John Elway - Colt Story

[dw49]

At least I never heard this before. I guess it came out in 2006. Sure was a lot more than the 2 number ones and Mark Hermann that we received from the Broncos. Withoit looking back , I think the pick we took Chris Hinton was the 4th or 5th

 

From NFL.com......

 

 

 

 

 

ut an interesting story resurfaced this week in our research notes about last night's game. The Los Angeles Raiders had a deal in place with the Baltimore Colts to trade for John Elway during the 1983 draft. The move was blocked by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.

From the Star-Tribune in 2006: Ernie Accorsi, then the GM of the Colts, now the Giants' GM, confirmed a deal was in place with the Raiders that would have netted Baltimore an unprecedented three No. 1 picks and two No. 2s. One of the No. 1s, Accorsi said, would have been the sixth overall, which the Raiders had arranged to acquire from the Bears. Imagine how different the world would have been if this had happened? John Elway as the quarterback of the Los Angeles Raiders?

 

 

[PrincetonTiger]

interesting info

[shakedownstreet]

interesting info

[shakedownstreet]

interesting info

[NewColtsFan]

Not sure if this is true or not.....     the story that most know is that the Chargers had THREE #1 picks that year and offered the Colts all three for Elway.   The Colts said 'no'...

 

Elway has often told the story that while on the phone with the Colts he said to them....   "I know you had an offer of three number one picks.    You turned it down.   Well,  now you've got nothing!"    And he slammed the phone down.

 

By the way,  the Deal for Elway was Chris Hinton, Denver's #1, I think he was the 4th pick overall,  Denver's #1 the following year and QB Mark Herrman....

[unitaswestand]

We got ripped off. We got Chris Hinton, who the Broncos had chosen in the same draft, Mark Hermann, and a #1 the next year.  So, essentially two #1s and Mark Hermann. Not sure how that was better than three #1s, if that were true.

[dw49]

We got ripped off. We got Chris Hinton, who the Broncos had chosen in the same draft, Mark Hermann, and a #1 the next year.  So, essentially two #1s and Mark Hermann. Not sure how that was better than three #1s, if that were true.

 

 

It could be that both one one of these offers was made before the draft . Maybe some of the nonsense that Elway bluffed the Colts with came after the draft ? He mostly used the lie that he had a good offer from the Yankees and was going to play baseball rather than report to the Colts. Steinbrenner as I remember more or less just let Elway "get away " with this and pretty much kept quite. So what I'm saying is that it's possible that the Colts were offered these deals before the draft when the Colts may have had more leverage. Also remember that a drunk Robert Irsay did this deal in the middle of the night without his GM , Ernie Arcosi , who was adament in not giving in to Elway.  Below is a link to one man's inside knowledge of how it played out...

 

 

 

http://www.milehighreport.com/2011/3/7/2034370/the-deal-of-the-century-and-how-john-elway-became-a-bronco

[Tsarquise]

How cone Elway was so adamant about not being a Colt?

[Tsarquise]

Wow I just read the article. The Colts organization was truly stupid back then. We could have Dan Marino too.

[Malakai432]

Well the good news is it seems like the organization has finally learned from its mistakes.

[NewColtsFan]

I think Frank Kush was the Colts head coach back then.    A former Marine.  

 

I've got nothing against Marines,  but he was badly miscast as an NFL coach.     A success on the college level when you could coach with fear (and a little abuse) back in the day.    But he didn't have the knowledge or positive leadership to be a good NFL coach.

 

If I'm misremembering, I'm sure someone will come along and set me straight...    but that's my recollection...

[Tark The Shark]

It could be that both one one of these offers was made before the draft . Maybe some of the nonsense that Elway bluffed the Colts with came after the draft ? He mostly used the lie that he had a good offer from the Yankees and was going to play baseball rather than report to the Colts. Steinbrenner as I remember more or less just let Elway "get away " with this and pretty much kept quite. So what I'm saying is that it's possible that the Colts were offered these deals before the draft when the Colts may have had more leverage. Also remember that a drunk Robert Irsay did this deal in the middle of the night without his GM , Ernie Arcosi , who was adament in not giving in to Elway.  Below is a link to one man's inside knowledge of how it played out...

 

 

 

http://www.milehighreport.com/2011/3/7/2034370/the-deal-of-the-century-and-how-john-elway-became-a-bronco

 

Just another reason I never really liked Elway and the way he left the Colts.

[Slick_Rick]

It's okay in my mind. If he would have stayed, we might not have gotten Peyton, or Luck.

[unitaswestand]

You are correct about Frank Kush.  He got in trouble at the college level and had to step down.  So the Colts hired him, and the players hated him.   He was far too ridged and a failure as an NFL coach.  It is too bad that his short stay as coach had such a long impact on the organization.

 

But let's be honest.  Even if Elway had signed, Robert Irsay just wasn't a very good owner.  Meddled way too much and was drunk way too often.  It is doubtful they would have been much during Robert Irsays time. Sure, they had a couple playoff years, but they were never that talented.  Elway would have had a rough time.  I, personally, have never liked Elway so at the time I didn't care that he went to Denver.  I just wish we would have gotten more for him.

[luckyblue]

Huge mistake by Robert Irsay, he never should have  given in to anyone with elway. Elway was just bluffing with that playing for the yankees stuff, he would have come around before the season started, and would have played for the Colts, I truly believe that. Irsays poor decision could have cost the Colts a few Superbowl titles.

[PrincetonTiger]

If Elway had of stayed with the Colts

 

We might now be fans of the Indianapolis Jaguars not Colts

[Tsarquise]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="PrincetonTiger" data-cid="360340" data-time="1355605451"><p>

If Elway had of stayed with the Colts<br />

<br />

We might now be fans of the Indianapolis Jaguars not Colts</p></blockquote>

Or we might not have a team at all!

Maybe we wpuld be Bears fans or Bengals fans..... or....

Patriots fans!

[PrincetonTiger]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="PrincetonTiger" data-cid="360340" data-time="1355605451"><p>

If Elway had of stayed with the Colts<br />

<br />

We might now be fans of the Indianapolis Jaguars not Colts</p></blockquote>

Or we might not have a team at all!

Maybe we wpuld be Bears fans or Bengals fans..... or....

Patriots fans!

Agreed

but for me it would be 

 

Kansas City

 

 

Here in SW Indiana there would be alot more Bengal, Titan and Ram fans

[Fx Stryker]

If Elway had of stayed with the Colts

 

We might now be fans of the Indianapolis Jaguars not Colts

That suck for the Indy community, but I'd still be rooting for good ol' blue.

[dw49]

It's okay in my mind. If he would have stayed, we might not have gotten Peyton, or Luck.

 

 

 

Pretty much 100% that above is true. Elway played in 1997 which was the year the colts earned the right to draft Manning. He also played the following year before retiring after the 1998 season. So take that further out and you don't have a Peyton Manning missing the 2011 season with the Colts ,so no Curtis Painter startng the first part of the season. I would say that it's just unlikely but not impossible that we would have had the 1st pick in the 2012 draft.

[GoColts8818]

Huge mistake by Robert Irsay, he never should have  given in to anyone with elway. Elway was just bluffing with that playing for the yankees stuff, he would have come around before the season started, and would have played for the Colts, I truly believe that. Irsays poor decision could have cost the Colts a few Superbowl titles.

Maybe we will never know.  Look at Bo Jackson he passed on being the first overall pick of the Bucs to go play baseball because he was mad at what the Bucs did to him in his mind costing him his college baseball career.  It sounds like Elway was bent on not playing for Bill Irsay so he might have very well gone on to play baseball and the football world have been changed greatly. 

[dw49]

Huge mistake by Robert Irsay, he never should have  given in to anyone with elway. Elway was just bluffing with that playing for the yankees stuff, he would have come around before the season started, and would have played for the Colts, I truly believe that. Irsays poor decision could have cost the Colts a few Superbowl titles.

 

 

For sure Elway would have caved in. But this was all part of Bob Irsay being a drunken , horrible owner. Not sure how many of you were around in those days but believe me he was a "train wreck.." I remember reading that he mother used to call him "the devil." So ... just my opinion but I don't think there's anyway Irsay would have added the necessary pieces to even get to a SB yet alone win any. So that shortens Elway's window considerably. Irsay had his stroke in 1995 but I think he stopped inflicting massive damage a few years before that. So maybe Elway would have had a chance from around 1992 to 1998 ? All conjecture for sure.

[southwest1]

Even if John Elway had been compelled to become a QB for the Indianapolis Colts, there no guarantee that he would have Lombardi hardware for the Blue Horseshoe. RB Terrell Davis is why #7 won 2 rings in Denver. 

 

In 1983, RBs Curtis Dickey & Zachary Dixon were listed on the team roster. I'm sure neither 1 of them was Marshall Faulk in scope, skill, or magnitude yet. Hindsight is always 20/20 right? 

 

[conklincolt]

At least I never heard this before. I guess it came out in 2006. Sure was a lot more than the 2 number ones and Mark Hermann that we received from the Broncos. Withoit looking back , I think the pick we took Chris Hinton was the 4th or 5th

 

From NFL.com......

 

 

 

 

 

ut an interesting story resurfaced this week in our research notes about last night's game. The Los Angeles Raiders had a deal in place with the Baltimore Colts to trade for John Elway during the 1983 draft. The move was blocked by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.

From the Star-Tribune in 2006: Ernie Accorsi, then the GM of the Colts, now the Giants' GM, confirmed a deal was in place with the Raiders that would have netted Baltimore an unprecedented three No. 1 picks and two No. 2s. One of the No. 1s, Accorsi said, would have been the sixth overall, which the Raiders had arranged to acquire from the Bears. Imagine how different the world would have been if this had happened? John Elway as the quarterback of the Los Angeles Raiders?

 

If he went to the raiders??? he wouldn't go to the colts.

[dw49]

Maybe we will never know.  Look at Bo Jackson he passed on being the first overall pick of the Bucs to go play baseball because he was mad at what the Bucs did to him in his mind costing him his college baseball career.  It sounds like Elway was bent on not playing for Bill Irsay so he might have very well gone on to play baseball and the football world have been changed greatly. 

 

The only difference was that Bo Jackson was hitting 500 foot homeruns and was an outstanding baseball prospect and player. John Elway wasn't even considred a good prospect by the Yankees as he couldn't hit a breaking ball.

[GoColts8818]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="dw49" data-cid="360587" data-time="1355672716"><p>

The only difference was that Bo Jackson was hitting 500 foot homeruns and was an outstanding baseball prospect and player. John Elway wasn't even considred a good prospect by the Yankees as he couldn't hit a breaking ball.</p></blockquote>he was good enough to be drafted twice once by the royals and then by the Yankees in the second round. Baseball was a real option for Elway. You can argue he wouldn't have been as good at it but it was there.