If the Broncos can pull off a Super Bowl upset, John Elway has a hard choice to make.
Now, Broncos fans know better than to count their chickens before they hatch. A 2-5 record in the Super Bowl will have that effect on a fan base. And after the 43-8 beatdown Denver suffered in Super Bowl XLVIII after being favored, many fans in Broncos Country don’t want to think too much about a win against Carolina until it happens. The problem is, certain people have to, John Elway included.
That confetti that came raining down after the AFC Championship? It didn’t get loaded into the cannons after the two-point conversion stop with 12 seconds left on the clock. That happened days before. Those awesome “WE RUN THE AFC” Championship t-shirts? They didn’t get printed after Peyton Manning kneeled down for the win. Those were made weeks before.
A certain amount of advance planning has to go into how the celebration will play out, even before the ball is snapped. The same is true for the Super Bowl. John Elway, whether he likes it or not, has to do at least a little bit of thinking about what he might say to a national TV audience should the Broncos emerge victorious.
After Super Bowl XXXII, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen famously raised the Lombardi Trophy and said, “This one’s for John!”
Many fans think Elway will return the favor to Mr. Bowlen if Denver pulls a Super Bowl upset, but there’s certainly a case to be made for many others inside the Broncos organization. Here’s our list of the top candidates that Elway might say, “This one’s for…”
Not Gonna’ Happen: “This one’s for… Owen”
Since being drafted by Gary Kubiak in 2006, Owen Daniels has followed Kubiak everywhere he’s been – from Houston to Baltimore to Denver. Daniels is a 10-year veteran who’s never played in a Super Bowl, but is widely regarded as one of the best all-around guys in the league. He delivered both Denver touchdowns in the AFC Championship and was critical down the stretch in close games at the end of the year. He’s a feel-good story, but he’s not getting any love from John Elway if the confetti flies on Feb. 7.
The Shocker: “This one’s for… D-Ware”
The Denver defense is widely credited as the reason the Broncos are in the Super Bowl. (No love for Britton Colquitt?) So it would make sense that John Elway would recognize the emotional, intellectual and spiritual leader of Denver’s dominating defense. DeMarcus Ware was the man charged with the final team speech before the AFC Championship, and he could have that same role for the Super Bowl. Shouldn’t he get some love at the end of the day? Maybe. But his nine years in a Cowboys uniform would make it a little strange.
Out of Left Field: “This one’s for Demaryius’s Mom”
Perhaps only Peyton Manning has had a more trying season than wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. What’s surprising is that Thomas, who battled outrageous expectations after signing a $70 million contract in the offseason, is getting so much heat from the fans and media for a 1,000-yard and 100-catch season. His mom was granted a release from jail on a Presidential pardon, and her story has been making headlines here in Denver and nationally. John Elway could surprise the world and dedicate this win to their emotional story. But he won’t.
For Old Time’s Sake: “This one’s for… Gary”
Gary Kubiak played backup to John Elway from 1983 to 1991. After a few years at other posts he became the Hall of Famer’s QB coach and offensive coordinator. Kubiak’s coaching helped deliver Elway’s first two Super Bowls. Now that he’s back in Denver and one win away from delivering a third, you have to imagine Elway would take a long, hard look at congratulating his longtime friend and one of the most important, if not undervalued, pieces of Broncos history and dedicating this win to him. If this wasn’t Kubiak’s first year, Elway might do it. Give it another year.
The New Mastermind: “This one’s for… Wade”
There’s no secret that those of us at Mile High Sports are huge fans of Wade Phillips. First of all, he’s a hilarious follow on Twitter; he’s also good about interviews, has a sense of cool that belies his 68-year-old countenance and he’s proven to be one hell of a great coordinator for this highly talented defense. The playmakers make plays, but Phillips designs those plays. Now in his 40th year in the NFL, it’s amazing Phillips doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. There might be no one in the game more deserving of one. That enough should make “This one” for Wade. But Elway would never live it down.
The One Roger Goodell Wants: “This one’s for… Peyton”
Make no mistake, the NFL (and Roger Goodell by proxy) wants its most marketable player over the past 18 years to ride off into the sunset with a Lombardi Trophy in tow. And they’d love to see the bookend of one legendary quarterback (Elway) sending the other (Manning) off in the same fashion he left the game. The NFL Films on that one would probably break the internet. Elway lured Manning to Denver with one goal in mind. Would he dare spurn him in his brightest moment? Maybe, if only for one person.
The Only Real Choice: “This one’s for… Mr. B”
Five years ago, Pat Bowlen entrusted the future of his franchise to his former quarterback, John Elway. Now debilitated by Alzheimer’s disease to the point that he can no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations of the team, Bowlen clearly made the right choice. Denver plays in its second Super Bowl in three years under Elway and there is some unfinished business that was left on the turf in New York in 2014. If given the chance, Elway would probably strap on the cleats one more time if it meant delivering a Super Bowl, one he could dedicate to the man affectionately known throughout the organization as “Mr. B.” Should the Broncos win, there’s only one real choice as to who “This one’s for…”