GOLDEN, Colo. — The Broncos' winningest quarterback in franchise history was honored Monday for his contributions to football in Colorado.

At the Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation's annual awards banquet, Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway took the stage to receive the 2024 Joe Kearney Service Award.

"It's always awesome to be remembered, and obviously being in Colorado this long now, it's a great honor," Elway told DenverBroncos.com. "It's great to be here and be able to honor the young guys here, too, and the coaches in the state of Colorado. A lot of good football here, so I'm glad to be here."

A two-time Super Bowl champion as a player and a Lombardi Trophy-winning general manager, Elway spent nearly three decades with the Broncos organization and played a key role in all three of Denver's world championships.

As Elway looks toward the current iteration of the Broncos, he said he believes Denver has made progress under Head Coach Sean Payton.

"They're getting better as a team, which is great," Elway said. "… Sean's been here now for a couple of years, and so everyone's getting more comfortable. They keep taking strides every year, which you have to do."

Quarterback Bo Nix played a significant role in the Broncos' success in 2024 — and in their prospects for 2025 — and Elway said his "maturity level" stood out most.

"I think he really came in and there was a lot put on his shoulders," Elway said. "I think that Sean did a tremendous job of bringing him along at the right time. You could see his confidence grow as the season went on, and you can see he has all the tools [and] a competitive nature. The Broncos are very lucky to have Bo for a long, long time."

Nix broke a slew of franchise rookie records, many of which were held by Elway, and he'll look to continue the progress in Year 2. In Elway's own second season, he increased his completion percentage by nearly 10 points, threw 11 more touchdowns and added eight more wins compared to his rookie campaign.

"It's a lot easier than that first year, and he had a better first year than I did," Elway said. "I struggled a little bit my first year. But like I said, I think Sean did a good job with him and brought him along at his right speed. I think having that year under his belt, I think he'll make giant strides in his second year. And plus, with the draft coming up this weekend, [they will] put some more players around him.

"The sky's the limit for Bo."