ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --Six and a half years ago, John Elway strode to the lectern in the Broncos' team meeting room, stared into a phalanx of cameras, reporters and bright lights and told the football world that he was exactly where he wanted to be.
"This is what I have wanted to do for a long time," he said on Jan. 5, 2011, just a few seconds after Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and Owner Pat Bowlen had introduced Elway on his first day as the team's final authority on football operations.
Of course, to keep having the chance to push that boulder up the mountain for one season after another, you must succeed. There was only one standard, and after Ellis introduced Elway, Bowlen set the expectations in the clearest possible terms:
"I think we will win some more Super Bowls and I will not be saying, 'This one is for John,'" Bowlen said. "Maybe he will be saying, 'This one is for Pat.'"
Just over five years later, Elway did.
When Elway looks down at the largest and most grandiose of his three Super Bowl rings, he sees the words "This one's for Pat" engraved it. The ring and the four words stand as tangible evidence of the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 triumph over the Carolina Panthers and a goal accomplished for Bowlen, who could not fully share in the accomplishment as he grappled with Alzheimer's disease.
Elway's five-year extension is a reward for what's happened -- and the fact that Elway did what Ellis and Bowlen expected of him: He guided the Broncos out of the wilderness of mediocrity to relevance, contention and, ultimately, another Vince Lombardi Trophy.
His legacy as an executive already has plenty of definition. No matter what happens from this point forward, he has the big ring, another AFC title and five consecutive division titles from a club that went 36-44 and missed the playoffs in each of the five seasons before his arrival.
But his contract extension isn't just about what's happened.
It's about what's next.
It's about the belief that the man who guided the Broncos to one title as their lead football-operations executive can get them to at least one more. It's about the faith that Elway can do as a general manager what he did as a player: point the way for the Broncos to get to the Super Bowls in two different eras with different teams that evolved over time.
It's about the knowledge that the person who is best qualified to maintain the standard is the one who Ellis and Bowlen tapped to bring the franchise back to an elite level.
"John's clearly established himself as one of the best general managers in all of sports," Ellis said. "He's demonstrated impressive football instincts, a strong business acumen and a consistent ability to build competitive teams."
"While there's still a lot of work to be done, I'm excited about the future of this team and this organization," Elway said.
Elway wanted the hot seat, wanted the opportunity, wanted the pressure of the job. He got it, and he delivered, just like he did at every step of his football life, from high school to the pros, from the small field of Arena Football to the biggest stage.
Since taking over as EVP/GM in 2011, John Elway has made a number of strong draft selections. As the 2017 draft approaches, the Broncos' digital media staff took a look at his best pick from each round. (Photos by AP)
With his first draft pick as General Manager, Elway found a generational talent. Miller, a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All Pro selection, is the man who makes the Broncos go. His Super Bowl 50 performance earned him MVP honors, and he recorded 13.5 sacks in 2016 after signing the largest contract for a non-quarterback in NFL history. The scary part? At only 28 years old, Miller's prime may be ahead of him.
Wolfe, a sixth-year player, is a physical specimen who provides a punch up front for the Broncos. Though the Cincinnati product has yet to make a Pro Bowl, he's been an emotional leader for the Broncos on defense and provides the unit with its toughness. In 2016, after he fractured his elbow, he missed just one full game before returning to the starting lineup.
Webster didn't see much playing time in the secondary because of the unit's incredible depth, but he was a key special teams player who made a number of important plays during the team's Super Bowl 50 run. In 2016, he was selected as a special teams captain, an honor that showed his teammates' respect for him in the locker room. Webster signed with the Los Angeles Rams following the 2016-17 season.
Thomas, now with the Dolphins after spending two seasons with the Jaguars, was a weapon over the middle of the field for Peyton Manning and the Broncos during his four years in Denver. He made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2013 and 2014 as he scored 12 touchdowns in each of those seasons. His production has dipped in his time since leaving the Broncos, but for those two seasons as a starter in Denver, there were few players who posed matchup problems like Thomas.
Jackson would also join Thomas in Jacksonville, but not until after the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 win. During that run, Jackson was a key cog on the defensive line as he played opposite Derek Wolfe. And, in perhaps the most memorable play of the Super Bowl, Jackson came up big. After Von Miller ripped away the football from Cam Newton midway through the first quarter, Jackson recovered the fumble in the end zone to put the Broncos up 10-0.
Paradis may not be the most glamorous of John Elway's picks, but he's been the most consistent offensive lineman of the previous few seasons. In 2015 and 2016, Paradis didn't miss a single snap, and he is quickly becoming recognized as one of the best in the league at his position. He was one of Pro Football Focus' highest-rated players in 2016 and was named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Starting quarterbacks aren't supposed to be found in the seventh round. But that's just what happened when Elway selected Siemian with the 250th pick in the 2015 draft. Siemian ended up as the starter after winning the competition in the 2016 offseason to replace Peyton Manning. In his first season, he threw for 18 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 3,401 yards as the Broncos fell just short of a playoff bid. He'll compete with first-round pick Paxton Lynch for the right to start again, but his selection may already represent Elway's best value pick.
Perhaps the Broncos' best defensive back was criminally underrated coming out of college. The Kansas product, who played a variety of different positions for the Jayhawks, ended up sticking with the Broncos. That's good news for Denver fans. Since 2011, Harris has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league. He's earned two Pro Bowl nods and added a First-Team All-Pro selection last year -- but the awards likely won't end there. The lockdown corner should have his play validated for years to come.
The odds are strong that he'll do it again in the place that most defines his professional identity.
"The Denver Broncos are in my blood," Elway said when he returned to the team.
They are in his blood, and he is in theirs. Their fates are intertwined. Given the success that they have achieved together in 22 combined seasons on the field and in the front office, it seems right that their bond will continue.
"This is a special place," Elway said as the new five-year contract was announced, "and the Broncos are home to me."
