NEED TO KNOW
\nJohn Elway and his first wife, Janet Buchan, welcomed four children: Jessica, Jordan, Jack and JulianaJohn coached Jack’s football teams and enjoyed watching Jessica play basketballJohn’s kids appear in the Netflix documentary Elway, which premiered on Dec. 22<\/p>\n
Legendary Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway<\/a> \u201csacrificed everything\u201d to be one of the best players in the NFL<\/a> and take home three Super Bowl rings, but these days his top priority is being a dad to his four kids: Jessica, Jordan, Jack and Juliana.\n<\/p>\n During the 1983 NFL draft, John was selected as the No. 1 pick by the then-Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts). He was later traded to the Broncos, where he spent 15 years as the team’s starting quarterback, a tenure marked by both ups and downs.\n<\/p>\n John was married to his first wife, Janet Buchan, throughout this time. The college sweethearts<\/a> wed in 1984 and welcomed four children before eventually divorcing in 2003. According to one of his daughters, the family also felt the pressure of the game. \u201cDepending on whether he won or lost, there was definitely a mood shift,\u201d she said in the trailer for Netflix\u2019s Elway documentary<\/a>, which premiered on Dec. 22.\n<\/p>\n Since retiring from the football field, John’s relationships with his kids have strengthened. “As proud as we are of my dad, we’d be just as proud if he had not made the Hall of Fame,” his oldest child, Jessica, said in a 2004 Pro Football Hall of Fame<\/a> ceremony speech. “I can’t tell you how much he has taught us about life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n These days, John is retired and focuses more on family than anything else. He spends his days going on trips<\/a> and working on his 7Cellars wine brand<\/a>, who inspired it. The former professional athlete also remarried to his wife, Paige Green.\n<\/p>\n Here\u2019s everything to know about John Elway\u2019s kids: Jessica, Jordan, Jack and Juliana.\n<\/p>\n Jessica Elway <\/p>\n John Elway and his daughter Jessica Elway during the 2004 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony August 8, 2004 in Canton, Ohio.<\/p>\n David Maxwell\/Getty<\/p>\n John and Janet became parents for the first time when they welcomed their daughter Jessica Elway.\n<\/p>\n As the oldest child, John and Jessica have always shared a special bond. She introduced him at his 2004 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction \u2014 the first daughter of an athlete to do so.\n<\/p>\n “When we look at my dad, we see a different man than everyone else sees,” Jessica said. “He has taught us to be leaders, to set goals, to dream and to never, ever, ever make excuses. Above all, he has taught us to be tough.”\n<\/p>\n She continued, “No one knows more than his children how tough my dad is, how competitive he is, how badly he wanted to win those Super Bowls.”\n<\/p>\n Jessica Elway introduces her father, John Elway during the 2004 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on August 8, 2004 in Canton, Ohio.<\/p>\n David Maxwell\/Getty<\/p>\n While growing up outside of the spotlight, Jessica followed in her father\u2019s athletic footsteps after high school. She attended her parents’ alma mater, Stanford University, where she played basketball<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWhen [your kids] make a great play, it\u2019s almost more satisfying than doing it yourself,\u201d John told the Associated Press (via the Vail Daily<\/a>) in 2007. \u201cMy oldest daughter, Jess, was a basketball player, and she used to be just as much fun to watch as [my son] Jack.\u201d\n<\/p>\n After college, Jessica worked as a teacher for several years, and today, she is in the medical industry, according to her LinkedIn<\/a>. She married in 2015, per a Stanford alumni blog<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Jordan Elway <\/p>\n Left to right: Jack Elway, Jessica Elway, Jordan Elway and Juliana Elway.<\/p>\n John Elway\/Instagram<\/p>\n Jessica was followed by John and Janet\u2019s second daughter, Jordan.\n<\/p>\n Jordan is the most private of John\u2019s children, with few details known about her. She was last reported to be married with a daughter named Addie.\n<\/p>\n John\u2019s granddaughter had a near-drowning incident, as detailed in a now-deleted YouTube video from 2019.\n<\/p>\n \u201cProud of my daughter Jordan and her husband Austin for having the courage to share their story,\u201d John said at the time on X<\/a>. \u201cGlad to help them spread the word about the importance of water safety for children. Their daughter Addie survived and recovered from a near drowning in April.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Jack Elway <\/p>\n John Elway’s son Jack Elway.<\/p>\n Netflix<\/p>\n John and Janet welcomed their third child and only son, Jack.\n<\/p>\n John coached his son<\/a>\u2019s different football teams starting from elementary school and on, telling the Associated Press in 2007 that he \u201cwanted to get back close to it and be close to him.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, it was important to be around Jack. I had played too long to not at least be able to give him some of my knowledge that I had gained over the years of playing and that I had gained from my dad,\u201d he shared, referring to college football coach Jack Elway Sr.\n<\/p>\n John continued, \u201cI would have been kicking myself if I hadn\u2019t done it. It was really a chance for me to get to know him better.\u201d\n<\/p>\n He was able to lead his son to a football scholarship at Arizona State University, but after a year on the team, Jack ultimately decided football wasn\u2019t for him.\n<\/p>\n John Elway with his son Jack Elway.<\/p>\n John Elway\/Instagram<\/p>\n “He sounds better. Just talking to him, it’s like the world has been lifted off his shoulders. So I’m happy for him,\u201d John told The Denver Post<\/a> in 2009.\n<\/p>\n Though John believed in his son\u2019s \u201ctalent,\u201d he understood that it wasn\u2019t his passion.\n<\/p>\n “As I told him when we were talking about it, ‘You know, if you don’t love the game of football, it’s too hard. It’s physical, and it’s a brutal sport. You have to absolutely love it,’ ” he recalled.\n<\/p>\n Afterward, Jack continued studying at ASU and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Now, he works at a marketing agency, according to his LinkedIn<\/a>. Jack is also involved with a luxury custom hat company called Mint Tradition.\n<\/p>\n He and John seem to spend lots of quality time together, including going on hunting trips<\/a> and golfing<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Juliana Elway <\/p>\n John Elway with his daughter Juliana Elway.<\/p>\n John Elway\/Instagram<\/p>\n John\u2019s youngest child is daughter Juliana, who is a teacher and runs a permanent jewelry business called Mile High Linked<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n John posts about Juliana most frequently, often quipping that she is his \u201cfavorite youngest daughter.\u201d He has also shared pictures with her at Christmastime<\/a>, attending a Kenny Chesney concert<\/a> and visiting her classroom in 2018.\n<\/p>\n \u201cSo proud of my daughter and all the hard work she does teaching these kiddos,\u201d he wrote<\/a> at the time.\n<\/p>\n Although Juliana’s Instagram account is private, it mentions that she lives in Colorado with her husband and three children.\n<\/p>\n Speaking to the Associated Press in 2007, John described her as “a socialite.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \u201cShe never really got into the sports, which is fine,” he said. “She wants to be in tennis, and I tell her all the time, \u2018You don\u2019t have to be in sports, you\u2019re just a sweetheart as you are.’ \u201d\n<\/p>\n