During an appearance on NBC’s “3rd Hour of Today” program this morning, Broncos general manager John Elway revealed he has been diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture, a hand condition involving a tendon that pulls one or more fingers into a bent position.
Elway said he was diagnosed 15 years ago and that both of his ring fingers were constricted and he could not hold a football.
“When I saw my hand doctor, the only option was surgery,” Elway said in a story posted on the NBC website. “I wasn’t interested in more surgeries. I’ve had so many surgeries during my playing career. At that point in time I didn’t want to have another one.”
Two years ago, Elway said his doctor learned of a non-surgical option to straighten his fingers.
Fifteen years ago, @johnelway was diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture, a progressive medical condition that leads to hand disability.
When he was first diagnosed, both his ring fingers were constricted and he had become unable to pick up or hold a football. pic.twitter.com/lA8OYxb0vP
— 3rd Hour of TODAY (@3rdHourTODAY) August 22, 2019
Elway is now involved with the “Facts on Hand” campaign to help raise awareness of the hand condition.
Elway, 59, and his wife, Paige, left the Broncos facility during Wednesday’s practice to travel to New York. Later Thursday, Elway is scheduled to take part in the BUILD Series in New York, a question-and-answer event with athletes and celebrities, to discuss the condition and the upcoming NFL regular season.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are more than 200,000 cases of Dupuytren’s contracture per year in the United States. It mainly impacts the ring and pinkie fingers and progresses slowly over time.
Dupuytren’s contracture occurs most commonly after the age of 50 and men are more likely to have the issue.
Elway’s 16 years as a player for the Broncos is a team record and the team won the franchise’s first two Super Bowls in his final two seasons (1997-98). A Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2004, Elway returned to the Broncos in January 2011 as general manager.
