John Elway golf cart incident: Ex-NFL star's attorney drops statement after Jeff Sperbeck’s death

Former NFL quarterback John Elway has been in the spotlight after being involved in a golf cart accident that led to the death of his close friend and business partner, Jeff Sperbeck. Authorities said that there was no indication of criminal activity regarding the accident that took place last Saturday in the Madison Club community of La Quinta, California.

Sperbeck was sitting in the back of the golf cart, which Elway was reportedly driving. However, Sperbeck suffered a serious injury to his head when he fell off the cart, and was rushed to a hospital for treatment. The 62-year-old agent died from his injuries on April 30 at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.

On Friday, Elway's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, issued a statement on Sperbeck's death:

“This has been a terrible time for everyone involved and our hearts continue to go out to the Sperbeck family. As John grieves this unimaginable loss, we appreciate the efforts of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation has confirmed what we already knew: this was a tragic accident and sometimes things happen in life that we will never comprehend.”

According to reports, the golf cart was designed to seat between two to four people. However, authorities confirmed that five were onboard — Sperbeck, Elway, their wives and an unnamed person — when the accident occurred.

Sperbeck represented more than 100 players, including Elway, across his 30-year career as an NFL agent.

John Elway 'devastated' by the death of his close friend Jeff Sperbeck

Former NFL QB John Elway - Source: Getty

After Sperbeck was pronounced dead on Wednesday, John Elway issued a statement to ESPN on his late agent.

“I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck,” Elway said. “There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me.”

Elway played his entire 16 years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. He led the franchise to five Super Bowl appearances, winning back-to-back big games (in 1998, 1999).

After his playing career, Elway served as the Broncos' general manager (from 2011 to 2020) and executive vice president (in 2021) before transitioning to a consultant role (in 2022). Elway’s time with the franchise ended in 2023.