Broncos trade for quarterback John Elway in franchise-altering move | May 2, 1983 | Colorado’s Top 150 Sports Moments

By Chris Schmaedeke July 27, 2026 | updated 5 hours ago

Stanford university quarterback John Elway announced that hell play baseball for the New York Yankees rather than sign with the Baltimore Colts as the top draft choice of the National Football League, during a press conference in afternoon on Tuesday, April 26, 1983 in San Jose, California. Elway is rated by NFL scouts as perhaps the best passing prospect ever to come out of college. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Happy birthday, Colorado — and Colorado sports.

Leading into the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of Colorado’s top 150 sports moments.

For Nos. 50 to 1, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian Dave Plati coordinated a 19-member committee to rank in order what they considered the top moments. The No. 1 moment will be revealed July 31. Plati and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame podcast at coloradosports.org/podcast/.

Colorado's Top 150 Sports Moments — Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Top 150 Sports Moments

No. 5 — May 2, 1983

To date, the biggest trade in Denver sports history. Five days after the 1983 NFL draft, the Baltimore Colts traded quarterback John Elway to the Broncos for offensive lineman Chris Hinton, quarterback Mark Hermann and Denver’s first-round pick in the 1984 draft. The trade was finalized in the late afternoon, and the Broncos set a 10:30 p.m. press conference to introduce Elway, despite across town, the Denver Nuggets were hosting the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA playoff game. Most of the media covering the game split to Bronco headquarters for the presser. Elway spent his entire 16-year career with the Broncos.

— Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian

Chris Schmaedeke

Reporter