Former Broncos GM John Beake Dies At 87

Longtime Broncos general manager John Beake has died, the team announced on Saturday. He was 87.

In all, Beake spent 35 years working in the NFL. He is of course best remembered for his time in Denver, including a 15-year run as the team’s general manager. It was during that span that the Broncos reached five Super Bowls and earned championships during the 1997 and ’98 seasons.

Following time at Penn State and then on the coaching staffs of the Chiefs and Saints, Beake joined the Broncos’ front office in 1979. He held the title of pro personnel director at that time. While operating in that capacity, Beake was among the staffers involved in the trade acquisition of quarterback John Elway. The significance of that move cannot be overstated given its impact on the franchise.

Beake was at the helm of the Broncos for much of Elway’s illustrious career, handling GM duties from 1984-98. Over that span, Denver reached the playoffs on nine occasions and posted a sub-.500 record only twice. Overall, the team’s record under Beake was 152-86-1 during the regular season and 14-7 in the playoffs. A transition to vice president of administration took place in Beake’s case after the 1998 campaign.

That was followed by time spent as a key administrator with the NFL including work on the league’s NFL Europe project. Beake ultimately worked his way up to the role of vice president of football development and operations within the NFL. He remained a member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame committee long after his front office tenure with the franchise ended.

“The Broncos are saddened by the passing of longtime executive John Beake, who made an enduring impact on our organization during more than two decades with the team,” a Broncos statement reads in part. “Our deepest condolences are with his wife, Marcia, his sons, Chip and Chris, and the entire Beake family.”