Elway: A Relentless Life

Through high school, college, and the NFL, quarterback John Elway (b. 1960) redefined his position, championed professional athletes’ autonomy, and earned a legacy as one of the greatest football players of his generation. Cole (Bleacher Report) attended Stanford University while Elway was leading the school’s football team. His personal memories of that era give him unique insight into Elway’s controversial transition to the NFL and prominent role in the game’s shift from defense and coaching to an emphasis on quarterbacks. From the anguish of “The Play” in 1982, marking Elway’s last moments on a college football field, to redemptive triumph in Super Bowl 50, the Hall of Famer was always known for pushing boundaries. In this well-rounded, comprehensive biography, Cole illuminates the origins of Elway’s skill set and ultra-competitive nature, and puts the athlete in his rightful place as a football immortal.