[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      HONORING THE LATE JACK ELWAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 8, 2001

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is a sad time in Colorado, Jack Elway, 
the father, mentor and friend of Denver Bronco great John Elway. Jack 
passed away from a heart attack over Easter weekend at the age of 70. 
Not only is this a great loss for the Elway's, it's a loss for the 
Denver Bronco organization and the state of Colorado.
  Jack was not only a football coach, pro scout, and a father but he 
was the best friend and longtime mentor of his son, John. ``I'm just so 
shocked. What a classy, loving person. He was as fine a coach as there 
was, and more important, a fine a man as there was,'' said Colorado 
State football coach Sunny Lubick.
  ``The passing of Jack Elway is a tragedy for his family and for the 
entire Denver Broncos family as well. He was a first-class individual 
in every way,'' said Mike Shannahan, head coach of the Broncos. In 
addition to being a great husband, father, and grandfather, he was a 
tremendous friend to everyone here at the Broncos, and played a vital 
role in personnel evaluation for back-to-back World Championship teams. 
``Jack was happy to stay in the background and let others get more 
public attention, but his position with us was truly invaluable. Our 
teams have had great success with free agent players, and Jack Elway 
was in charge of that area. Even in his retirement, we leaned on him a 
couple of months a year regarding talent.''
  Jack worked with the Broncos organization from 1993 until 2000 when 
he retired. During his time with the broncos, he served as a pro scout 
and then as Director of Pro Scouting, a position which he held four 
previous times with different teams. Before coming to the Broncos, Jack 
was the head coach of the Frankfurt Galaxy in the World League for two 
seasons. Through out his football career, Jack has coached several 
college and high school teams, including Cal State Northridge, San Jose 
State, and Stanford.
   Jack is a native of Hoquiam, Washington, and played quarterback for 
Washington State, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. 
``Whether it was about football, whether it was about life or 
friendships, he was a coach all the time. He had a wealth of knowledge 
and experience and with the people he cared about. He shared that all 
the time. You cannot replace people like that. It cannot be done,'' 
said Ted Sundquist, Denver's director of college scouting.
  ``There is nobody that didn't like Jack Elway,'' said Bronco owner 
Pat Bowlen. ``Here it is Easter, and Jack dies on the biggest 
celebration day of the year. He's arriving up there with a party and 
Jerry waiting for him.''
  Mr. Speaker, the memory of Jack Elway will always be with his wife 
Jan, his three children, Lee Ann, John, and Jana, his friends and the 
state of Colorado.