John Elway involved in accident that ended in tragedy

John Elway was involved in a tragic accident over the weekend in Southern California when his friend and long-time business partner Jeff Sperbeck fell off a golf cart and suffered a life-ending injury

BY TRENT FINNEGAN

Apr 30, 2025, 12:26 PM

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The 2025 Stagecoach Festival took place in Southern California over the weekend, an event that is supposed to be filled with good times and country music. For John Elway and his close friend, Jeff Sperbeck, the weekend ended in tragedy.

After the festival on Saturday, Elway was driving a golf cart with Sperbeck in the back when Sperbeck fell out and hit his head on the ground, resulting in a serious injury. TMZ reported that Elway did nothing wrong in the act, he was just at the wheel when the accident happened.

The accident took place in La Quinta, Calif., near the Madison Club, where Elway owns a home.

On Wednesday morning, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reported that Sperbeck had passed away at 1:10 a.m. local time. He was 62 years old.

Sperbeck was a long-time business partner with Elway and spent 30 years as a football agent. During his time, he represented over 100 players that played in the NFL. He became the manager for Elway’s business and marketing activities in 1991.

Elway and Sperbeck kept a close relationship throughout the years, and the two founded 7Cellars Wine & Spirits in 2015, a successful company that is present in restaurants and retail stores around the country. The company is based in Napa Valley in California, a region best known for its vineyards and wine.

Elway has not released a public statement yet, but someone close to him told KUSA-Ch. 9 that Elway is “devastated.”