ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway will have a new title in 2022.
The best player in Broncos history who also served for a decade as the team’s general manager before taking a step back last season, Elway will be an outside consultant to general manager George Paton, a source confirmed to 9NEWS.
As for Elway’s desire to become involved in the team’s new ownership structure, that won’t be determined until after the financial advisors working on the sale of the Broncos settle on a controlling owner.
Elway’s relationship with the Broncos began in 1983 when he forced a trade from the Baltimore Colts, who had selected the athletic, bazooka-armed quarterback out of Stanford as No. 1 overall draft pick. His 16-year playing career included five Super Bowl appearances, back-to-back world championships in his final two seasons of 1997-98, and first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He returned to the franchise in 2011 as head of football operations. Inheriting a Broncos team that went 4-12 under Josh McDaniels in 2010, Elway quickly built a record-setting offensive juggernaut led by quarterback Peyton Manning that reached the Super Bowl in 2013, then reconstructed his roster so that an iconic, Von Miller-led defense that won the Super Bowl in 2015.
Following another winning season in 2016, Elway received a five-year contract extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid general manager.
The past five years didn’t go so well, though, as the unexpected retirement of head coach Gary Kubiak and difficulty in finding a suitable quarterback replacement to Manning were among the reasons why the Broncos have recently struggled. Elway, 61, took a step back last year, keeping his title as president of football operations, while helping to hire his general manager successor in George Paton.
The five-year contract extension Elway received prior to the 2017 season has now expired, leading to his revised role as an outside consultant. In his position he will continue to be an advisor to Paton.
The possibility of adding the new owner to his consulting responsibilities will be addressed at a later date.
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