All-Time Broncos QBs Ranked: Elway #1, Manning #2

John Hufnagel

Denver Broncos
Retired 2 Years In The NFL
🏆 Super Bowl champion (XXXVIII)
John's
HAIR
5.7
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about John Hufnagel or the Broncos?

John Hufnagel Legacy

HEYTC AI
John Hufnagel, the steel-tough Penn State gunslinger from Coraopolis who lit up Happy Valley with a 26-3 record and a Cotton Bowl rout of Texas, was football's ultimate gridiron nomad—briefly an NFL Bronco, then a CFL workhorse across Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg. What made him special? That wizard touch turning raw talent into winners, from tutoring Tom Brady to Super Bowl glory with the Pats, fueling Eli Manning and Tiki Barber's Giants explosions, and masterminding five Grey Cups as Calgary's coach-GM savant, including Doug Flutie's fireworks. A Hall of Famer who conquered two leagues without ever chasing the spotlight—just pure, relentless football IQ. Legacy? Eternal architect of dynasties.

John Hufnagel Rating Breakdown

Season
Non-Factor
Fantasy
Non-Factor
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
2 years with the Broncos

John Hufnagel Career Stats via Wikipedia

21,594 Pass Yards
9 Touchdowns
0 INTs
0.0% Comp %
5.7 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About John Hufnagel

How does Bo Nix compare to John Hufnagel?

Bo Nix, the fresh-faced Broncos starter, has a shot at eclipsing John Hufnagel's brief NFL cameo—357 yards, 1 TD in nine games off the bench for '74-'75 Denver squads that went 16-31-4. Hufnagel's real fireworks came later in the CFL with 21k yards and 128 TDs, plus a Super Bowl ring as Pats OC. Nix better deliver Elway-level magic to top that gritty footnote.[58 words]

Is John Hufnagel in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

John Hufnagel won't find his bust in Canton—no Pro Football Hall of Fame nod for the guy who barely sniffed NFL starts, posting a 31.4% completion on 51 tosses for Denver. His shine's up north in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame for coaching Calgary to Grey Cup glory and QBing 22k yards. NFL immortality? Not this Penn State gunner.[62 words]

What is John Hufnagel doing now in 2026?

In 2026, Hufnagel's long retired from the sidelines, no fresh headlines on broadcasting gigs, business ventures, or charity drives—just echoes of his CFL coaching dominance with a .712 winning clip and two Grey Cups as Stamps GM. The old QB-turned-gridiron wizard seems content fading into Alberta sunset, letting Flutie and Garcia stories do the talking.[59 words]

How would John Hufnagel perform in today's NFL?

Hufnagel's cannon arm from Penn State's 2,039-yard senior blast would've feasted under today's pass-happy rules—no more '70s bump-and-run DBs mugging receivers. His CFL accuracy (1,517-of-2,755 for 128 TDs) translates to gadget-role starter, maybe 3,500 yards a year spotting for a mobile guy. But that 5.71 NFL rating? Still screams era relic in primetime.[60 words]

How does John Hufnagel compare to John Elway?

Hufnagel vs. Elway? Apples to Everest for Broncos QBs—John's nine-game audition: 357 yards, 1 TD, 5.71 rating; Duke's 16-year clinic: 51k yards, 300 TDs, 71.78 rating. Hufnagel held clipboards while Elway sculpted legends. Both orange-crush era, but one's a trivia spark, the other's the franchise supernova. No contest, like comparing a sparkler to a Roman candle.[64 words]