Denver Broncos legendary quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway revealed that he’s been dealing with a serious health matter for several years.
The 64-year-old John Elway has stayed out of the spotlight since leaving the Broncos’ front office in 2023. He served as the GM from 2011 to 2022 before handing those duties to George Paton, spending the 2022 season as a consultant before leaving the organization.
Tyler Reed of The Big Lead recently caught up with the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, who revealed that he’s dealing with Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC), a condition that causes fingers to bend towards the palm.
John Elway stated that he was diagnosed in his 50s after seeing a specialist, and that five percent of the population deals with it. Elway took a medication called Xiaflex to treat the issue, though it hasn’t completely gone away:
“After being diagnosed, I wanted to find out more about DC. It’s something that a lot of people don’t know about, even though 5% of the population has it, which is why I want people to be aware that there is a non-surgical option for this condition in the form of the medication Xiaflex…
I didn’t really know what it was. I kind of put it off until I asked our trainer, who directed me to the hand specialist. But I think that is one of the things we are trying to encourage, is that the earlier you seek treatment, the results are much better.
It’s amazing in the last five years, how many people have asked me about the condition and the Xiaflex that treats the condition. You are not alone. If you have these constrictions in your hands and fingers, there is a non-surgical treatment in Xiaflex.”
Hall of Fame @JohnElway discuss whether or not he cares where he's ranked amongst the all-time greatest QBs pic.twitter.com/yz3fbh1ZzD
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) November 20, 2024
The condition is not entirely curable, but Elway encourages others who have DC to seek Xiaflex for treatment.
Kudos to John Elway for spreading awareness about DC and encouraging others to have it checked out. Here’s hoping that advancements in science, medicine and technology will fully cure DC in the not-so-distant future.
John Elway Is The Greatest Denver Bronco Ever
Elway spent his entire 16-year playing career with the Broncos, from 1983 to ’98. After losing his first three Super Bowl appearances, the 1987 league MVP led Denver to consecutive Lombardi Trophies in 1997 and ’98 before retiring in 1999.
The Hall of Famer strengthened his legacy in Denver by bringing the Broncos back to relevance in the GM chair. He won the 2012 Peyton Manning free agency sweepstakes, building an AFC juggernaut that won two AFC Championships and Super Bowl 50.
Elway might not be involved with the Broncos anymore, but his status as the greatest and most influential player in franchise history will never change.
