From “The Drive” to “The Helicopter,” John Elway‘s career was a highlight reel of jaw-dropping moments that left AFC West defenses in shambles. Now, the Broncos legend finds himself on the sidelines, watching a new gunslinger paint the division orange and red. And boy, does it sting like a Rocky Mountain blizzard.

In a candid chat with Starcade Media, Elway didn’t mince words about Kansas City’s rocket-armed quarterback. “He’s a heck of a player,” Elway admitted. “And he’s just gonna continue to get better and better.” Coming from the man who once turned the Chiefs‘ Arrowhead Stadium into his playground, that’s high praise indeed.

Elway’s journey from tormentor to spectator is a tale as old as the NFL itself. Back in his heyday, he was the boogeyman that kept AFC West coaches up at night. Now, he’s watching Mahomes pull off the kind of last-minute heroics that were once his trademark. It’s like seeing your ghost, only this one wears red and gold instead of orange and blue.

The parallels between Elway and Mahomes aren’t lost on those who’ve watched both men work their magic. Kyle Shanahan, whose father Mike was Elway’s coach, drew a striking comparison. “John never had an ACL, he was never running a huge (40-yard dash) and you didn’t think he was the most mobile guy but he was one of the most mobile guys in the league,” Shanahan noted back in February.

But Elway’s praise isn’t just empty flattery. In 2020, he boldly declared, “Obviously, with his contract, he’s the best football player in the league.” Then, with a wink to his Broncos roots, he added, “I wish he’d have got more. I think they underpaid him.”

The respect runs deep, with Elway predicting Mahomes will be “one of the greatest greats of all time.” High praise from a man who knows something about being the best.

How the AFC West can tackle the Patrick Mahomes phenomenon

So, how do you stop a quarterback who seems to have cheat codes enabled? Elway, ever the strategist, offered a simpler game plan said than done. “Try to keep him inside and prevent some of the big plays,” he advised, probably wishing he could suit up one more time to show these youngsters how it’s done.

The key, according to the Duke of Denver, is containment. Mahomes’ arm might be strong enough to launch a football over the Rockies, but it’s his Houdini-like escapes that give defenders nightmares. By keeping him in the pocket, there’s at least a chance of limiting those “how did he do that?” moments that have become Mahomes’ calling card.

Elway’s words are not without weight. This is a man who faced off with Joe Montana and Dan Marino for years, knowing too well that sometimes when you are up against a quarterback of Mahomes’ caliber, all you can only but “just gotta do the best you can.”

Elway’s words serve as both a warning and a challenge to the other teams in the AFC West. As Mahomes pulls off another miracle, Elway is probably watching from afar muttering to himself “Not again”. It’s clear from this statement; that the AFC West has become Mahomes’ world hence everyone else simply lives there only – The Broncos legend even made fun of Mahomes owning part of the Kansas City Royals by saying back in 2020, “I hope they hire him in the front office. He can spend half his time over there with the Royals. That’s fine with me too.” It’s a full-circle moment, considering Elway himself was once drafted by the KC Royals back in 1979.

But hey, who knows? Maybe somewhere out there, there’s another young quarterback ready to give the Chiefs a taste of their own medicine. After all, what goes around, comes around – even in the wild, wild AFC West. For now, though, Elway and the rest of the division can only tip their caps to Mahomes and hope for the best. As Elway reluctantly handed over the Lombardi Trophy to the Chiefs in February, admitting he’d “much rather have given it to the 49ers,” it was clear: the student has become the master, and the AFC West has a new sheriff in town.