Former Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam, who played 15 seasons for the club from 1993-2007, signed a one-day contract with the team last fall so he could officially retire as a Bronco. (Hyoung Chang/ The Denver Post)
If I were to create a top-10 list of the most interesting athletes I’ve covered, ex-Bronco Jason Elam would be on it. Heck, he might be on top of that list.
Elam was — is — more than just an NFL place-kicker. And adventurer at heart, he flies planes deep into the Alaskan outback, leads trips to the Holy Family to celebrate his deep Christian faith, and is a published author. He and writing partner Steve Yohn have written three action-adventure books centered on the character Riley Covington, a former football player who fights terrorism.
Moreover, Elam is, truly and completely, a nice guy and wonderful family man.
Now you have a chance to ask Elam your question. In conjunction with his induction into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame on April 12, Elam has agreed to take readers’ questions in the next installment of The Denver Post’s “Fan Mail” feature.
Send your questions in an email to fanmail@denverpost.com. We will accept questions through Tuesday morning.
Back when I covered the Broncos, I got to know Elam pretty well. One of my favorite memories centers around a profile I did on Elam in 2004. I spent a wonderful day with Elam and his family at their home near Parker.
Following is an excerpt from my story that reveals something about the man.
It was a hot, steamy August day in Tokyo when Jason Elam made his move.
Broncos teammate Tom Rouen said he was crazy. It was not the time, Rouen insisted, for Elam to approach his dream girl.
Not in front of all the assembled players, Broncos cheerleaders and other members of the 1995 American Bowl entourage waiting to board the chartered jet back to Denver.
But Elam would not be deterred.
He pursued Tamy Cline with the same passion he brought to everything else in his life. From kicking his record-tying 63-yard field goal, to flying planes into the wilds of Alaska, to exploring his faith on trips to the Holy Land, to helping design his dream house, Elam’s zest for life is undeniable.
Elam already had sent a single rose and a well-crafted note to Cline’s hotel room. It was his fifth draft. He wanted it to be perfect. He knew her fellow cheerleaders would get a peek at the note.
With the groundwork set, the kicker steeled himself and asked out the effervescent cheerleader. Less than five months later, Cline gave him a 6-week-old yellow Labrador puppy for Christmas. He named it Harley.
Elam, in turn, gave Cline an engagement ring. They were married the following May in a ceremony at Castle Pines Golf Club.
“Jason was different than anyone I’d ever known,” said Tamy, a Northglenn High School graduate. “First of all, we both have a deep Christian faith. And Jason is so creative and impulsive and exciting. I think that anything he wants to achieve, he’ll do it. Really, he’s a Renaissance man.”
