The rookie quarterback acquired to save the Broncos had sustained one concussion and two elbow injuries, threw four more interceptions than touchdowns and completed only 46% of his pass attempts when he was replaced after five games of his rookie season.
In the updated version of Paul Zimmerman’s book, “The New Thinking Man’s Guide To Pro Football,” Elway told Dr. Z being benched in 1983 took “5,000 tons of bricks off my back. Sitting on the bench now, I’ve stopped memorizing the offense and started learning it.”
Steve DeBerg’s injury five games later put Elway back on the field, and beginning the next year, Elway started all but 10 regular-season games until his retirement after the 1998 season.