Club Shay Shay - John Elway Part 2 (December 31, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this engaging continuation, NFL Hall of Famer and Denver Broncos legend John Elway sits down with Shannon Sharpe for the second part of their in-depth conversation. The episode dives deep into the defining moments of Elway’s career: from his “Welcome to the NFL” moments and key injuries, to his legendary comebacks, the controversial draft saga, the evolution of the quarterback position, his time as a baseball prospect, and life as an NFL executive. Throughout, Elway offers authentic reflections, memorable stories, and candid insights into both his playing days and front-office career, while Sharpe’s personal experiences and playful banter keep the tone lively and real.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome to the NFL & Toughest Hits

• Welcome Moment: Elway recounts his first big hit in his rookie year (@03:09). “Third game my rookie year…playing the Eagles. I took off scrambling…he took his forearm, hit me across the head, and my helmet came off. I said, okay, I got it. I won’t do that.” — John Elway (03:13)
• Hardest Hit: Against Pittsburgh, tried to leap a defender and got bent backward by two players. “I actually thought I was dead on, that I couldn’t breathe.” — John Elway (03:41)

2. Playing Through Injury

• Played entire NFL career on a high school ACL injury, bracing it from his second year in Denver. Missed very few games due to injury. “Once I put the brace on it, I didn’t have any problems with it.” — John Elway (04:39)

3. The Velocity of Elway’s Throws (and Split Gloves)

• Sharpe discusses how hard Elway threw the ball—so hard it split his gloves in his rookie year. “No more. So I just caught the ball barehanded in warmups, then I put the gloves on in the game.” — Shannon Sharpe (05:11)
• Elway admits he struggled most with holding back on quick passes, especially screens: “It was hard for me to let up on the ball sometimes, right? …The older I got, I had a little bit more touch.” — John Elway (06:11)

4. Historic Plays: The Drive & Iconic Super Bowls

• Elway breaks down some legendary moments, including the famous “Drive” against Cleveland, a 98-yard march to tie the game and send it to overtime (@15:01). “That was kind of my coming out party. It legitimized me to be able to do that…on the road, in the AFC Championship game.” — John Elway (14:49)
• Memorable discussion of his Super Bowl “Helicopter” play vs. Green Bay, and the pressure of “must-have” third downs (10:18–12:44).

5. The Culture of Comebacks: 'Mile High Magic'

• Elway and Sharpe discuss what made Elway so effective at fourth-quarter comebacks.
• “They give me too much of the credit…I believe everybody, like you just said, Mark Jackson says you haven’t heard of Mile High Magic. We all believed it.” — John Elway (13:36–13:54)
• Sharpe credits the belief and chemistry of those Denver teams.

6. The Notorious Stanford Band Game

• Elway recounts the wild 1982 Cal game and “The Play,” where a series of laterals and the Stanford band on the field led to a miraculous Cal win (@24:10). “That might be the wildest finish in the history of any sporting event.” — Shannon Sharpe (24:18)
• Elway admits: “I had hope they were going to overturn that for a week…but no replay back then.” — John Elway (24:51)

7. The 1983 Draft Drama: Refusing to Play for Baltimore

• Details how Elway and his father leveraged his baseball prospects to avoid going to an unstable Baltimore Colts organization: “The bottom line is to use the leverage to try to get to an organization—didn’t matter where it was—where we felt like I had a chance to win.” — John Elway (25:53)
• Explains it was about the organization, not the city.

8. Quarterback Draft Classes: 1983, 2004, 2020

• Sharpe brings up legendary draft classes. Elway confidently asserts the 1983 class is the best so far, with three Hall of Famers (himself, Marino, Kelly), but acknowledges the greatness of the '04 group (Eli, Ben, Rivers) and potential of 2020 (Burrow, Hurts, Herbert).
• Sharpe lauds Dan Marino’s 48 TD, 5,000-yard season as “the greatest passing season ever” (49:50).

9. Defining “Quarterback Greatness” & the GOAT Debate

• Sharpe and Elway debate criteria for quarterback greatness, referencing Brady’s seven Super Bowls and Montana’s unbeaten record.
• “It’s still hard to say, you know, with Tom winning seven. It's hard to beat that.” — John Elway (51:35)
• Elway emphasizes the importance of the QB/coach combination. “To be good in the NFL, you have to have the head coach and you have to have the quarterback.” (52:10)

10. Baseball Career & Dual-Sport Athletes

• Elway shares stories from his baseball days, being drafted by the Yankees before Don Mattingly, earning $150,000 (@39:52), and the infamous water balloon windshield story with teammates (41:12).
• Discusses why football-to-baseball transitions (like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders) work; explains hitting a baseball is “without a doubt” the hardest thing to do in sports (44:21).

11. On Shohei Ohtani & MLB Greatness

• Elway and Sharpe marvel at Shohei Ohtani’s two-way dominance: “To be able to pitch and do the stuff that he does is just like…I don’t think we’ve ever seen anybody like him.” — John Elway (46:16)

12. Executive Life: Drafting, Free Agency, and Regrets

• Elway details his approach to player evaluation as GM—valuing instincts, collaboration, and organizational fit.
• “The one thing that was very difficult to find is what this was all about inside...How is he going to stand up in a tough situation?” — John Elway (57:03)
• Admits biggest regret as GM was not overruling staff and drafting Josh Allen at 5th overall. “I regret it because I didn’t overrule everybody...That’s the one regret I have.” — John Elway (68:49–69:37)
• Cites Peyton Manning’s presence as the ultimate recruiting chip for free agents, emphasizing the importance of having an elite quarterback (64:20).

13. Legacy and Remembrance

• Elway reflects on how he wants to be remembered:
  • “A person that was a positive influence on the community…the most important thing to me is relationships…realize that, you know, he was a great football player, but a better person.” — John Elway (72:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On “The Hit” (Welcome to the NFL):
  • “He took his forearm, hit me across the head, and my helmet came off. I said, okay, I got it. I won’t do that.” — John Elway (03:13)
• On Comebacks:
  • “[Mark Jackson] says you haven’t heard of Mile High Magic. We all believed it.” — John Elway (13:50)
• On The Drive:
  • “That was kind of my coming out party. It legitimized me to be able to do that…in the AFC Championship game.” — John Elway (14:49)
• On Missing Out on Josh Allen:
  • “I regret it because I didn’t overrule everybody...That’s the one regret I have.” — John Elway (69:31)
• On Quarterback Greatness:
  • “To be great in the NFL, you have to be able to win it from the pocket…The addition of movement is all an added bonus.” — John Elway (71:21)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Welcome to the NFL moment – 03:12–03:38
• Discussion of injuries/playing with ACL tear – 04:28–05:11
• Velocity and gloves anecdote – 05:11–06:59
• The Drive, comebacks, AFC Championship – 14:49–16:00
• Stanford Band Game Story – 24:10–25:00
• Draft Refusal & Trade Leverage – 25:39–27:06
• Baseball stories (Yankees, water balloon) – 39:52–41:43
• Shohei Ohtani, two-way greatness – 46:12–47:41
• GM regrets and Josh Allen – 68:42–69:37
• Elway on legacy/relationships – 72:37–73:32

Tone & Atmosphere

The tone is candid, nostalgic, and lively. Elway’s humility and openness about both triumphs and regrets makes for a compelling listen. Shannon Sharpe brings energy, direct personal insight, and humor, drawing out authentic stories and reactions.

For New Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for any NFL fan, Broncos devotee, or sports history buff. It’s rich with untold stories, clear-eyed reflection, and nuanced discussion about what makes greatness—on the field, in the locker room, and beyond. Elway's candor and Sharpe's charisma make for a memorable, insightful episode about sports, leadership, and legacy.