How Elite Were They? #46- John Elway’s 12-win 1984 Season

Originally published on Nov. 29, 2024

By Zane Miller

After being drafted with the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts, quarterback John Elway let it be known, in no uncertain terms, that he would not be playing for the Colts. After several years of dysfunction, the Colts had gone from one of the most consistent teams in the NFL to the laughingstock of the league, hitting rock bottom in 1982 with a winless season. With Elway threatening to try his luck at the MLB ranks instead, as he had a successful college baseball tenure as well, he was traded to the Denver Broncos just six days after the draft took place.

Elway split time under center in his rookie season with veteran quarterback Steve DeBerg, with the duo combining to scrape into the playoffs with a 9-7 record. While DeBerg started the first round playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, he was replaced by Elway in the fourth quarter. While the Broncos eventually fell to the Seahawks 31-7, Elway used the experience to his advantage in 1984.

Elway’s three best games all came during the month of November, starting off with the November 4^th game against the New England Patriots where he passed for three touchdowns and 315 yards, with the Broncos emerging victorious 26-19 to improve to 9-1. Two of those touchdowns went to wide receiver Butch Johnson, who had been recently acquired by Denver after playing eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After squeaking out a 16-13 win over the San Diego Chargers the next week, Elway put together a dominant performance on November 18^th against the Minnesota Vikings. In a 42-21 win, Elway threw for a career-high five touchdowns, as well as gaining 218 yards through the air in a contest which the Broncos led 35-7 at halftime. Two of those touchdowns went to wide receiver Steve Watson, who would go on to lead the team in touchdown receptions that season.

Although his third-best game of 1984 ended in a loss, on November 25^th, Elway was locked in a QB duel with Seahawks’ signal caller and recent HEWT subject Dave Krieg. In this case, Krieg won the battle with three touchdowns and over 400 yards to take a 27-24 win, although Elway was able to hold his own, passing for two touchdowns and 275 yards. The Broncos lost the next week’s game against the Chiefs, but won their last two regular season games, including a revenge match against Seattle. Elway was the starter for 12 of the Broncos’ 13 wins during their AFC West-winning campaign, with backup Gary Kubiak being the only other Denver QB with a victory. Despite the high win total, Elway’s final season totals were nothing spectacular, with his 18 touchdown passes putting him 11^th in the league and his 2,598 passing yards in 15^th. Although these were solid statistics for a new quarterback in the league, fellow sophomore QB Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins eclipsed Elway’s totals and then some with 48 touchdowns and 5,084 yards through the air.

On December 30^th, the Broncos remained in the Mile High City to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the postseason, as both teams had claimed a first-round bye thanks to winning their respective division. However, unfazed by the high altitude, the Steelers jumped out to a 10-7 lead at halftime, though the Broncos were able to pull ahead in the third quarter with a short field goal and a 20-yard touchdown pass from Elway to Watson. Before the end of the quarter, though, Steelers quarterback Mark Malone found wideout Louis Lipps for a game-tying score. Neither defense was willing to give an inch in the fourth quarter, but it would ultimately be Pittsburgh who made the biggest defensive play of the day. Safety Eric Williams intercepted an Elway pass deep in Denver territory, serving the eventual game-winning touchdown on a silver platter for running back Frank Pollard. With that, Denver’s season was done, as Elway threw for two touchdowns and 184 yards with a pair of interceptions, while Malone added 224 passing yards and one touchdown and no interceptions.

Despite the disappointing playoff exit, this would be far from the last chance at a Super Bowl run for Elway. While it took a while for him to have another 12-win season, the second half of the 1980s would be something to behold.