Throughout NFL history, there has been no shortage of quarterbacks to excel late in games and lead their teams to comeback victories. However, there’s never been anyone who did it better than John Elway. Time and time again, he pulled the Denver Broncos out of the fire with some unfathomable comeback wins. Not only was he amazing late in games, but Elway was also great late in his career, finally winning two Super Bowls in his last two seasons.
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Marc Barnes AD
Of course, there was a lot more to Elway’s career than great comebacks. Let’s take a full look back at Elway’s Hall of Fame career to better understand what he accomplished, comebacks and all.
Two Sport Star
It wasn’t just on the gridiron where Elway excelled growing up. We know he chose football, but the Yankees also had their eyes on him, selecting him in the Second Round of the 1981 MLB Draft. He signed with the Yankees for $140,000 and was assigned to a Yankees short-season A-league team in Oneonta, New York. Elway, a left-handed-hitting right fielder, impressed George Steinbrenner, who saw him as a potential MLB starter. In 1982, Elway showcased his skills by
batting .318 in 42 games. His prowess on the baseball field would soon have an impact on the start of his football career.
Pre-Draft Controversy
There was no doubt that the Colts wanted to draft Elway following his standout college career at Stanford. However, Elway’s father spoke to the franchise before the 1983 NFL Draft to share that Elway didn’t want to play in Baltimore. As a promising minor league player with the Yankees, Elway had plenty of leverage. The Colts had drafted Art Schlichter with their first-round pick in 1982, but he quickly became a disappointment as the team struggled to a record of 0-8-1. Despite a substantial offer from the Raiders for the top pick in 1983, the Colts chose Elway as the No. 1 overall pick. With Elway threatening to choose baseball over football, the Colts had no choice but to trade his rights to the Broncos.
The Early Years
Elway faced challenges in transitioning to the NFL, recording seven touchdown passes and 14 interceptions during his rookie season. Although the Broncos made the playoffs that year, Steve DeBerg had a 4-1 record in his starts and started Denver's playoff game. However, Elway played a pivotal role in a crucial game against the Colts in December 1983, helping the Broncos overcome a 19-0 deficit to secure a playoff spot. Of course, that would not be Elway’s last comeback.
The Drive
Perhaps his most famous comeback came a few years into his career. Elway earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 1986 and guided the Broncos to their second AFC championship game. His defining moment came in Cleveland, where a 48-yard touchdown pass from Bernie Kosar to Brian Brennan put the Browns ahead 20-13. Following a mishap on the ensuing kickoff that pinned the Broncos at their own 2-yard line, Elway embarked on a legendary journey in NFL history known as "The Drive." He orchestrated an unforgettable march down the field that ended with a touchdown pass to rookie Mark Jackson to tie the game at 20. The Broncos won the game in overtime to reach Super Bowl XXI.
A Series of Super Bowl Losses
After “The Drive,” Elway and the Broncos came up short in a 39-20 loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, Super Bowl losses would become a theme in Elway’s career. The following year, Elway won MVP honors and took Denver back to the Super Bowl, only to suffer a 42-10 loss to Washington. Two years later, it was a 55-10 Super Bowl loss to the 49ers. Those three Super Bowl losses in a four-year span remained a black mark on Elway’s career, making some think he would never win the big one.
The Mike Shanahan Era
Mike Shanahan served as a Broncos assistant from 1984 to 1987 and then returned to Denver under Dan Reeves from 1989 to 1991, following a stint as head coach with the Raiders that didn't go as planned. Ultimately, the Broncos brought him back as their head coach in 1995. He quickly changed the course of the franchise and Elway’s career. Shanahan's strategic approach resulted in a stellar 13-3 season in 1996. However, after Shanahan rested his starters late in the year, Elway and the Broncos were on the wrong end of a 30-27 comeback loss to the Jaguars in the playoffs, spoiling an otherwise brilliant season.
At Last
The 1997 Broncos were a revelation offensively. Behind Elway, they led the league with 472 points, nearly 100 more points than the previous season. In the playoffs, Denver embarked on something of a revenge tour, first routing the Jaguars in the opening round, then narrowly defeating the top-seeded Chiefs. A critical late-game connection from Elway to Sharpe helped stave off the Steelers in another hard-fought victory to reach Super Bowl XXXII. Despite being 11-point underdogs, Elway and Terrell Davis made the game close. Facing a crucial third-and-6 situation, Shanahan called a play that Elway had predicted would succeed if the Packers lined up in a certain coverage. When Green Bay did just that, the 37-year-old Elway executed an iconic scramble, plowing through Packer defenders to set up Davis' go-ahead touchdown and finally win a Super Bowl on his fourth try.
If only that game had taken place today, Broncos’ fans could have cashed in big bucks by betting on Denver as an 11-point underdog. Fortunately, today’s fans are privy to
Colorado sports betting. There are more than a dozen sportsbooks operating in Colorado, giving sports fans in that state a great collection of options for their betting needs.
One More Year
After contemplating retirement following his Super Bowl XXXII win, Elway returned to a team that would go down as one of the NFL's greatest. With nine double-digit victories and Terrell Davis in MVP form, rushing for 2,000 yards, the Broncos became only the third team to start the season 13-0. Despite missing four games with an injury, Elway had some memorable moments, including a late comeback win over the Chiefs. In the playoffs, Denver cruised on its way back to the Super Bowl. In what would become his final game, Elway claimed Super Bowl MVP honors with a stellar performance in the Broncos' 34-19 victory over the Falcons. It was the perfect way to cap off an amazing career that sent Elway to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
