With nicknames ranging from "The General" to "The Comeback Kid," National Football League quarterback John Elway of the Denver Broncos can add one more name to the list: "Super Bowl Champion." During his 16-year career in the NFL Elway earned a reputation as a fearless competitor, leading the Denver Broncos to five Super Bowls—three of which the Broncos lost. However, in his final two Super Bowl appearances (1998 and 1999), Elway led his team to victories over the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, respectively, thus securing a place for the Broncos in the upper-echelon of NFL history and a place for himself in the NFL Hall of Fame. Although he often chose to run with the ball, sacrificing his body for an extra yard or two, Elway gained a reputation as a finesse quarterback. In addition to holding the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback, Elway also holds the record for most come-from-behind victories (45), and finished the 1999 season just behind Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins in total career passing yardage. Elway earned the NFL's Most Valuable Player award for the 1987 season, and played in 8 NFL Pro Bowls. Elway retired from the NFL in 1999.

John Elway

Further Reading:

The Denver Broncos Official Home Page. www.denverbroncos.com. February 1999.

Latimer, Clay. John Elway: Armed and Dangerous. Lenexa, Kansas, Addax Publishing Group, 1998.