Elway, a former Stanford star, was on the sideline, although players didn't have much chance to interact. "He was an honorary captain for a game last year, so he came and talked to us and we got to talk a little bit," Luck said. "Obviously, not as much as I'd like. He was one of the great quarterbacks of all time. He was my hero." Luck was 9 when Elway retired, so I asked if he remembered watching him play. "Absolutely," he said. "He was the best." Before taking over the Broncos' front office, Elway expressed similar admiration for Luck as a pro prospect. If he can find a way to bring him to Denver, he may be the first man in NFL history to set up a franchise for two golden eras.