John Elway's Career Twilight

[YoHoChecko]

I was thinking about the Shanahan coaching tree and great QBs. And it occurred to me. This sort of thing has happened before.

When John Elways was 35 and heading toward the tail end of his career, the Broncos hired Mike Shanahan as HC.

Shanahan implemented the zone-run scheme and play action passing game for Elway.

After going 8-8 in the first season under Shanahan, how did they maximize Elway's remaining time in the league?

The 1996 draft:
1 John Mobley 15 LB
2 Tory James 44 DB
3 Detron Smith 65 RB
3 Mark Campbell 78 DT
4 Jeff Lewis 100 QB
4 Darrius Johnson 122 DB
5 Patrick Jeffers 159 WR
6 Tony Veland 181 DB
7 Leslie Ratliffe 213 T
7 Chris Banks 226 G
7 L.T. Levine 235 RB
7 Brian Gragert 236 P

That's right, they drafted heavy on defense. They added a RB (TD was a 5th or 6th round pick the previous year; probably didn't dully realize what hey had yet). They filled the latter rounds with developmental OL that would suit the new system but wouldn't cost as much draft capital. The previous year, they had traded for a WR (Pritchett) and signed low-level role player Ed McCaffery after a year in SF with Shanahan to help implement the system, and in 1994, they had added UDFA Rod Smith to the team, though he wouldn't produce as more than a STer until 1996. The cubboard was not stocked, and yet the first WR taken was in the 5th round.

In 1996, the team went 13-3 but lost in the divisional round. Elway was now 36, and it was time to make a final run!

The 1997 Draft
1 Trevor Pryce 28 DT
3 Dan Neil 67 G
4 Cory Gilliard 124 DB

Huh. Interesting. That appears to be a DT, an OG, and a DB. But what happened to their 2nd round pick? It was traded for an OT. A team whose leading receiver in 1996 was a TE with 80 catches for ~1,00 yards. Whose top 2 WRs had ~700 and ~500 yards apiece. Whose FB was their #4 in catches. They focused on defense and OL TWO years in a row?

But we all know how that season ended. TD pounding the Packers' #1 run D for 150+ yard in the Super Bowl and Elway's first career Lombardi.

When the Broncos looked at Elway, an all-time great with few seasons left, and asked themselves how to help him, they invested in Defense and OL. Their 5th round power back locked down the RB slot, but they hadn't known that was going to happen. Their UDFA WR Rod Smith emerged in their Super Bowl season, but they couldn't have counted on that, either (had 16 catches as their #6 receiver the previous year. Worth noting that they also went from 13-3 in 1996 to 12-4 in 1997, but still won the Super Bowl the latter year.

The following year they added a first-round WR and a 3rd-round QB, knowing that they needed to plan for Elway's departure. They won again that year.


Look, I know it's a totally different era. I know this is a literally 25-year old example. My point in this is not at all to say we're in the same boat. Many people would point out that the Broncos didn't use a 1st round pick on a QB in Elway's twilight years. That's fine.

My point is simply this: addressing the defense and running game are how they HELPED Elway. They didn't kick him to the curb or disrespect him. They didn't "take the ball out of his hands." In Fact, Elway's 4 highest career TD seasons came in Shanhan's first 4 years with the team. His TD percentage went way up. His passer rating improved (though it's silly to compare the raw numbers from that era and this one).

This whole offseason really needs to be re-framed. The Packers, under MLF and Gutey, are getting Rodgers a ton of help--a defense and a running game. It's just not "the help" people were looking for. And given the historical context of late-career QBs, it shouldn't be seen as any sort of negative.

[YoHoChecko]

Also, I just closed all my "mid-90s Broncos research" tabs in my browser, so if you're going to challenge me on this, I probably won't have detailed responses unless you do your own research

[Yoop]

Also, I just closed all my "mid-90s Broncos research" tabs in my browser, so if you're going to challenge me on this, I probably won't have detailed responses unless you do your own research

ya stole my line lol

Good points, just because it happened 25 years ago makes it even more relavent though to me, we are evolving back to more run and short ball era, but I think with less zone blocking and more front side running, when I watch Dillon I see more of that versus cutting it back.

same with the TE/HB better lead blocking for stretch tackle front side runs, course we already do plenty of that so nothing new, my point was Dillon and how I saw him used, while he can flip and reset an go the other direction, it's not his strong suit, if ya like running the ball, I think the combination of Jones and Dillon should please, Matt talked a little about this last year, now he's brought in the players that can make it work, better.