John Elway

The numbers never told John Elway's story. His overall statistics are impressive, but his true measure as a player ran straight to his heart.

It took two championships at the end of his career to certify his stature, to soften the mark of three Super Bowl losses. After 16 seasons, Elway retired as the starting quarterback with the most wins in NFL history with a 148-82-1 record. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August of 2004.

A renowned scrambler, Elway led 47 winning or tying drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, more than any quarterback. "In tight situations I stop worrying about turnovers," he said. Elway became the first quarterback to start five Super Bowls, was selected for the Pro Bowl nine times, and in 1987 was voted the NFL’s Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press. By taking risks as a passer, he made plays other quarterbacks couldn't. Elway closed his career with an MVP performance in the 1999 Super Bowl.

John Elway was born in Port Angeles, Wash. Growing up, Elway participated in several sports. After moving to the Los Angeles area, Elway starred in baseball and football at High School. Batting .491 as a senior, he led his team to the city baseball championship. As a quarterback, he was a prep All-American, receiving scholarship offers from 60 colleges before choosing Stanford University.

While at Stanford Elway set Pac-10 career passing records for completions, yardage, and touchdowns. Said Stanford coach Paul Wiggin: "Every team we play puts up a picture of John and says, 'That's our battle cry.' "Elway was a consensus All-American as a senior in 1982, when he passed and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting. The Baltimore Colts made Elway the No. 1 pick in the 1983 draft. He used baseball as leverage. The Yankees drafted him in the 1st round.

Fearing Elway might turn to baseball, the Colts traded his rights to Denver. After signing with Denver, Elway became a much-admired starter. In the AFC championship game in Cleveland, Elway did something remarkable when he took Denver on "The Drive," a tying, 98-yard, 15-play march late in the game. The Broncos defeated Cleveland in overtime, but then lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants despite Elway's best effort.

For 16 amazing seasons—234 games that included a NFL-record 148 wins—John Elway was the undisputed leader of the Denver Broncos. He will be forever remembered for his 47 game-winning or game-tying drives in the fourth quarter (another NFL record), his spectacular passing statistics, and his enduring competitive spirit, which led him to ultimate professional and personal triumph in the Super Bowl.

John Elway now serves as the General Manager & President of Football Operations for the Denver Broncos. He resides in Englewood, Colorado, and keeps very busy, dividing his time between his family, business interests, and charitable activities through the Elway Foundation and The Heroes Foundation. His foundations focus on the prevention and treatment of child abuse and supporting America's heroes and their families, respectively.