Former NFL star John Elway’s longtime business partner and former agent died Wednesday after reportedly falling from a golf cart.
Jeff Sperbeck, 62, died Wednesday after an accident Saturday evening in La Quinta, California, the Riverside County Coroner confirmed to ABC News.
“I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck,” Elway said in a statement to ESPN. “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. My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Jeff’s wife, Cori; his children Carly, Sam and Jackson; and everyone who knew and loved him. Jeff will be deeply missed for the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of so many others.”
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire) responded to a 911 call about a person falling from a golf cart on the 53200 block of Humboldt Blvd in La Quinta. Emergency personnel transported the injured person to a nearby trauma center with serious injuries, officials said.
Elway was driving the golf cart during the incident, TMZ reported earlier.
ABC has attempted to reach out to representatives for Elway.
“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting a thorough investigation into the death of Sperbeck and will take appropriate action based on the outcome,” Riverside County Sheriff said on Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office wasn’t notified until Monday about the incident that happened on Saturday, according to the statement.
Sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News the investigation is in its preliminary stages. Because the incident occurred in a private community and involved a golf cart rather than a regular vehicle, standard traffic laws may not apply.
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Elway, a Hall of Fame quarterback, spent his entire 16-year NFL career with the Denver Broncos, leading the team to two Super Bowl victories.
The NFL star later served as the Broncos’ general manager and executive vice president before transitioning to a consultant role, which ended in March 2023.
Sperbeck had represented over 100 football players in his 30-year career as an NFL agent.
Jeff Sperbeck, NFL star John Elway’s longtime agent, dies following golf cart incident originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
