The moments are legendary. The Drive, The Helicopter, 2 Super Bowl wins, 5 Super Bowl visits and an NFL MVP award. John Elway’s career compares with the best of all time. Day one Elway had a confidence and brashness to him. He refused to go to Cleveland if they drafted him, he carried marginal teams to Super Bowls and showed up big late (in his career and in games). The confidence from his career has spilled over to his management career. The Gambler on the field is a Gambler off it.
The hand John Elway was dealt started with an anti-quarterback. Tim Tebow ran and barely threw the Broncos into the playoffs and a 1st round playoff win. John Fox orchestrated an unpredictable symphony that year. Most GMs would add to the team and build on the success and the players on the roster. Not John. He wanted a QB he knew could make the throws, read a defense and throw people open. John gambled and drafted a tall QB, with a rocket arm that was roommates with his son in Brock Osweiler. Osweiler was a good prospect but did not carry a 2nd round grade. John didn’t care about the grade. This didn’t end his quest for a QB. John doubled-down and signed Peyton Manning. A Peyton Manning coming off multiple neck surgeries and sat out an entire year
Peyton Manning was not a sure thing when he came to the Broncos
In two years the Broncos made it to the playoffs, but the year two brought a rude awakening. The best offense (Denver) took a beating from the best defense (Seattle). John went into the post season with a strong team that led the league in every offensive category and was favored to get back again. John Elway didn’t go the Colts route and build the offense up even more around Peyton, he went out and signed three huge defensive free agents in Demarcus Ware, TJ Ward and Aqib Talib. Other teams have spent in free agency and come up empty. John Elway didn’t care about other teams were doing.
The next year brought success but not the success expected. A loss to the Indianapolis Colts marked a low mark. John Elway could make small moves, allow a coaching staff to develop better chemistry and game plans to improve on a playoff team. John decided to clear out the current staff, hire his old backup, an old Broncos head coach and change the scheme completely. Peyton Manning had no experience with this offense, the defense had not worked with Wade Phillips before and the offensive line needed to learn a new blocking scheme. John Elway didn’t care what the team needed to learn.
Gary Kubiak was not highly sought after as the O-Coordinator of the Ravens
All the moves finally led to the goal. The 2016 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos won with the defense John Elway signed and drafted. They won with the QB John Elway drafted taking the reins and excelling for 7 games. They won with the QB John Elway signed and stuck with through thick and thin. They won with an all new coaching staff that John Elway hired.
The 2016 offseason brought departures. Some were expected and others were not. Brock Osweiler’s departure welcomed a fan uprising. How will this team compete? Who will lead this team next year? How will this franchise recover from losing both starting QBs? The answer is not simple, but I am sure John Elway has plans and he doesn’t care what other people think.
