John Elway is general manager and multi-tasker, a Bronco with two hats.
Here at the NFL owners meetings, Elway is submitting a unique rule change. In lieu of an onside kick, the losing team has one chance in the fourth quarter to try a fourth-and-15 play from their own 35.
It’s a twist on an AAF rule but it creates two concerns. One, those ticky-tack defensive holding/automatic first down penalties can reward the inferior team. Two, it’s a bit gimmicky.
“Sure it’s a little bit gimmicky from what we’re used to but the whole game is changing,’’ Elway said in an interview with 9NEWS here Sunday at the Arizona Biltmore resort. “So, changing the mentality, especially with the defensive players and making it a safer league, which is good. The onside kick you’re twice as likely to get hurt as on a scrimmage play so there’s player safety involved there.
“And the bottom line is, you give your team a chance to come back when you’re behind.’’
It’s also a rule change that reacts to another rule change. For safety reasons, the league does not allow the 10 players on the flanks of the kicker to get a running start, so only 4 of 52 (7.7 percent) onside kicks were successful last season.
It may prove converting the 4th and 15 offers better odds. Owners are to vote on the new proposals Wednesday.
Let’s not forget Elway was co-owner, CEO and GM of the Arena League’s Colorado Crush. So more than other football lifers, he’s more open-minded to infusing a fun gadget into the game of football.
We should also remember Elway converted two fourth downs during his final 2-minute, game-winning field goal drive to beat the Houston Oilers in a 1991 season playoff game. It was dubbed, “Drive II.” Neither fourth down conversion was as long as 15 yards.
His days as a quarterback are behind him, Elway is plenty busy by keeping his life in the moment. Besides his seat on the league’s competition committee meeting, Elway is the Broncos general manager. His team is better today than it was two months ago, although he still needs receiver help for his new quarterback, Joe Flacco.
“Well, you really have to like somebody,’’ Elway said of the available free agent receivers. “I just don’t think there was somebody out there for us. There are always needs. Offensive line is a need. Every team has needs. And the bottom line is you do the best you can to try to solve those. You’re not going to get them all solved. We’re not going to get them all solved in the draft.”
Who is he going to draft with his No. 10 pick?
“Not sure yet,’’ he said before cracking wise. “I’m sure you’ll give out all the information out where we’re going.’’
In that case, trade back. Trade back with No. 13 Miami or No. 15 Washington, teams that desperately need a young quarterback. The Broncos need a young quarterback, too, but not one they want to start playing by midseason. The Broncos seem to be all in on Flacco for 2019, so maybe the team waits until 2020 to get its young gun.
“That’s always easy to say,’’ Elway said about the trade-back suggestion. “I get that, but those are the type of things where we explore all the options so were prepared when we go into the draft.’’
As for taking a quarterback like Dwayne Haskins or Drew Lock, Elway said: “We’re keeping the options open.”
