Jeff Sperbeck, a longtime agent and business associate of John Elway, tragically passed away on Wednesday following a golf cart accident in La Quinta, California, as confirmed by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Sperbeck, 62, had been on life support since the incident occurred on Saturday.
Reports indicate that Elway was driving the golf cart when Sperbeck fell off, hitting his head on the asphalt within the private Madison Club community. Also present at the time of the accident were the wives of both Sperbeck and Elway, as well as Elway’s son. The group had just returned from the Stagecoach music festival.
Following the accident, Sperbeck was rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs after Elway dialed 911. Medical professionals at the hospital informed his family that his prognosis was grim and that recovery was unlikely.
There have been questions raised about the response of local law enforcement to the incident. Reports suggest that the majority of the police force was deployed at the nearby music festival, resulting in a delayed response to the accident. An investigation into the incident was initiated by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office on Monday.
Despite Elway being at the wheel during the accident, there is no suggestion that he was at fault. Sperbeck had a distinguished 30-year career as an NFL agent, representing notable players such as Elway, Ronnie Lott, Joey Porter, Jim Plunkett, and Trent Dilfer, among others.
In addition to their professional relationship, Sperbeck and Elway were also business partners. They co-founded a winery named 7Cellars in 2015, a tribute to Elway’s jersey number.