KCbroncos
07-16-2007, 01:21 PM
Didn't see this posted already. It's Monday and I'm not thinking but who am I missing ahead of Elway. Montana, Rice, Payton, and Jim Brown are probably obvious. Is the other Slasher Simpson, Hornung?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-07-16-no-6-john-elway_N.htm
John Elway's legacy was winning, but it wasn't till the end of his career that he became a champion. The NFL record holder for most victories by a quarterback, the Broncos signal caller retired on top following his second straight Super Bowl title after the 1998 season. Elway now lands at No. 6 on USA TODAY's list.
With his especially powerful, accurate arm (300 touchdown passes) and his excellent mobility (33 rushing TDs), Elway led the Broncos to just two losing records in his 16 seasons.
Drafted first overall by the Baltimore Colts in 1983, Elway forced a trade to Denver, the only team for which he would ever play. He went on to become the first quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 200 yards in seven consecutive seasons. When he retired, he ranked second all time in completions (4,123) and passing yards (51,475) and third in touchdown passes (300).
MOST WINS BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK
Player Wins Team(s)
John Elway 148 Denver
Brett Favre* 147 Green Bay
Dam Marino 147 Miami
Fran Tarkenton 125 Minnesota, N.Y. Giants
* active
While he also owned the record for most times sacked (516), Elway's calling card will always be his knack for leading come-from-behind drives. He retired with an NFL-record 47 drives that won or tied games in the fourth quarter.
The most famous may have been "The Drive," a 98-yard romp against Cleveland in the 1986 AFC Championship Game that tied the game with a 5-yard TD pass to Mark Jackson with 39 seconds left. The Broncos went on to win 23-20 in overtime.
"There was a mind-set that when we started coming back late in the game," Elway once said, "until the clock said 00:00, we really felt that we've got a chance to win those games."
Said his former coach, Dan Reeves, who led the Broncos for Elway's first 10 seasons: "When the game was on the line, he was like Michael Jordan — he wanted the football. In those situations, I don't know if I know anyone that did a better job of handling that than John did."
Three Super Bowl appearances early in Elway's career ended in defeat, but his fortunes changed when the Broncos defeated the defending champion Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII. That contest was punctuated by Elway's helicopter-style hurtle through the air for a key first down that led to a Broncos touchdown in the third quarter. Then Elway led the Broncos to back-to-back titles in Super Bowl XXXIII, his final game, which culminated in his MVP performance in the 34-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
"I think probably the thing that I am most proud of is that I was able to hang in there long enough to win a couple of Super Bowls," Elway said after being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004. "That was definitely the highlight, the thing I am most proud of."
ABOUT JOHN ELWAY
Born: June 28, 1960, in Port Angeles, Wash.
College: Stanford Drafted: No. 1 overally by Baltimore Colts in 1983 (then traded to Denver)
Teams: Denver 1983-1998
Pro Bowls: Nine
NFL MVP: 1987 Super Bowl MVP: XXXIII
Member: 1990s All-Decade Team
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA TODAY research
***
About this series: A panel of 10 NFL reporters and editors at USA TODAY cast votes in this project. Points were assigned (25 points for the player voted No. 1, 24 points for No. 2, etc.), and the cumulative points determined the rankings.
• The list covers the past 25 seasons. Instructions to panelists stated that if a player competed in any one of those seasons, then the player's entire career could be considered for the rankings.
• After all 25 players have been named, USA TODAY will reveal the complete voting results.
Posted 12h 18m ago
Updated 33m ago E-mail | Save | Print |
To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-07-16-no-6-john-elway_N.htm
John Elway's legacy was winning, but it wasn't till the end of his career that he became a champion. The NFL record holder for most victories by a quarterback, the Broncos signal caller retired on top following his second straight Super Bowl title after the 1998 season. Elway now lands at No. 6 on USA TODAY's list.
With his especially powerful, accurate arm (300 touchdown passes) and his excellent mobility (33 rushing TDs), Elway led the Broncos to just two losing records in his 16 seasons.
Drafted first overall by the Baltimore Colts in 1983, Elway forced a trade to Denver, the only team for which he would ever play. He went on to become the first quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 200 yards in seven consecutive seasons. When he retired, he ranked second all time in completions (4,123) and passing yards (51,475) and third in touchdown passes (300).
MOST WINS BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK
Player Wins Team(s)
John Elway 148 Denver
Brett Favre* 147 Green Bay
Dam Marino 147 Miami
Fran Tarkenton 125 Minnesota, N.Y. Giants
* active
While he also owned the record for most times sacked (516), Elway's calling card will always be his knack for leading come-from-behind drives. He retired with an NFL-record 47 drives that won or tied games in the fourth quarter.
The most famous may have been "The Drive," a 98-yard romp against Cleveland in the 1986 AFC Championship Game that tied the game with a 5-yard TD pass to Mark Jackson with 39 seconds left. The Broncos went on to win 23-20 in overtime.
"There was a mind-set that when we started coming back late in the game," Elway once said, "until the clock said 00:00, we really felt that we've got a chance to win those games."
Said his former coach, Dan Reeves, who led the Broncos for Elway's first 10 seasons: "When the game was on the line, he was like Michael Jordan — he wanted the football. In those situations, I don't know if I know anyone that did a better job of handling that than John did."
Three Super Bowl appearances early in Elway's career ended in defeat, but his fortunes changed when the Broncos defeated the defending champion Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII. That contest was punctuated by Elway's helicopter-style hurtle through the air for a key first down that led to a Broncos touchdown in the third quarter. Then Elway led the Broncos to back-to-back titles in Super Bowl XXXIII, his final game, which culminated in his MVP performance in the 34-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
"I think probably the thing that I am most proud of is that I was able to hang in there long enough to win a couple of Super Bowls," Elway said after being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004. "That was definitely the highlight, the thing I am most proud of."
ABOUT JOHN ELWAY
Born: June 28, 1960, in Port Angeles, Wash.
College: Stanford Drafted: No. 1 overally by Baltimore Colts in 1983 (then traded to Denver)
Teams: Denver 1983-1998
Pro Bowls: Nine
NFL MVP: 1987 Super Bowl MVP: XXXIII
Member: 1990s All-Decade Team
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA TODAY research
***
About this series: A panel of 10 NFL reporters and editors at USA TODAY cast votes in this project. Points were assigned (25 points for the player voted No. 1, 24 points for No. 2, etc.), and the cumulative points determined the rankings.
• The list covers the past 25 seasons. Instructions to panelists stated that if a player competed in any one of those seasons, then the player's entire career could be considered for the rankings.
• After all 25 players have been named, USA TODAY will reveal the complete voting results.
Posted 12h 18m ago
Updated 33m ago E-mail | Save | Print |
To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones