Elway returns in Denver

[DannyColtsBro]

The Denver Broncos hope "Captain Comeback" has one more rally in him.

Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway reached an agreement with the Broncos to join their front office, a league source confirmed Sunday. Elway won two Super Bowl championships with the Broncos, the only team for which he played.

According to The Denver Post, the Broncos likely will hold a mid-week news conference to formally announce Elway's appointment as vice president of football operations -- a title once held by former coach Mike Shanahan.

"If and when we reach an agreement with John Elway, Pat is very confident that John's intelligence, his leadership, business savvy, his knowledge of the game, and competitive fire -- plus the respect that everyone in this building will have for him -- will make us better right away," Joe Ellis, the Broncos' chief operating officer, told the newspaper.

Ellis downplayed the notion that hiring Elway, perhaps the most popular athlete in Denver sports history, is a public-relations attempt by a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2005.

"It is not a PR move," Ellis said. "That would be a waste of John's time and our time and the fans' time. Because we need to win.

"He'll roll up his sleeves and do his job. I've had enough meetings with him to know that," Ellis added. "This isn't about him. This is about the Denver Broncos and this community and our fans, and us getting better as quickly as we can."

Broncos general manager Brian Xanders will report to Elway, according to The Post. Elway also will have a say in the team's next head-coaching hire after Josh McDaniels was fired during the season.

"He has true leadership skills, mental toughness. I can tell that," Xanders told the newspaper. "And he's going to hold everybody accountable. I think it's a great opportunity for him to oversee the whole football operations of the Denver Broncos, because he knows the expectations of the fans and the organization. And he's going to try and lead us there."

Elway's former teammates told The Post they believe he can help resurrect the Broncos, who are 4-11 entering Sunday's season finale against the San Diego Chargers.

"I've been around John a long time, and there's nothing he can't do," said Bubby Brister, who backed up Elway in the Super Bowl title seasons of 1997 and 1998. "They couldn't have picked a better person. He can evaluate. He knows football, he knows people. He's been in the business world and knows that. ... Heck, he is the Denver Broncos. He can handle it."

Said former linebacker Karl Mecklenburg: "It's something that's been on his to-do list forever. It's not like the team came to him and said, 'We need your help, we need you to be a figurehead.' When he came to Mr. (Pat) Bowlen before, Mr. Bowlen made sure he ran him through that whole Arena (Football League) thing. Mr. Bowlen had John run the (Colorado) Crush, and he learned the ropes there."

Elway was co-owner of the Crush, which played from 2003 to 2008 before the league suspended operations. The Crush won the ArenaBowl in just its third season.

 

[Big Bid'Ness]

It's about time he said yes lol.

 

[kam.]

Meh, this is going to pretty much be a failure. What does John Elway know about scouting talent and knowing what moves to make? He was one of the best NFL QBs, yeah.. he however doesn't know how to make moves from a front office standpoint. If anything, this is the Owners job of trying to get the Denver fans to get back and rally around everything thats going to be happening in the next few months because Elway is basically a god around those parts.

Dan Marino did the same thing when he retired, the Dolphins hired him to the front office, he quit about a week later.. it was too much for him. I don't expect it to be a week, but I just don't see this one working out for Elway.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

This will be very interesting going forward for the Broncos, I hope he brings something to the table and I believe he will, time will tell.

 

[dcpwner]

i agree with kam actually. idk if he knows enough about making moves/scouting talent to be in the front office and yeah, i think its a ploy to get Denver fans interested after a shitty season

 

[Lake Louise]

Aww man, does that mean he's not going to be on Million Dollar Poker Challenge anymore? That's a shame.
On a serious note, I agree that it's too keep fans interested. I don't know how much help he would be, but we'll see.