman |first=Jackie |magazine=Stanford Alumni Magazine |date=Nov–Dec 2002}}</ref>

Although Elway never led his team to a [[bowl game]], he had an accomplished college career. In his four seasons (1979–1982) at Stanford, he completed 774 passes for 9,349 yards, 77 touchdowns, and 39 interceptions, while also scoring 5 touchdowns rushing the ball. Stanford had a 20–23 record during his tenure. Elway's 24 touchdown passes in 1982 led the nation,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1982 College Football Leaders |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1982-leaders.html |access-date=November 20, 2025 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> and at the conclusion of his career, he held nearly every [[Pacific-10 Conference|Pacific-10]] record for passing and total offense. He won the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-10 Player of the Year]] honors in 1980 and 1982, was a [[unanimous All-American]], and finished second in Heisman balloting as a senior.<ref>Elway finished second to [[Herschel Walker]], [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1982.html Sports-Reference.com: 1982 Heisman Trophy Voting] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129105555/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1982.html |date=January 29, 2012 }}</ref> In 2000, Elway was enshrined in the [[College Football Hall of Fame]]. In 2007, Elway was ranked #15 on ESPN's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. He passed for over 200 yards in 30 of his 42 collegiate games.

Elway also excelled as a baseball player. He was selected by the [[New York Yankees]] in the second round of the [[1981 Major League Baseball draft]] (52nd overall, six spots ahead of future Hall of Famer [[Tony Gwynn]]), and received $150,000 for playing for the Yankees' [[Class A Short Season|short season]] affiliate [[Oneonta Yankees]] in the [[New York–Penn League]] in the summer of 1982.<ref name=vamwk82>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HDQdAAAAIBAJ&pg=4745%2C3408802 |newspaper=Tuscalsoosa News |agency=''Family Weekly'' magazine |title=the delicious dilemma of John Elway |last=Rotto |first=Ray |date=October 17, 1982 |page=6, ''Family Weekly''}}</ref> Many scouts saw Elway as a good baseball player, but not as likely a star as in football.<ref name="janofsky19830503">{{Cite news |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |date=May 3, 1983 |title=Elway Traded to Broncos by Colts |language=en-US |page=B5 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/03/sports/elway-traded-to-broncos-by-colts.html |access-date=September 24, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Yankees scout [[Gary Hughes (baseball)|Gary Hughes]] believed, however, that if Elway concentrated on baseball "the sky was the limit … he would've been off the charts". Yankees owner [[George Steinbrenner]]—who aggressively sought Elway's services—reportedly planned to make him the Yankees' starting [[right fielder]] by 1985, which Elway—aware of Steinbrenner's opinion—later described as "a tremendous [and] exciting thought".<ref name="30for30">{{cite episode |title=Elway to Marino |series=30 for 30 |network=ESPN |airdate=April 23, 2013 |season=2}}</ref>

Elway graduated with a [[bachelor's degree]] in [[economics]], and is a member of the [[Delta Tau Delta]] [[Fraternities and sororities in North America|fraternity]].<ref name=reione /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Delta Tau Delta: Beta Rho Chapter – Stanford University |url=http://web.me.com/alexoppenheimer/Delta_Tau_Delta/Members.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525012203/http://web.me.com/alexoppenheimer/Delta_Tau_Delta/Members.html |archive-date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=September 22, 2011 |website=me.com}}</ref> Already age 19 when he entered as a freshman, Elway did not use a [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirt]] year at Stanford.

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| GP
! colspan="9"| Passing
|-
! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! Avg !! AY/A !! TD !! Int !! Rtg
|-
! [[1979 Stanford Cardinals football team|1979]]
| 9 || 50 || 96 || 52.1 || 544 || 5.7 || 5.5 || 6 || 3 || 114.1
|-
! [[1980 Stanford Cardinals football team|1980]]
| 11 || 248 || 379 || 65.4 || 2,889 || 7.6 || 7.7 || 27 || 11 || 147.2
|-
! [[1981 Stanford Cardinals football team|1981]]
| 11 || 214 || 366 || 58.5 || 2,674 || 7.3 || 6.8 || 20 || 13 || 130.8
|-
! [[1982 Stanford Cardinal football team|1982]]
| 11 || 262 || 405 || 64.7 || 3,242 || 8.0 || 7.9 || 24 || 12 || 145.6
|-
! [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/john-elway-1.html Career] !! 42 !! 774 !! 1,246 !! 62.1 !! 9,349 !! 7.5 !! 7.3 !! 77 !! 39 !! 139.3
|}

==Professional career==

===1983 NFL draft===
The [[1983 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]] had the first overall pick in the [[1983 NFL draft]], nicknamed the "Quarterback class of 1983". Elway was the first of six quarterbacks selected in the first round. Elway was wary of playing for the Colts, among the worst teams in the league at the time, and his father advised him against playing for head coach [[Frank Kush]], who had a reputation as a harsh taskmaster. While Elway preferred football, his agent Marvin Demoff later stated that baseball was "a true option" for him at the time. The possibility gave Elway leverage in negotiations with the Colts.{{r|30for30}}

Elway told the Colts in December 1982 that he did not want to play for the team, and later told the Colts that he wanted to play on the West Coast or for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] or [[Miami Dolphins]].{{r|janofsky19830503}} After unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate a private agreement with the Colts in which Elway would cite his alleged desire to remain on the West Coast to explain the team trading him, Elway publicly threatened to join the Yankees full-time if the Colts did not trade him; Demoff wrote in his journal, published three decades later, that "he would be a garbage collector before he'd play for Baltimore." Elway's refusal to join the Colts was controversial – [[1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] quarterback [[Terry Bradshaw]] denounced him, stating "you should play baseball … he's not the kind of guy you win championships with" – but many other NFL teams began negotiations with the Colts for the quarterback. One possibility was trading Elway for the [[1983 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]' [[Joe Montana]], whose team had a poor [[1982 San Francisco 49ers season|season in 1982]]. Another was a trade with the [[1983 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]], who were negotiating a new contract with starting quarterback [[Dan Fouts]]. The [[1982 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] were interested, but the Colts did not wish to trade Elway to a team in the same division.{{r|30for30}} The [[1983 Los Angeles Raiders season|Los Angeles Raiders]] almost traded for Elway the day before the draft, but the Raiders could not complete a required trade with the [[1983 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]];{{r|janofsky19830503}} they ultimately drafted one spot ahead of the Dolphins and were the last team to pass on Marino.{{r|30for30}} The Cowboys, who were Elway's favorite team as a child,{{r|30for30}} came the closest to completing a deal and had an ace in the hole by offering existing starting quarterback [[Danny White]] (who had played under Kush at [[Arizona State Sun Devils football|Arizona State]]) in exchange for Elway, as Kush and [[Tom Landry]] had been friends. However, Cowboys general manager [[Tex Schramm]] was unable to get through to Colts owner [[Robert Irsay]], with [[Gil Brandt]] adding years later that they would have likely been able to complete the deal if not for Irsay.{{r|30for30}}

With no successful trade before the draft, the Colts had to draft Elway and possibly trade him later.{{r|janofsky19830503}} Team general manager [[Ernie Accorsi]] wanted Elway as, Accorsi later said, he did not foresee the [[1984 NFL draft|1984 draft]] as producing any first-round quarterbacks. Accorsi announced Elway as the team's choice as soon as possible during the 15-minute window on draft day, surprising observers,{{r|30for30}} but Kush already told Elway's family by phone that the Colts would pick him regardless of baseball.{{r|janofsky19830503}} Elway that day reiterated his wish to not play for the Colts at a press conference, saying "As I stand here right now, I'm playing baseball". When a reporter pointed out that the Yankees were not based on the West Coast, Elway replied "They play baseball during the summertime".{{r|30for30}} Jack Elway said that John "will never play for Irsay or Coach Kush".{{r|janofsky19830503}}

Worried that the Colts would waste their pick, Irsay began negotiating with the [[1982 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] before the draft.{{r|janofsky19830503}} The Colts were interested in offensive lineman [[Chris Hinton]], whom the Broncos chose as the fourth pick in the first round. On May 2, Irsay and Accorsi agreed to trade Elway for Hinton, backup quarterback [[Mark Herrmann]], and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft, which turned into offensive lineman [[Ron Solt]].{{r|30for30}}{{r|janofsky19830503}} The Colts' [[Baltimore Colts relocation to Indianapolis|controversial relocation]] to [[Indianapolis]] the following year would later prove to somewhat vindicate Jack Elway's concerns, and the team would largely struggle until the arrival of [[Peyton Manning]] during Elway's last season as a player.{{r|30for30}}

===Denver Broncos===
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 48 - Sammy Winder (John Elway crop).jpg|right|thumb|Elway pictured during his second NFL season with the Broncos in 1984]]

As one of the best quarterbacks drafted,{{r|janofsky19830503}} Elway joined Denver as one of the most highly anticipated athletes in the history of the NFL.<ref name=siindenv /> The local newspapers ran a section that was called "The Elway Watch".<ref name=siindenv>{{cite news|last=Looney |first=Douglas S. |title=In Denver, delirium Is spelled E-l-w-a-y |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/assets/story_pdf/In_Denver_Delirum_is_spelled_Elway-SI_8-15-83.pdf |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=August 15, 1983 |page=21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018040231/http://www.profootballhof.com/assets/story_pdf/In_Denver_Delirum_is_spelled_Elway-SI_8-15-83.pdf |archive-date=October 18, 2015 }}</ref> After [[Craig Morton]] retired after the 1982 season and Herrmann was traded, the press expected that Elway might become the starting quarterback during the [[1983 Denver Broncos season|1983 season]]. He debuted for the Broncos in the season opener against the [[1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] at [[Three Rivers Stadium]], and was sacked for the first time in his NFL career at the hands of [[linebacker]] and fellow [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]].<ref name=lhrdbd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p58fAAAAIBAJ&pg=1426%2C1040178 |newspaper=Gadsden Times |location=Alabama |agency=Associated Press |title=Elway hurt; DeBerg directs Broncos win |date=September 5, 1983 |page=B4}}</ref> In his first game, Elway was relieved by veteran quarterback [[Steve DeBerg]], who led the Broncos to a victory. Elway's second game was also on the road at [[1983 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore]], and was spirited by his rejection of the franchise. In what would turn out to be Elway's only professional game in Baltimore,<ref group="note">The Colts [[Baltimore Colts relocation to Indianapolis|moved to Indianapolis]] prior to the 1984 season. Although Baltimore [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy|received a new franchise]] that commenced play in 1996, that team (the [[Baltimore Ravens|Ravens]]) only played the Broncos once, in Denver, during Elway's final three professional seasons.</ref> Elway was again relieved in a close game by DeBerg, who led the Broncos to another win.<ref name=ddbkres>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v_8sAAAAIBAJ&pg=2341%2C2693101 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |agency=wire services |title=Denver's DeBerg keeps rescuing $5 million man |date=September 13, 1983 |page=D6 }} {{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In early October, DeBerg was named the starter by third-year head coach [[Dan Reeves]] for the remainder of the season,<ref name=strbrch>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RFwxAAAAIBAJ&pg=1136%2C3117691 |newspaper=Montreal Gazette |agency=UPI |title=Struggling Broncos bench Elway, DeBerg starter for rest of season |date=October 6, 1983 |page=D-14}}</ref> but a shoulder injury brought Elway back a month later.<ref name=mgzelbk>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FaAkAAAAIBAJ&pg=1147%2C4647741 |newspaper=Montreal Gazette |agency=news services |title=Elway back as starter after Broncos lose DeBerg |date=November 8, 1983 |page=D10}}</ref><ref name=btbelsdb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EINGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1428%2C2539107 |newspaper=Evening News |location=Newburgh-Beacon, New York |agency=Associated Press |last=Cour |first=Jim |title=Broncos to bench Elway, start DeBerg |date=December 23, 1983 |page=2B}}</ref>

In the [[1986 Denver Broncos season|1986 season]], Elway led the Broncos to [[Super Bowl XXI]], after defeating the [[1986 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] on a famous possession at the end of the fourth quarter that became known as "[[The Drive (American football)|The Drive]]". In a span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, Elway led his team 98 yards to tie the game with 37 seconds left in regulation. The Broncos won the game in overtime. Elway and the Broncos started out the Super Bowl against the [[1986 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] very well, building a 10–7 lead and then driving to the Giants 1-yard line in the second quarter. However, the Broncos lost five yards on their next three plays and came up empty after kicker [[Rich Karlis]] missed the field goal attempt. From that point on, the rest of the game went downhill for the Broncos. Elway was sacked in the end zone for a safety on the Broncos ensuing possession, cutting their lead to 10–9. Then in the second half, the Giants scored 30 points and ended up winning the game 39–20. Still, Elway had an impressive performance, throwing 304 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, while also leading Denver in rushing with 27 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

[[File:1987 Atlanta Falcons Pocket Schedule (crop).jpg|right|thumb|Elway (center) getting tackled by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in 1985]]
In the [[1987 Denver Broncos season|1987 season]], Elway was selected to start in the [[American Football Conference]]'s (AFC) [[Pro Bowl]] team and won the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]]. He went on to once again lead the Broncos to a victory over the Browns in the AFC title game, earning their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, this one against the [[Washington Redskins]]. The game started out very well for Denver, and they built up a 10–0 lead by the end of the first quarter. At the time, no team had overcome a 10–0 deficit in the Super Bowl. But in the second quarter, the Redskins suddenly stormed back with a record 35 points, and ended up winning [[Super Bowl XXII]] 42–10. Elway did have a few highlights. His 56-yard touchdown pass to [[Ricky Nattiel]] after just 1:57 had elapsed in the game set a record for the fastest touchdown in Super Bowl history, at the time. He also became the first quarterback to catch a pass in the Super Bowl, recording a 23-yard reception from halfback [[Steve Sewell]] on a [[halfback option play]]. With a porous defense unable to stop the Redskins offense, Elway was forced to take more risks on the offensive end. As a result, Elway's performance was rather disappointing: just 14 out of 38 completions for 257 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.

Gilmore, who regretted not helping Elway win a Heisman ("Had we focused a little more on what we were doing, we could have made things easier on John"), thought that the Broncos were, like their Stanford teams, overdependent on Elway: "when one player is head and shoulders better than the rest of the team ... people come to expect the star will always save the day".{{r|gilmore19990130}} After recording an 8–8 record in 1988, Elway once again led his team to the Super Bowl after the [[1989 Denver Broncos season|1989 season]], with yet another win over the Browns in the AFC championship game, going on to face the [[1989 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] in [[Super Bowl XXIV]]. However, this game ended even worse for the Broncos than their previous Super Bowl losses. San Francisco blew out Denver 55–10, the most lopsided score in Super Bowl history. Although Elway scored the only touchdown for his team on a three-yard run, his performance was abysmal: 10 out of 26 completions for 108 yards with no touchdown passes and two interceptions. But he didn't try to hide from the media after the game or downplay his dismal performance. And when he was asked if he wanted to go back to the Super Bowl after three losses, he responded that he wanted to go back every year, even if his team kept losing. However, many doubted that he would win a Super Bowl in his career.

It took Elway another eight years, but he eventually led his team back to the Super Bowl, following the [[1997 Denver Broncos season|1997 season]]. During the preseason [[American Bowl]] game in [[Mexico City]], Elway ruptured his right (throwing arm) [[biceps brachii muscle|biceps]] [[tendon]]. It was treated non-surgically, and he returned to play 19 days later, and the team advanced to [[Super Bowl XXXII]], Elway's fourth, where they faced the [[1997 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]], the [[Super Bowl XXXI|defending champions]]. Despite Elway completing only 11 of 22 passes, throwing no touchdowns and one interception, the Broncos defeated the Packers 31–24, winning their first Super Bowl, after three failed attempts for Elway (and four for the team).

In the [[1998 Denver Broncos season|1998 season]], the Broncos repeated this feat and Elway was named [[Super Bowl MVP|MVP]] of [[Super Bowl XXXIII]], throwing 336 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, while also scoring a rushing touchdown in Denver's 34–19 win over the [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]]. It was his last game, other than the [[1999 Pro Bowl]].

===Legacy===
[[File:David Petraeus, Lynn Swann, Roger Craig, John Elway, Roger Goodell at Super Bowl 43.jpg|right|thumb|Elway (second from right) at [[Super Bowl XLIII]] with [[Lynn Swann]], [[Roger Craig (American football)|Roger Craig]], [[Roger Goodell]], and General [[David Petraeus]]]]
On May 2, 1999, at age 38, Elway announced his retirement from professional football. Elway is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks to play the game. He has one of the best winning percentages in league history (148–82–1), and was tied for the second-most [[Pro Bowl]] selections for a quarterback (nine) at the time of his retirement. Elway played in 22 postseason games with the Broncos, 21 as a starter, and led the team to victory in 14 of them. In those games he threw 4,964 yards and 27 touchdowns, with 21 interceptions, while also rushing for 461 yards and 6 more scores. He is currently 9th all time in passing yards,<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Passing Yards Career Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref> 10th in passes completed,<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Passes Completed Career Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_career.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref> and 12th in passing touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Passing Touchdowns Career Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_td_career.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref> His four total rushing touchdowns in his Super Bowl games are the most by a quarterback. He is also the second player to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (running back [[Thurman Thomas]] was the first). Notably, Elway played his entire NFL career with no anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee; he had left knee replacement surgery in 2007.<ref>https://www.denverpost.com/2007/12/01/elways-left-knee-good-as-new/amp/</ref><ref>https://www.deseret.com/1995/7/14/19182265/elway-says-no-way-he-ll-retire-despite-bad-knees/</ref>

On September 13, 1999, Elway's number 7 jersey was retired by the [[Denver Broncos]] during halftime of a [[Monday Night Football|Monday Night]] game against the [[Miami Dolphins]]; that same night he was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. [[Craig Morton]], his direct predecessor in Denver, also wore number 7 and is in the Ring of Fame alongside Elway. He was the first Broncos player to have the five-year waiting period waived. Also in 1999 he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Also in 1999, Elway was ranked number 16 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Football's 100 Greatest Players |magazine=[[The Sporting News]] |access-date=September 22, 2009 |url=http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/list-complete.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051105085403/http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/list-complete.html |archive-date=November 5, 2005 }}</ref> the only player to have spent the majority of his career with the Broncos to make the list; [[Willie Brown (American football)|Willie Brown]], who began his career with the Broncos but spent more of it with the [[Oakland Raiders]], also made the list. In 2005, ''TSN'' published another special feature honoring the 50 Greatest Quarterbacks. Elway was ranked third behind [[Johnny Unitas]] and [[Joe Montana]].

Elway was named the greatest athlete wearing the #7 by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''. [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]' quarterback [[Ben Roethlisberger]], who grew up idolizing Elway and Joe Montana, wore number 7 in honor of Elway during his entire 18-year career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/22/AR2006012201255.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Big Ben, Already Like Clockwork |first=Michael |last=Wilbon |date=January 23, 2006 |access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref>

===Notable statistics===
Elway ended his career with a record 148 victories, since surpassed by Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady for [[most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL)|most wins by a starting quarterback]]. He finished his career with 774 rushing attempts, currently fourth in league history behind [[Cam Newton]] (934), [[Michael Vick]] (873), and [[Randall Cunningham]] (775). Elway's 3,407 rushing yards ranks seventh all-time among NFL QB's behind Cunningham, Vick, Newton, [[Steve Young]], [[Fran Tarkenton]], and [[Steve McNair]].

Elway threw 1,128 yards in his five Super Bowls, fourth most behind [[Tom Brady]], [[Kurt Warner]], and [[Joe Montana]]. His 76 Super Bowl pass completions rank fifth, and his 152 attempts were a Super Bowl record before being broken by [[Tom Brady]]. He is one of only two players to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (the other being [[Thurman Thomas]]) and the only quarterback to do so, with 156 attempts.<ref name="nfl.com"/><ref name="Super Bowl Leaders" />

As of the 2017 NFL off-season, Elway held at least 33 Broncos franchise records, including:
* Completions: career (4,123), playoffs (355), rookie season (123)
* Pass Attempts: career (7,250), game (59 on 1993-10-10 @GNB; with [[Peyton Manning]]), playoffs (651), rookie season (259 in 1983), rookie game (44 on 1983-12-11 BAL)
* Passing Yards: career (51,475), playoffs (4,964), rookie game (345 on 1983-12-11 BAL)
* Passing Touchdowns: career (300), playoffs (27), playoff season (6 in 1987), playoff game (3 on 1988-01-17 CLE, 1990-01-14 CLE, and 1994-01-09 @RAI; with [[Peyton Manning]])
* Interceptions: career (226), playoffs (21), playoff season (5 in 1987)
* Sacks: career (516), game (7 on 1989-10-29 PHI and 1993-10-18 RAI; with [[Tim Tebow]]), playoffs (39), playoff game (5 on 1988-01-31 NWAS; with [[Tim Tebow]] and [[Peyton Manning]]), rookie season (28 in 1983)
* Yds/Pass Att: playoffs (7.63), rookie game (11.83 on 1983-12-04 CLE)
* Rush Yds/Att: playoff season (6.73 in 1986)
* 300+ yard passing games: career (40), playoffs (4), rookie season (1; with [[Marlin Briscoe]] and [[Tim Tebow]])
* Most Total Offensive Yards: 54,882 yards (51,475 passing, 3,407 rushing)
* Most Total Touchdowns: 334 (300 passing, 33 rushing, 1 receiving)
* Most Total Plays: 8,027

===Hall of Fame===
On August 8, 2004, Elway was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]. He was elected in his first year of eligibility. He was presented by his eldest daughter Jessica. He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2000.<ref>{{College Football HoF|id=2055|name=John Elway|accessdate=October 11, 2010}}</ref>

===Career highlights===
* In 1979, Elway was drafted out of high school by the [[Kansas City Royals]] to play [[baseball]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. [[George Brett]], the future [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1999|Hall of Fame]] [[third baseman]] for the Royals, remarked, "They said: 'talk this guy into playing baseball. We didn't do a very good job, thank God, because he probably would have taken my job."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/jun/13/john-elway-dan-marino-1979-mlb-draft-kansas-city-royals | title=It could have changed NFL forever: The day the Royals drafted Elway and Marino | newspaper=The Guardian | date=June 13, 2017 | last1=Carpenter | first1=Les }}</ref>
* In the 1981 MLB Draft, Elway was selected by the [[New York Yankees]] in the second round.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/elway/news/1999/04/25/class_of_1983/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818233705/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/elway/news/1999/04/25/class_of_1983/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |work=CNN |title=Six QBs picked in first round shared history |access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref> The following year, he played [[outfield]] in 42 games for the [[Connecticut Tigers|Oneonta Yankees]] of the Class A [[New York–Penn League]].<ref name=elwaybythenumbers>{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/elway/news/1999/04/24/by_the_numbers/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818233638/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/elway/news/1999/04/24/by_the_numbers/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |title=John Elway: Master of the Drive |work=CNN |access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref> He had a .318 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], with four [[home run]]s, 13 stolen bases,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=elway-001joh |title=John Elway Minor League Statistics & History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |date=June 28, 1960 |access-date=October 11, 2010}}</ref> and a team-high 25 [[Run batted in|RBI]].<ref name=elwaybythenumbers /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/elway/timeline.html |title=Sporting News – NFL – NCAA – NBA – MLB – NASCAR – UFC – WWE |work=Sporting News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920140523/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/elway/timeline.html |archive-date=September 20, 2008 }}</ref>
* In the [[1983 NFL draft]], Elway was selected as the first overall pick by the [[Baltimore Colts]], and on May 2 was traded to the [[Denver Broncos]].
* On January 11, 1987, Elway executed "The Drive"—a last-ditch, five-minute, 15-play, 98-yard touchdown drive in the AFC Championship against the [[Cleveland Browns]] to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, leading to an overtime win by field goal (by [[Rich Karlis]]) for the Broncos. It included six passes made (nine attempted), five rushes and an eight-yard sack. He was named the NFL Most Valuable Player and the AFC Offensive MVP.
* Elway is the only player to throw over 3,000 yards and rush for over 200 yards in seven straight seasons (1985–1991).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=834 |title=Broncos Official Website, Ring of Fame page |publisher=Denverbroncos.com |access-date=October 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060323013448/http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=834 |archive-date=March 23, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Elway was named the AFC Offensive MVP in 1993 when he passed for 4,030 yards and 25 touchdowns. He had a quarterback rating of 92.8.
* In 1997, Elway led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl win in [[Super Bowl XXXII]]. His three previous attempts in Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXI|XXI]], [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]], and [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]] were unsuccessful.
* Elway is one of only two players to rush for a touchdown in four Super Bowls (XXI, XXIV, XXXII, XXXIII). Thurman Thomas is the other.
* On January 31, 1999, in [[Super Bowl XXXIII]], Elway passed for 336 yards in a 34–19 victory over the [[Atlanta Falcons]]. He was named the [[Super Bowl MVP]].
* Elway was selected to the [[Pro Bowl]] nine times during his 16 seasons with the Broncos, a franchise record.
* Over his professional career, Elway led Denver to 35 comeback wins in the 4th quarter & overtime, tied for third with [[Johnny Unitas]].<ref name="pro-football-reference.com">[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=3392 "Quarterbacks and fourth quarter comebacks, Part 1"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622073938/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=3392 |date=June 22, 2018 }}, Pro-Football-Reference.com</ref>
* Elway's 148 wins place him fourth behind [[Peyton Manning]], [[Brett Favre]], and [[Tom Brady]] for career wins among quarterbacks.
* Elway was sacked 516 times, second to Favre for most times sacked in NFL history.
* Elway's 300 career touchdown passes places him twelfth behind Favre, [[Dan Marino]], [[Fran Tarkenton]], [[Peyton Manning]], [[Tom Brady]], [[Drew Brees]], [[Eli Manning]], [[Philip Rivers]], [[Aaron Rodgers]], [[Matt Ryan (American football)|Matt Ryan]], and [[Ben Roethlisberger]].
* Elway is one of six quarterbacks to pass for at least 3,000 yards in 12 seasons; Favre, Marino, Brees, Brady, and Manning are the others.
* On January 31, 2004, Elway was elected into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=64 |title=Hall of Famers » JOHN ELWAY |publisher=Profootballhof.com |access-date=October 11, 2010}}</ref>
* Elway's No. 7 Stanford Cardinal jersey was retired on November 7, 2013, at halftime during the Stanford-Oregon game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208960667 |title=Stanford to Retire Elway's No. 7 |author=Kurt Svoboda |access-date=November 18, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013231230/http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208960667 |archive-date=October 13, 2013 }}</ref> <!-- date given as June 8, 2013, but I've no idea whether they mean June 8 or August 6 -->

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#ff0; width:3em;"|
| AP [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL MVP]]
|-
| style="background:#f4c842; width:3em;"|
| [[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award|Super Bowl MVP]]
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| style="background:#e0cef2; width:3em;"|
| NFL record
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="3"| Games
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|- 
! GP !! GS !! Record !! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|- 
! [[1983 NFL season|1983]] !! [[1983 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 11 || 10 || 4−6 || 123 || 259 || 47.5 || 1,663 || 6.4 || 7 || 14 || 54.9 || 28 || 146 || '''5.2''' || 1
|- 
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 15 || 14 || 12−2 || 214 || 380 || 56.3 || 2,598 || 6.8 || 18 || 15 || 76.8 || 56 || 237 || 4.2 || 1
|- 
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] !! [[1985 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 11−5 || 327 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''605''' || 54.0 || 3,891 || 6.4 || 22 || '''23''' || 70.2 || 51 || 253 || 5.0 || 0
|- 
! [[1986 NFL season|1986]] !! [[1986 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 11−5 || 280 || 504 || 55.6 || 3,485 || 6.9 || 19 || 13 || 79.0 || 52 || 257 || 4.9 || 1
|- 
! style="background:#ff0;"|[[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 12 || 12 || 8−3−1 || 224 || 410 || 54.6 || 3,198 || 7.8 || 19 || 12 || 83.4 || '''66''' || '''304''' || 4.6 || 4
|- 
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 15 || 15 || 8−7 || 274 || 496 || 55.2 || 3,309 || 6.7 || 17 || 19 || 71.4 || 54 || 234 || 4.3 || 1
|- 
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 15 || 15 || 10−5 || 223 || 416 || 53.6 || 3,051 || 7.3 || 18 || 18 || 73.7 || 48 || 244 || 5.1 || 3
|- 
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 5−11 || 294 || 502 || 58.6 || 3,526 || 7.0 || 15 || 14 || 78.5 || 50 || 258 || '''5.2''' || 3
|- 
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 12−4 || 242 || 451 || 53.7 || 3,253 || 7.2 || 13 || 12 || 75.4 || 55 || 255 || 4.6 || '''6'''
|- 
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 12 || 12 || 8−4 || 174 || 316 || 55.1 || 2,242 || 7.1 || 10 || 17 || 65.7 || 34 || 94 || 2.8 || 2
|- 
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 9−7 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''348''' || style="background:#cfecec;"| 551 || '''63.2''' || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''4,030''' || 7.3 || 25 || 10 || 92.8 || 44 || 153 || 3.5 || 0
|- 
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 14 || 14 || 7−7 || 307 || 494 || 62.1 || 3,490 || 7.1 || 16 || 10 || 85.7 || 58 || 235 || 4.1 || 4
|- 
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 8−8 || 316 || 542 || 58.3 || 3,970 || 7.3 || 26 || 14 || 86.4 || 41 || 176 || 4.3 || 1
|- 
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 15 || 15 || '''13−2''' || 287 || 466 || 61.6 || 3,328 || 7.1 || 26 || 14 || 89.2 || 50 || 249 || 5.0 || 4
|- 
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1997 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 16 || 16 || 12−4 || 280 || 502 || 55.8 || 3,635 || 7.2 || '''27''' || 11 || 87.5 || 50 || 218 || 4.4 || 1
|- 
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1998 Denver Broncos season|DEN]] 
| 13 || 12 || 10−2 || 210 || 356 || 59.0 || 2,806 || '''7.9''' || 22 || 10 || '''93.0''' || 37 || 94 || 2.5 || 1
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElwaJo00.htm Career] !! 234 !! 231 !! 148−82−1 !! 4,123 !! 7,250 !! 56.9 !! 51,475 !! 7.1 !! 300 !! 226 !! 79.9 !! 774 !! 3,407 !! 4.4 !! 33
|}

===Postseason===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="3"| Games
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|- 
! GP !! GS !! Record !! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|- 
! [[1983–84 NFL playoffs|1983]] !! [[1983 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 0 || — || 10 || 15 || '''66.7''' || 123 || 8.2 || 0 || 1 || 64.0 || 3 || 16 || 5.3 || 0
|- 
! [[1984–85 NFL playoffs|1984]] !! [[1984 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 1 || 0−1 || 19 || 37 || 51.4 || 184 || 5.0 || 2 || 2 || 61.1 || 4 || 16 || 4.0 || 0
|- 
! [[1986–87 NFL playoffs|1986]] !! [[1986 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || 2−1 || '''57''' || '''107''' || 53.3 || '''805''' || 7.5 || 3 || 4 || 71.6 || 15 || '''101''' || '''6.7''' || '''2'''
|- 
! [[1987–88 NFL playoffs|1987]] !! [[1987 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || 2−1 || 42 || 89 || 47.2 || 797 || '''9.0''' || '''6''' || '''5''' || 77.8 || '''18''' || 76 || 4.2 || 1
|- 
! [[1989–90 NFL playoffs|1989]] !! [[1989 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || 2−1 || 42 || 82 || 51.2 || 732 || 8.9 || 4 || 3 || 83.0 || 16 || 91 || 5.7 || 1
|- 
! [[1991–92 NFL playoffs|1991]] !! [[1991 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 2 || 2 || 1−1 || 30 || 54 || 55.6 || 378 || 7.0 || 1 || 2 || 68.3 || 10 || 49 || 4.9 || 0
|- 
! [[1993–94 NFL playoffs|1993]] !! [[1993 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 1 || 0−1 || 29 || 47 || 61.7 || 302 || 6.4 || 3 || 1 || 92.7 || 5 || 23 || 4.6 || 0
|- 
! [[1996–97 NFL playoffs|1996]] !! [[1996 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 1 || 0−1 || 25 || 38 || 65.8 || 226 || 5.9 || 2 || 0 || '''99.2''' || 5 || 30 || 6.0 || 0
|-
! [[1997–98 NFL playoffs|1997]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1997 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 4 || 4 || '''4−0''' || 56 || 96 || 58.3 || 726 || 7.6 || 3 || 2 || 83.9 || 9 || 25 || 2.8 || 1
|- 
! style="background:#f4c842; width:3em;"|[[1998–99 NFL playoffs|1998]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1998 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || 3−0 || 45 || 86 || 52.3 || 691 || 8.0 || 3 || 1 || 85.9 || 9 || 34 || 3.8 || 1
|- 
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElwaJo00/gamelog/post/ Career] !! 22 !! 21 !! 14−7 !! 355 !! 651 !! 54.5 !! 4,964 !! 7.6 !! 27 !! 21 !! 79.7 !! 94 !! 461 !! 4.9 !! 6
|}

===Super Bowl===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Game
! rowspan="2"| Opp.
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
! rowspan="2"| Result
|-
! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|-
! [[Super Bowl XXI|XXI]] !! [[1986 New York Giants season|NYG]]
| 22 || 37 || 59.5 || 304 || 8.2 || 1 || 1 || 83.6 || 6 || 27 || 4.5 || 1 || ''L'' 39−20
|-
! [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]] !! [[1987 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 14 || 38 || 36.8 || 257 || 6.8 || 1 || 3 || 36.8 || 3 || 32 || 10.7 || 0 || ''L'' 42−10
|-
! [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]] !!  [[1989 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| 10 || 26 || 38.5 || 108 || 4.2 || 0 || 2 || 19.4 || 4 || 8 || 2.0 || 1 || ''L'' 55−10
|-
! [[Super Bowl XXXII|XXXII]] !! [[1997 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 10 || 22 || 45.5 || 123 || 5.6 || 0 || 1 || 51.9 || 5 || 17 || 3.4 || 1 || '''W''' 31−24
|-
! style="background:#f4c842;"|[[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]] !! [[1998 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 18 || 29 || 62.1 || 336 || 11.6 || 1 || 1 || 99.2 || 3 || 2 || 0.7 || 1 || '''W''' 34−19
|-
! colspan="2"| Total !! 74 !! 152 !! 48.7 !! 1,128 !! 7.4 !! 3 !! style="background:#e0cef2"| 8 !! 58.2 !! 21 !! 86 !! 4.1 !! 4 !! W−L 2−3
|}

==Business activities==
Elway was co-owner of the Arena Football team [[Colorado Crush]] from their inception in 2002 until the cancellation of the [[Arena Football League]] after the [[2008 Arena Football League season|2008 season]]. In February 2007, Elway was elected chairman of the AFL's executive committee.<ref name="k921">{{cite web | agency=Associated Press| title=Elway to chair Arena League executive committee | website=ESPN.com | date=2007-02-14 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2764863 | access-date=2024-09-26}}</ref> On August 4, 2009, the Arena Football League announced an indefinite suspension of operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/arenafootball/story/12027198 |title=Sports – CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video |publisher=Cbssports.com |access-date=October 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126051814/http://www.cbssports.com/arenafootball/story/12027198 |archive-date=January 26, 2012 }}</ref> Elway was one of the 17 remaining franchise owners that voted to suspend operations indefinitely.<ref name="j421">{{cite web | last=Moss | first=Irv | title=Arena Football League suspended indefinitely | website=The Denver Post | date=2009-08-03 | url=https://www.denverpost.com/2009/08/03/arena-football-league-suspended-indefinitely/ | access-date=2024-09-26}}</ref>

Elway is the owner of four steakhouse [[restaurants]], each named "Elway's": One is located in the upscale Cherry Creek shopping district, one in the [[Ritz-Carlton]] Hotel in downtown Denver, one in [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]], and one in the [[Denver International Airport]].<ref name="empire">{{Cite web |date=2007-01-26 |title=Elway expands business empire, opening new steakhouse |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=2744058 |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://elways.com/ |website=Elway's |access-date=March 16, 2019}}</ref>

Elway owned five auto dealerships, called John Elway Autos, in the Denver area. He sold them to [[AutoNation]] Inc. in 1997 for $82.5 million. In December 2006, Elway ended a nine-year licensing agreement with AutoNation, removing his name from Denver-area dealerships. At the time, Elway said the move could allow him to get back into the auto business under his own name.<ref name="empire" /> He still owns two [[Toyota]] [[Scion (car)|Scion]] dealerships, one in Manhattan Beach, California<ref>Manhattan Beach Toyota, [http://www.manhattanbeachtoyota.com/ John Elway's Manhattan Beach Toyota]</ref><ref>Manhattan Beach Scion, [http://www.manhattanbeachscion.com/ Manhattan Beach Scion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210005350/http://www.manhattanbeachscion.com/ |date=February 10, 2012 }}</ref> and another in Ontario, California,<ref>Crown Toyota, [http://www.crowntoyota.com/ John Elway's Crown Toyota]</ref><ref>Crown Scion, [http://www.crownscion.com/ John Elway's Crown Scion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701025127/http://www.crownscion.com/ |date=July 1, 2007 }}</ref> a [[Chevrolet]] dealership in Englewood, Colorado,<ref>John Elway Chevrolet, [http://www.johnelwaychevrolet.com/ John Elway Chevrolet]</ref> and a [[Chrysler]] [[Jeep]] dealership in Greeley, Colorado.<ref>John Elway Chrysler, [http://www.elwaychrysler.com/ John Elway Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram]</ref> Elway acquired a [[Cadillac]] franchise from [[Sonic Automotive]] in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elwaydealers.com/|title=John Elway Dealers is a Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chevrolet, Cadillac dealer selling new and used cars in Englewood, CO.|website=www.elwaydealers.com}}</ref>

In September 2008, Elway became the spokesperson for OpenSports.com.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS111813+03-Sep-2008+BW20080903 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103201536/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS111813+03-Sep-2008+BW20080903 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 3, 2009 |title=John Elway signs with OPEN Sports.com |work=Reuters|date=September 3, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2010}}</ref>

Elway had [[LASIK]] eye surgery and endorsed Icon LASIK in the Denver area in November 2008.<ref>John Elway LASIK [http://iconlasik.com/john-elway-lasik.html John Elway selected ICON LASIK in Denver] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519203241/http://iconlasik.com/john-elway-lasik.html |date=May 19, 2014 }}</ref>

Elway currently offers his commentary on the Broncos and the NFL season as a whole Friday mornings during the football season on 87.7 The Ticket in Denver.

Elway is part of a national awareness campaign about [[Dupuytren's contracture]], with which he was diagnosed in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elway avoids surgery in treating hand condition |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27438660/elway-avoids-surgery-treating-hand-condition |website=ESPN |date=August 22, 2019 |publisher=ESPN Enterprises, Inc. |access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref>

==Executive career==
In December 2010, Elway expressed interest in working as the Broncos' top football executive after having dinner with Broncos owner [[Pat Bowlen]]. However, he stressed he did not wish to be a head coach or general manager after [[Josh McDaniels]]' firing, saying, "I'm not interested in being a head coach. I'm not interested in being a general manager. I don't have that kind of experience to be able to pick those players day in and day out and such."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5907212&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines|title=John Elway would like to join Broncos|work=ESPN.com|date=December 10, 2010 }}</ref>

On January 5, 2011, Elway was named general manager and executive vice president of football operations of the Broncos, with the final say in all football matters. In this capacity, he reported to team president [[Joe Ellis]] and was the immediate supervisor for the head coach of the team. General manager [[Brian Xanders]] was actually retained, but served mostly in an advisory role to Elway.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_17015369 |work=[[The Denver Post]] |first1=Mike |last1=Klis |first2=Jeff |last2=Legwold |title=Broncos officially announce Elway hire, promote Ellis to president |date=January 5, 2011}}</ref> Xanders left the team after the 2012 season, and Elway assumed the role of general manager which gave him complete control over the football side of the Broncos operation.

Under Elway's management, the team signed free agent quarterback [[Peyton Manning]], who was just released by the [[Indianapolis Colts]]. In four seasons from 2012 to 2015, the Broncos won four division titles, two AFC Championships, and reached [[Super Bowl XLVIII]] where they were soundly defeated 43–8 by the [[Seattle Seahawks]] despite holding the regular season's top offense.

Elway responded to the Super Bowl loss by signing defensive end [[DeMarcus Ware]], cornerback [[Aqib Talib]], and safety [[T. J. Ward]] for the 2014 season. After losing in the divisional playoffs to the Indianapolis Colts, Elway dismissed [[John Fox (American football)|John Fox]], who won four divisional championships in his four years as Broncos head coach.

Elway hired [[Gary Kubiak]], his former backup quarterback and former Broncos offensive coordinator, as the new head coach for the 2015 season. Elway and Kubiak also brought back [[Wade Phillips]], a former Broncos head coach, for his second stint as the team's defensive coordinator.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-super-bowl-john-fox-broncos-haugh-spt-0209-20160208-column.html|title=John Fox's role on Broncos not forgotten, but much about Super Bowl will be|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=February 8, 2016 |access-date=February 9, 2016}}</ref><ref name="si.com">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/02/09/super-bowl-50-denver-broncos-von-miller-peyton-manning-gary-kubiak-john-elway-wade-phillips|title=Wild Ride: Tale of Super Bowl 50 champs Broncos|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> Elway won a third Super Bowl as part of the Broncos franchise, on February 7, 2016, when Denver defeated the [[Carolina Panthers]] 24–10 in [[Super Bowl 50]]. This gave him his first Super Bowl win as Executive VP/GM, to go along with the two he won as the team's quarterback.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zucker |first=Joseph |date=February 7, 2016 |title=John Elway becomes 1st with Super Bowl Ring as GM and Player after Broncos win |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2613541-john-elway-becomes-1st-with-super-bowl-ring-as-gm-and-player-after-broncos-win |website=www.bleacherreport.com |access-date=January 21, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2017, Elway received the Mizel Institute Award for his philanthropic contributions to Denver and the state of Colorado.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Elway receives Mizel Institute award for philanthropy |date=May 24, 2017 |url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/john-elway-receives-mizel-institute-award-for-philanthropy-18894824 |access-date=December 21, 2021 |website=www.denverbroncos.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Elway tested positive for [[COVID-19]] in November 2020,<ref>{{cite news |author=Legwold, Jeff |title=Denver Broncos president John Elway, CEO Joe Ellis test positive for coronavirus |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30250783/denver-broncos-president-john-elway-ceo-joe-ellis-test-positive-coronavirus |website=ESPN.com |date=November 3, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020}}</ref> and returned to the team on November 12.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Charean |author-link=Charean Williams |date=November 12, 2020 |title=John Elway has recovered from COVID-19, returning to office |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/12/john-elway-has-recovered-from-covid-19-returning-to-office/ |access-date=March 8, 2021 |work=NBCSports.com}}</ref> Following the 2020 season, Elway announced that he would step down as general manager but continue to serve as the Broncos' president of football operations.<ref>{{cite web|work=ESPN.com|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30651698/denver-broncos-hire-new-gm-john-elway-takes-elevated-role|title=John Elway cedes control of Denver Broncos roster, to hire GM|date=January 4, 2021|first=Jeff|last=Legwold|accessdate=February 6, 2021}}</ref> He was succeeded as general manager by [[George Paton (American football executive)|George Paton]].

In February 2022, Elway took on a new position as an outside consultant that reports directly to Paton.<ref>{{cite web|work=SI.com|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/john-elway-outside-consultant-new-role|title=Report: Broncos Assign John Elway a New Role as 'Outside Consultant'|first=Keith|last=Cummings|date=February 28, 2022|accessdate=August 14, 2022}}</ref> As of April 2023, Elway had no contractual affiliation with the Denver Broncos and his official role with the club had ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/04/04/john-elways-role-with-broncos-officially-ends/|title=John Elway's role with Broncos officially ends|date=April 4, 2023|access-date=April 5, 2023|publisher=ProFootballTalk|author=Mike Florio}}</ref>

==Television appearance==
In 2024, Elway competed in [[The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 12|season twelve]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' as "Leaf Sheep" which was part vehicle and had [[DeMarcus Ware]] (who portrayed "Koala" in [[The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 11|season eleven]]) as his Mask Ambassador. He was the first of Group A to be eliminated in the season premiere.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/the-masked-singer-season-12-premiere-recap-john-elway-leaf-sheep-1236155241/|title="The Masked Singer" Season 12 Premiere Reveals Identity of Leaf Sheep: Here Is the Celebrity Under the Costume |website=Variety|first=Michael|last=Schneider|date=September 25, 2024|access-date=September 26, 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Elway married Janet Buchan, who attended [[Stanford University]] and competed on its [[Swimming (sport)|swimming]] team, in 1984. They separated in 2002 and divorced in 2003. They have four children: Jessica, Jordan, Jack, and Juliana.<ref name="denverpost">{{cite news |last=Husted |first=Bill |url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10568103 |title=John Elway to marry ex-Raiders cheerleader |work= The Denver Post |date=September 26, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2010}}</ref>

Elway's twin sister, Jana, developed [[lung cancer]] and died at the age of 42 in the summer of 2002.<ref>{{Cite news |title=John Elway's Twin Sister dies |date=July 25, 2002 |url=https://apnews.com/article/9c57f3818bbc62bc10e73200e4247925 |website=www.apnews.com |access-date=March 1, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> John's father, Jack, died of an apparent [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] a year earlier.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hatfield |first=Larry D. |date=April 16, 2001 |title=Coach Jack Elway dies: Broncos star's father led San Jose State, Stanford |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Coach-Jack-Elway-Dies-Broncos-star-s-father-led-2931304.php |website=www.sfgate.com |access-date=March 1, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Craig |date=April 17, 2001 |title=Jack Elway, father and longtime coach, dead |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20010417&slug=elway17 |website=www.archive.seattletimes.com |access-date=March 1, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Elway met former [[Oakland Raiders]] [[Oakland Raiderettes|cheerleader]] Paige Green in 2005 at a celebrity golf tournament held by former Raiders running back [[Marcus Allen]] in Los Angeles.<ref name="denverpost" /> They were engaged in Italy in September 2008,<ref name="denverpost" /><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/26/john-elway-engaged-former-raiders-cheerleader/ |title=John Elway engaged to former Raiders cheerleader: Broncos |work= The Rocky Mountain News |date= September 26, 2008 |access-date= October 11, 2010}}</ref> and married in August 2009.

Elway is a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribe |first=Dr. Ivan |title=Denver Bronco - Hall of Fame Quarterback |url=http://www.knightstemplar.org/articles/1007/elway.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130124857/http://www.knightstemplar.org/articles/1007/elway.pdf |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |website=Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the U.S.A.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grand Lodge Administrator |date=October 8, 2019 |title=Did You Know These Famous Athletes Are Also a Part of Freemasonry? |url=https://www.freemason.com/did-you-know-these-famous-athletes-are-also-a-part-of-freemasonry/ |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=Freemasonry |language=en-US}}</ref>

On April 30, 2025, Elway's former agent and longtime friend Jeff Sperbeck died from serious injuries suffered when he fell off a golf cart that was reportedly being driven by Elway. Sperbeck was 62.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/john-elway-golf-cart-incident-former-broncos-legend-hires-lawyer-history-repping-athletes-trouble|work=Foxnews|title=John Elway golf cart incident: Former Broncos legend hires lawyer with history of repping athletes in trouble|last=Sabes|first=Alex|date=May 2, 2025|access-date=May 2, 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame]]
* [[List of gridiron football quarterbacks passing statistics]]
* [[List of multi-sport athletes]]
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{citation |url=https://wc.arizona.edu/papers/92/147/16_1_m.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729182131/http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/92/147/16_1_m.html |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |title=Clock runs out on Elway |newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat |date=May 3, 1999 |via=AP}}
* {{cite news |first=Ivan |last=Carter |title=KC helped make Elway a star |newspaper=The Kansas City Star |date=August 8, 2004 |page=C8 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Elway_John.html ESPN Sportscentury bio]
* [http://www.elways.com/ Elway's Restaurant]
* {{IMDb name|0255863}}
* {{Footballstats |espn=6470 |pfr=ElwaJo00}}
* {{Baseballstats|brm=elway-001joh}}
* {{Profootballhof|john-elway}}
* {{College Football HoF|2055}}

{{Navboxes|title=John Elway—awards, championships, and honors|list=
{{Stanford Cardinal quarterback navbox}}
{{Pac-12 Player of the Year}}
{{Pop Warner Trophy}}
{{1982 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1969–1994 All-America Team}}
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{{Baltimore Colts 1983 draft navbox}}
{{ColtsFirstPick}}
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{{AP NFL MVPs}}
{{Walter Payton Man of the Year Award}}
{{Super Bowl XXXII}}
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{{NFL1990s}}
{{NFL100}}
{{Broncos50th}}
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{{Broncos Retired Numbers}}
{{Denver Broncos Ring of Honor}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Elway, John}}
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