Rush: Elway to hurt Romney in Ohio?

Rush Limbaugh called John Elway “gutsy” on Tuesday for supporting Mitt Romney, and wondered whether the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback’s endorsement might hurt the GOP presidential nominee in Ohio.

“Elway’s a gutsy guy anyway. He’s showing up at a Romney rally. Now, owners, that’s a different thing, like [Pittsburgh Steelers’ owner] Dan Rooney is in the Obama tank in Pittsburgh,” the conservative radio host said Tuesday on his program, according to a show transcript.


He added: “He can affect fans’ attitude towards the team with his political views. He’s loved and adored in Denver.”

Elway, currently the Denver Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations, endorsed Romney at a rally Monday.

Limbaugh said that the media might say the endorsement could hurt Romney in battleground Ohio, where Cleveland Browns fans might still “hate” Elway for “The Drive,” the nickname for the game-tying, 98-yard drive he led against the home-team Browns in the 1987 AFC Championship. (The Broncos went on to win in overtime.)

“Hey, here’s a question for you. Elway endorses Romney. Elway is hated in Ohio. Elway was the author of ‘The Drive’ against the Cleveland Browns, one of the most famous games in NFL history. So is Elway’s endorsement of Romney gonna hurt Romney with Browns fans because the Browns are all important in Ohio, and they hate Elway? Well, I’m just throwing it out there. I mean it’s the way the media might analyze this. I’m just trying to prepare you for what might come of this. It’s the way they connect the dots,” he said, laughing, according to the transcript. “I know it sounds ridiculous.”