Adam Schefter reported on Sunday NFL Countdown that former Broncos quarterback and Hall of Famer John Elway would join the team's front office at the end of the season per a source, who said they would be "very surprised" if it didn't happen.
Schefter, who worked as the Broncos' beat writer for a few years before joining the NFL Network and eventually ESPN as essentially the NFL's beat man, said the Elway's role is uncertain at this point, but he will be of high rank in the Broncos' front office:
Elway is likely to join the front office in a position with broad personnel powers, working closely with COO Joe Ellis as team owner Pat Bowlen’s two most trusted men.
Elway is already working as a consultant to Pat Bowlen, but the team and former Broncos superstar want to make it official and give Elway more power.
For the Broncos, this is a huge bit of positive news in a time where it seemed like the team could not buy a decent headline. Elway re-joining the franchise on an official and permanent basis is exactly what fans needed to hear right now, and it sounds as though both sides will work out a deal in the near future.
Schefter also included a bit of interesting news at the end of his article, which you can find at ESPN.com, where he said this:
Many of the co-workers that potentially would surround Elway already are in place. The Broncos do plan to retain general manager Brian Xanders, though his responsibilities could be altered to accommodate Elway.
Based on Schefter's reports, it sounds like the Broncos will be utilizing Elway to evaluate personnel, similar to the way Josh McDaniels and Xanders worked. Xanders is officially the "General Manager" of the Denver Broncos, and it makes sense for the team to keep him on. After all, he's had a hand in every move this team has made, and he's been evaluating players all year and working on contracts with the likes of Champ Bailey, who is due an extension at the end of the season.
Elway does have experience running a pro franchise, and because of past player-to-front office failures, it's automatically assumed that Elway would not succeed in a similar role. That is in no way true. Elway knows more football than any of us fans, and he knows what it takes to win.
It will be interesting to see how everything falls in place, but this breaking news story is a great start to gameday