Getty Legendary Broncos general manager and former 2x Super Bowl winning quarterback John Elway admitted Denver's QBs and coaches have been "deficient" since 2017
Legendary former Denver Broncos general manager and two-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback John Elway recently admitted to The Denver Gazette’s Woody Paige that the coaching and quarterbacking Denver has seen since 2017 has been “deficient.”
“Elway admitted that his quarterback and coaching choices were deficient since 2017,” Paige wrote of the 62-year-old NFL Hall of Famer.
Elway did speak highly of the 2015 title team, though, calling it a “great comeback” team due to then-39-year-old quarterback Peyton Manning making his last stand during his retirement season on a Broncos team that won it all.
“We had a great postseason run for five years (when he returned to take over the football operations),” Elway said. “It’s awfully hard to get the Super Bowl, but we did it seven times (following the first before he arrived in the Broncos’ most historic and franchise-changing trade with the then Baltimore Colts). Peyton (Manning) came to Denver, and we made it to the Super Bowl (48).
“After the blowout, I knew we had to drastically improve the defense. We got DeMarcus Ware, Aqib (Talib), T.J. Ward (to go with Von Miller) and exceptionally good draft picks (Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan and undrafted free agent Chris Harris Jr.), and we won the Super Bowl (50) with defense. I thought that season was a great comeback.”
John Elway Moved on From Broncos Entirely in February
Elway explained to Paige why he decided to move on from being an executive with the Broncos franchise — in roles ranging from general manager to team president to consultant during his final season in Denver in 2022 — to pursue his other interests.
“I’ve got the (Elway) restaurants and (Elway) car dealerships and other (enterprises) to keep me busy enough,” Elway said. “I want to play golf. (He once shot 67 on the member tees at Augusta National) The No. 1 trip on my bucket list is to Normandy (the landing area of the Allies’ invasion in World War II), I’ve always wanted to go there. (His wife) Paige and I want to take a boat trip to the Greek Isles, and I’ll spend a lot of my time with my grandkids.”
Elway pledged he’d take care of his body in the “quality time remaining” he has living on this earth.
“My body took care of me for so long I now want to take care of my body in the QTR,” Elway said.
John Elway on Broncos Tenure: ‘I Made Mistakes’
Elway didn’t sit in front of Paige and claim his career was perfect — instead lamenting on the final six losing seasons he had while involved with the Broncos as an executive when asked what he hoped his legacy would be.
“I’ve always let everyone else frame that answer,” Elway prefaced before saying, “My thoughts are the Broncos always have been loyal to me, and I always have been loyal to the Broncos. As a player and an executive, they gave 28 years, and I hope I gave back to the Broncos and the fans for all my 28 years. It didn’t end as well as I hoped, and I made mistakes. But we did win another Super Bowl. Most important is the great relationships I’ve fostered in my 40 years in Colorado.”
Ultimately, Elway feels he did the best he could given the circumstances.
“Everyone wants to be remembered for being good at their craft,” Elway said. “I’m proud of what we all have accomplished together. I did everything to be the best I could.”