ENGLEWOOD – John Elway heard Joe Flacco.
Sparing the accolades for another day, Elway is a former Broncos’ quarterback, Flacco is the current one.
When it comes to Elway, who is now the Broncos’ general manager, taking a quarterback with his No. 10 draft selection on Thursday, Flacco let it be known there would be better options.
“I want to get this team to be the best it is with me at quarterback," Flacco said last week. “So obviously that’s not of utmost importance to draft a quarterback."
Elway had no problem with Flacco’s chutzpah.
“I’m glad he (said) that," Elway said Tuesday at his pre-draft press conference at the team’s UCHealth Training Center. “I like that. I understand that. That’s what you want from your guy that is your starting quarterback right now. You want him to have that mentality. I thought those comments were fine."
Should Elway the GM take a QB at No. 10, he will know first-hand how Flacco would feel. In 1992, Elway had just finished his eighth season as the Broncos’ starting quarterback when Dan Reeves, the team’s head coach who had a tough time getting along with his franchise quarterback, took UCLA quarterback Tommy Maddox with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round.
“Yeah, I was standing at the baggage claim at (Stapleton Airport) and we needed a wideout," Elway said. “I said, ‘Oh (Carl) Pickens must’ve been gone.’ He didn’t go until the second round."
Was Elway upset about the Maddox pick?
“Sure. Yeah." Elway said. “How’d that work out?”
You could almost see Elway’s barrel chest grow. Maddox was a bust with the Broncos and several other NFL teams before he broke out with the XFL in 2000-01, and then had three nice seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2001-03.
Elway finished with back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997-98.
I don’t think Elway will take a quarterback at 10. But it’s possible. Elway said QBs Drew Lock, Dwayne Haskins and Daniel Jones are “on the board."
Joe Flacco will not be happy if Elway does take a QB in the first round. And Elway is glad Flacco won’t be happy.
