John Elway, the one they call the Duke of Denver, was asked by BleacherReport’s Jason Cole, if he could throw 50 touchdowns in today’s NFL.
His response?
"“You never know. I mean, I’d like to think I could. At least I’d like to think I could with the way the game is, with as wide open as it is now, it’s obviously changed since when I played. But who knows? It’s a good league. It’s a player’s league now and it’s a quarterback’s league. That’s the player that you need and it’s the most important player on your team.”"
Elway’s career high in TDs came in 1997 when he tossed 27. That mark was the Denver Broncos franchise record, which was tied by Jake Plummer in 2004, and it stood until Peyton Manning obliterated it in 2012 with 37.
Of course, the franchise and NFL record for most TD passes in a season is 55 now, after Manning lambasted the books in 2013. That record will stand for years.
But it is true that Elway’s NFL was very different than today’s league. And it is an interesting question. Could Elway throw for 50 TDs, if he was currently playing in his prime?
I’ll agree with the Duke. I’d like to think he could.