John Elway returned to the Denver Broncos in an executive role in 2011, 12 years after he retired from playing quarterback in the NFL.
Elway was soon promoted from executive vice president of football operations to general manager in 2012, and he was later promoted to president of football operations/GM.
While in charge of the Broncos’ roster, Elway was responsible for helping build the 2015 roster that led Denver to a win in Super Bowl 50. Elway’s biggest move as GM was signing QB Peyton Manning in 2012.
Elway, who directly had a hand in all three of the team’s Super Bowl wins, stepped down from his GM duties in 2021, but remained president of football operations. When his contract expired in 2022, Elway remained with the club for one more season as a consultant.
Elway’s consultant deal with the Broncos expired this spring and it was not renewed, ending his official affiliation with the team. Although he no longer has an official title, Elway will continue to be available as a resource for GM George Paton and coach Sean Payton.
“John is the most important figure in this franchise’s history and one of the more important figures, I believe, in NFL history,” Paton said last week. “I can’t think of any player that has won a world championship as a player and as a GM — really in all of sports. There’s very few. Personally, I didn’t know John before I took this job. Obviously, I was a fan of John growing up [because] it’s John Elway, like most of you were.
“Just getting to know him, he was a great mentor for me as a new GM. [He was a] great resource [and] continues to be a great resource to me [as well as] a friend. I value that. I appreciate everything he’s done for me, and he’ll continue to be a resource for me. I know for Sean as well. I just can’t thank him enough and I look forward to seeing him soon.”
Elway, 62, will still be around the team’s facility from time to time, but he’s moving on from having a daily football role. Perhaps an acting career could be in the Hall of Famer’s future?
