John Elway and Jeff Sperbeck, from left. Photo:
7Cellars/Instagram
- NFL star John Elway was reportedly involved in a golf cart accident on Saturday, April 26, which left his friend and business partner Jeff Sperbeck with a traumatic head injury
- Sperbeck is reportedly on life support at Desert Regional Medical Center
- An investigation into the incident was reportedly opened by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office
John Elway was reportedly involved in a golf cart accident, which left his former agent and business partner, Jeff Sperbeck, with a serious head injury, according to several outlets, including TMZ and KESQ, News Channel 3.
The 64-year-old NFL alum and former general manager for the Denver Broncos was with his friend at The Madison Club in La Quinta, Calif., on Saturday, April 26, according to KESQ.
Per TMZ, Sperbeck, 61, fell off the back of a golf cart that they were both traveling in. The outlet notes that he “rolled and hit his head on asphalt.” Sperbeck was said to be “unconscious but still breathing” at the scene. However, the accident left him with a “traumatic injury.”
John Elway golfing in October 2024. David Cannon/Getty
CAL FIRE responded to the accident, with a spokesperson telling KESQ, “It was a reported fall from a golf cart and the patient was transported to a local area trauma center in unknown condition.”
Sperbeck was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, according to TMZ. He is reportedly on life support, and the outlook is “not good.”
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to KESQ that an investigation into the incident had been opened. However, they were not called to the scene at the time of the accident. Per TMZ, there is “no indication [Elway] did anything wrong.”
Elway is said to have reached out to 911, according to the outlet. Ali Simon, a witness on the scene, told KESQ, “It was so sad, and our hearts just go out to the families.”
Simon added to the outlet that she arrived on the scene “probably one minute” before the accident took place.
“We got there, and [Sperbeck] was unfortunately lying on the ground, and there were people surrounding him just trying to make sure he was okay,” she said.
“People were on the phone just trying to get help there as soon as they possibly could. It was so scary; it was nothing like we’ve ever seen. You just don’t think you’re ever going to witness anything like that,” she concluded, adding that medics arrived within five minutes.
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John Elway in February 2020. Alika Jenner/Getty
Sperbeck is Elway’s longtime agent and the pair cofounded the winery 7Cellars together.
On the company’s website, Sperbeck is described as “an NFL-certified contract advisor who has represented over 100 NFL football players throughout his 30-year career as a football agent and business advisor.”
PEOPLE reached out to CAL FIRE, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and The Madison Club to request an update on the incident but did not immediately hear back.
