John Elway is stepping down as general manager of the Denver Broncos, but will retain his title of president of football operations in 2021.
“Working in this role for the past 10 years and going back to my days as a player, I have always tried to do everything I can to help the Broncos win and improve,” said Elway in a statement released on Monday afternoon. “As part of a transition that I thought about for a long time, I made the decision to take on a high role and hire a general manager to lead our football staff and team.”
Elway said the general manager will have “the final say on the draft, free agency and our list. That person will have the power to make all football decisions, working in partnership with (coach) Vic (Fangio. ”
Matt Russell, Elway’s longtime No. 2 in the Broncos’ front office, will not be a candidate. Russell declined the opportunity to interview or remain with the organization.
The Broncos ended the season 5-11 and lost the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.
Elway, who has a year left on his contract, said he will provide “support for our GM and Vic, providing my perspective, helping with big decisions and being a sounding board whenever necessary. With everything that involves a GM’s day-to-day responsibilities and how the job has grown, this structure will prepare us for success and allow me to focus on the big picture. ”
Elway added: “This is a great place with all the resources to win.”
Elway said he “will start the research immediately with input from Vic and (President / CEO) Joe (Ellis”).
In a statement, Ellis said, “John Elway is the most important and impactful person in the history of the Denver Broncos. I have nothing but gratitude for how he accepted this challenge 10 years ago and helped us to achieve great things as an organization. In the past few weeks, he and I have had a number of very positive – and honest – conversations about improving the team and also its own future. John came to that decision and I fully support him and this new structure. With all his experience and competitive fire, I know that John will be a tremendous resource for the Broncos in this role. ”
This story will be updated.