Denver’s Elway Makes Broncos Sentimental Pick

A year ago, the Green Bay Packers were football’s sentimental favorites, the small-town team that won the first two Super Bowls then went through a 29-year championship drought.

As defending champions, the Packers know they no longer are the feel-good story as they return to the Super Bowl on Jan. 25. This year’s sentimental favorites will be Green Bay’s opponent, the Denver Broncos, because of quarterback John Elway, who has been skunked three times in the big game.

“The fans are going to pull for a guy like John Elway, a good person, a great quarterback, one of the greatest of all time,” said Packers receiver Don Beebe.

“He has never won it and has been there three times.

Obviously people are going to pull for that,” Beebe said. “We are not going to go there and just lay down and say, ‘OK, John. You can have this one.’ That is the last thing on our minds. We want to go and repeat.”

Packers coach Mike Holmgren said not only would there be those pulling for Elway finally to succeed, but also for an AFC team to win after 13 straight losses.

“There is going to be a certain sentiment certainly in dealing with John,” Holmgren said. “He has been such a great player for a long, long time, and he is a very popular player.”

In his 15-year career, Elway has led the Broncos to four Super Bowls in eight playoff appearances.

Seattle may help Cowher get power

If the Pittsburgh Steelers must replace front-office chief Tom Donahoe, they might not have to look any further than coach Bill Cowher’s office.

Cowher wouldn’t say Tuesday if he wants to assume player acquisition duties should Donahoe leave to become the Seattle Seahawks’ general manager. He also wouldn’t definitely rule it out.

Donahoe, the director of football operations since 1992, will fly today to Seattle to talk to the Seahawks, Pittsburgh TV station KDKA reported. He said his first preference is to stay, but an offer from Seattle might be worth four to five times his current salary.

Should Donahoe leave, chief scout Tom Modrak would be a leading candidate to replace him. But it wouldn’t surprise many inside the Steelers’ organization if Cowher, who already has a strong power base, adds another title to that of coach.

Raiders playing a Shell game

Art Shell, the last coach to take the Oakland Raiders to the playoffs, may be back for another stint in that job.

Shell, who led the Raiders to a 56-41 record in 1989-94, met with Oakland owner Al Davis during the weekend. Shell is Atlanta’s offensive line coach.

For the third time since Shell was fired at the end of the 1994 season, the Raiders are looking for a new head coach. Joe Bugel was fired last week after leading the Raiders to a 4-12 record in his only year in the job.

The Raiders also have interviewed Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Jon Gruden and New York Jets defensive coordinator Bill Belichick.

Shell, 51, was with the Raiders for 27 seasons. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle in 1968-82. He became the Raiders’ coach in October 1989 when Davis fired Mike Shanahan, who now has his Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.