The worst-kept secret in NFL circles is that Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway will be returning to the Broncos. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that it will happen by the end of the season.
Issues to be resolved remain title, salary, and responsibilities. (In other words, “everything.”) Schefter reports that Elway will have a “direct role” in the hiring of the team’s next head coach. Also, Schefter says that G.M. Brian Xanders won’t be retained in that role, but that he could remain in some other capacity.
Meanwhile, a buzz is emerging in league circles regarding the possibility that Elway will waltz into the Broncos front office, Matt Millen-style, and potentially run a team without the experience or, possibly, the skill to do so.
“Please let the Elway rumor be true!” an executive with another AFC team told us via text message earlier this week.
Elway’s potential impact will depend on his responsibilities -- and on whether he’s willing to acknowledge the limits of his abilities and to designate accordingly to folks who know what needs to be done.