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1. John Elway

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1. John Elway

John Elway was the most highly touted Quarterback of the 1983 Draft, but he made it very clear from the start that he did not want to play for the Baltimore Colts who had the number one overall pick.  He would be traded to the Denver Broncos, and while he had some growing pains the way most young Quarterbacks do, he blossomed into one of the greatest dual-threat Running Backs in NFL history.

Elway would take the Broncos to the Super Bowl after beating the Cleveland Browns in overtime after taking Denver on a game-tying Touchdown drive (known simply as "The Drive").  They were overmatched in Super Bowl XXI by the Giants, but Elway would take them back to the Super Bowl the following year although the Washington Redskins soundly thrashed them.  Elway would, however, be named by the Associated Press as their MVP.  Two years later, Elway would again take Denver to the Super Bowl, this time in a blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV.

While the Quarterback would struggle (really all the Broncos did) in the Super Bowl, he continued to have productive regular seasons.  He would be chosen for nine Pro Bowls was the leader in Passing Yards in 1993, and he would be named a Second Team All-Pro three times.

Elway would take the Broncos back to the Super Bowl in the game’s 32nd contest, but this was a more balanced team than before, and they would beat the Green Bay Packers for their first win.  He would take the club back the following season and defeat the Atlanta Falcons for Denver's second Super Bowl where he would be named the Super Bowl MVP, which was his swansong as he retired as a champion.

When it was all said and done Elway threw for 51,475 Yards and 300 Touchdowns and rushed for another 3,407 Yards for 33 Touchdowns. 

Elway would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2004 and fast-tracked into the Broncos Ring of Fame right after he retired.  He would take over as the team's General Manager in 2011, and he would gain his third Super Bowl Ring when the Broncos took it all in the 50th Super Bowl.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Quarterback
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 1st Overall in the NFL Draft 4/26/83.
  • Departed: Retired 5/2/99.
  • Games Played: 234
  • Notable Statistics:

    231 Games Started
    4,123 Pass Completions
    7,250 Pass Attempts
    56.9 Pass Completion Percentage
    51,475 Passing Yards
    300 Touchdown Passes
    226 Interceptions
    79.9 Passer Rating
    774 Rushing Attempts
    3,407 Rushing Yards
    33 Rushing Touchdowns
    3 Receptions
    61 Receiving Yards
    1 Receiving Touchdown
    7 Punts
    253 Punting Yards
    206 Approximate Value

    22 Playoff Games
    355 Pass Completions
    651 Pass Attempts
    54.5 Pass Completion Percentage
    4,964 Passing Yards
    27 Touchdown Passes
    21 Interceptions
    79.7 Quarterback Rating
    94 Rushing Attempts
    461 Rushing Yards
    6 Rushing Touchdowns
    1 Reception
    23 Receiving Yards

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Super Bowl Champion (XXXII & XXXIII)
    AP MVP (1987)
    UPI Offensive Player of the Year (1987 & 1992)
    Super Bowl MVP (XXXIII)
    Second Team All-Pro (1987, 1993 & 1996)
    Pro Bowl (1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 & 1998)
    Walter Payton Man of the Year (1992)
    Most PassCompletions (1993)
    Most Pass Attempts (1985 & 1993)
    Most Passing Yards (1993)
    Most Passing Yards per Game (1993)
    Most Pass Attempts per Game (1985)
    Most Pass Completions per Game (1993)

Last modified on Friday, 05 August 2022 21:32
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