The Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation will honor John Elway for his contribution to football in the Centennial State at the group’s 32nd annual banquet on April 21.
Elway will receive the 2024 Joe Kearney Service Award for his contributions to Colorado football over the past several seasons, including 27 with the Denver Broncos and six with the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League.
Elway spent his entire 16-season playing career (1983-1998) with the Denver Broncos, followed by 11 seasons (2011-2022) with the National Football League franchise in various front-office positions, including general manager. Elway was associated with all three of the Broncos’ Super Bowl wins.
Inducted into the College (2000) and Pro (2004) Hall of Fames, Elway was part of the ownership group with the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League (2003-2008). The team was the 2005 AFL champions.
“It is our honor to present John with the Kearney Service Award for his contribution to football on and off the field of play in Colorado,” said Dan DeRose, the president of the Colorado Chapter. “In talking with John, the Kearney Award will be special since his father (Jack) was a high school coach in the state of Washington when Joe was involved with prep football in the northwest.”
DeRose said the presentation to Elway will be followed by a 15-minute “Question Answer” session with long-time Bronco publicist Jim Saccomano. “With the Q&A format,” said DeRose, “it will be a candid conversation between the Pro Football Hall of Famers – John, the player/general manager, and Jim, the legendary spokesman. It will be entertaining for sure.”
The April 21 banquet will be at the Denver West Marriott in Golden. Tickets for the banquet are available by contacting Colorado Chapter at nffcolorado@aol.com or by telephoning Dick DeWire at 720/236-7187. The cost is $75 per person or $750 for a table for 10.
The 2024 Prep Scholar-Athletes will be honored at the April 21 banquet along with the top collegiate performers from the 2024 season from the University of Colorado (coach Deion Sanders, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, two-way star Travis Hunter) and Colorado School of Mines (Blake Doud).
The following individuals are also receiving contribution and service awards with Elway.
- John Adams Officiating (contributions to the profession) – Scott Saucke
- Jim Turner Award (service to Colorado youth) – Chris Lucas, Elite Youth Sports of Loveland
- Keith Jensen (service on behalf of the chapter) – Williams Cox
- Jim Saccomano (media and public relations contributions) – Tim Flynn, Colorado Mines
Saucke, a past president of the Colorado Football Officials Association, was honored with the Schiessler-Bader Award in 2021. He officiated multiple state championship games during his 25 seasons as a high school referee. Saucke, a state clinician for 10 years and an officer with the Denver Football Officials Association, was instrumental in developing refereeing teaching tools nationally.
Elite Youth Sports sponsors football from flag to tackle throughout the northern Colorado Area. Cox was a chapter board of directors charter member when Kearney started the NFF group in Colorado in 1992.
Flynn has been the assistant athletic director for communications at Mines since May 2015. A five-time recipient of the J.W. Campbell/Con Marshall Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Sports Information Director of the Year award (2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023), Flynn has promoted a pair of Harlon Hill Trophy winners (Justin Dvorak in 2016 and John Matocha in 2022).
