Greatest trade for every NFL team in history

By Brad Weiss | Sep 9, 2016

Quarterback John Elway #7 raises his hands in victory after he is pulled from the game in the final seconds of the Denver Broncos Super Bowl XXXIII victory over the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida, January 31, 1999. This would be John Elway's last football game of his career. (Photo by E. Bakke/Getty Images) /

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MIAMI – Denver Broncos John Elway poses with the Vince Lombardi trophy on the podium after the Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium. (Photo By Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

Baltimore Colts trade John Elway to the Denver Broncos for Chris Hinton and a first round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft

John Elway was an incredible athlete, starring in both football and baseball at Stanford University. In fact, after the Baltimore Colts selected Elway with the first overall selection in the 1983 NFL Draft, he said he would never play for them and would instead go play baseball. He was right on one of those statements. He never did play for the Colts, but he didn’t go play baseball either.

Instead, Elway was traded to the Denver Broncos a week after the draft. In return, the Colts received the Broncos first round pick in 1983, Chris Hinton, as well as Denver’s first round pick in 1984. It was a small price to pay for Denver, who got to have Elway as their starting quarterback for the next 16 seasons.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Elway is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL, and led the Broncos to 10 playoff appearances. He made 21 starts as the Broncos quarterback in the playoffs, posting a 14-7 record, and led the Broncos to five Super Bowl appearances.

Unlike most superstars, Elway ended his career on a high note, winning back-to-back Super Bowls his final two seasons. He finished his career sixth in NFL history in passing yards (51,475), and his 300 touchdown passes are seventh-best.

Elway continues to be involved with the Broncos organization. He is currently the executive vice president of football operations, as well as the team’s general manager. He won his first Super Bowl as an executive in 2016, when his Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

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