John Albert Elway, Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback. He played his college football at Stanford and his entire professional career for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
Elway set career records for passing attempts and completions at Stanford. He also received All-American honors. Elway was drafted #1 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. By his second year in the league, Elway set team records for passing attempts, completions and yards. In 1987, he embarked on what is considered to be one of the most clutch performances in NFL history, when he helped guide the Broncos on a 98-yard, game-tying drive in the AFC Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. The moment is known in National Football League lore as The Drive. Following the AFC Championship Game, Elway and the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XXI.
After two more Super Bowl losses, the Broncos entered a period of decline; however, that would end during the 1997 season, as Elway and Denver won their first Super Bowl title by defeating the Green Bay Packers, 31-24, in Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos repeated as champions the following season in Super Bowl XXXIII by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19. Elway was voted MVP of the Super Bowl, as the game would prove to be the last of his career.
Elway is also the co-owner of the Colorado Crush, an arena football team.
