John Elway

A longtime owner of numerous Denver-area automobile dealerships, a few years before retirement Elway sold most of his car business for a reported $82.5 million. So, after retiring in 2000 he didn't need a job; he needed something to do to fill the void created when he walked off the field for the last time. After briefly considering an office job with the Broncos, Elway joined Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan in forming MVP.com, an online sporting goods store. However, the venture, which Elway later called a good idea at a bad time, went bust. After unsuccessfully making bids on ownership of several professional sports teams, in 2002 Elway became one-third owner and the chief executive officer of the Colorado Crush, a new Arena Football League team set to begin play in 2003.

Elway's ride off into the sunset has been marred by personal tragedy. In the winter of 2001 his twin sister Jana was diagnosed with lung cancer. Two months later, his father died of a heart attack. His sister died in the summer of 2002; Elway was at her side when she passed away. Also during that same summer, Elway's wife of eighteen years moved out, taking the couple's four children, but within a month the family was back on track and reunited under one roof.