Elway faces comeback dilemma -- again

MIAMI -- Now this is a fine fix Denver quarterback John Elway has gotten himself into.

After beating Atlanta 34-19 Sunday, Elway moved into elite company, joining Bart Starr, Bob Griese, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman as the only quarterbacks to win consecutive Super Bowls.

No one has won three in a row.

And that is Elway's dilemma. There is tremendous temptation to go for the trifecta, uncharted territory that would put him in a class by himself. That would mean, at age 38, delaying his retirement for another year.

"You have got to love those challenges," Elway said. "We've got the team, we've got the nucleus here to do it. It definitely throws a kink into my thinking."

Certainly the Broncos want him back. And why not? He still seems on top of his game.

"I would love John to come back next season," coach Mike Shanahan said. "He has meant a lot to this city to win Super Bowls in consecutive seasons. I want him back for a third."

Elway's solution was not to think about it right now, choosing instead to enjoy the glow of a victory he constructed with 336 yards passing -- the third highest yardage total for any quarterback in Super Bowl history.

A large chunk of that total came on an 80-yard touchdown connection with Rod Smith on the first play from scrimmage after Atlanta's Morten Andersen missed a 26-yard field goal.

That was one of 18 completions Elway had, hitting a half-dozen different Denver receivers and making him the unanimous choice for MVP. Most of the passing game came without tight end Shannon Sharpe, who left the game in the first quarter after twisting his left knee.

It hardly disturbed Elway, who has passed for more than 50,000 yards and over 300 touchdowns in a 16-year career. He enjoyed the chance to air it out against Atlanta.

"The talk all week was about the running game," he said. "Nobody talked about passing. I went in knowing I'd have the opportunity to throw. I was looking forward to the opportunity."

Elway lit it up. He beat Atlanta every way imaginable -- short passes and long passes, slants and shotguns. Sometimes it seemed unfair.

In the fourth quarter, he even barreled into the end zone on a 3-yard keeper for a touchdown. There was a grin a mile wide on his face, like a kid in a sandlot, not an aging quarterback in the Super Bowl.

What was that all about?

"They had been hurt by quarterback draws all year so we were just hoping we got the right defense," Elway said. "Sure enough we got the perfect defense. I was thinking I want to get in the end zone. I could see the goal line right there and Mark Schlereth fell on top of me. He said: 'Hello, how are you?' I said: 'I'm good.' He made me laugh."

By then, the Broncos were having fun.

A year ago, the Super Bowl went down to the last play with Brett Favre driving Green Bay in a frantic effort to catch the Broncos. This time, Denver had enough breathing room to allow Elway to make a solitary exit from the field in the final minute.

It was another emotional moment in a night full of them for Elway.

"I don't know if I was crying," he said. "I definitely got a little bit emotional out there."

He trotted off the field, his arms held high as the crowd of 74,803 roared.

"That is the kind of walk you kind of dream of as a kid," Elway said. "That walk, I will remember for the rest of my life."

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