Kriti Mehrotra
Directed by Chris Weaver and Ken Rodgers, Netflix’s ‘Elway’ delves deep into the multifaceted life of former professional football quarterback John Albert Elway Jr. in a way never before. It comprises not only archival footage but also exclusive interviews with those close to him, shedding light on how he evolved from a shy, quiet athlete to a true football legend. Amongst them was none other than his first wife and the woman who stood beside him through everything, Janet Buchan, that is, until they sadly parted ways for good in the early 2000s.
Janet Buchan Elway Was Once a World-Class Swimmer
A proud native of Washington, Janet Buchan grew up surrounded by the water and developed a natural passion for swimming at an early age, unaware it would soon become her entire life. She admittedly got into competitive swimming at the tender age of 5 before falling in love with it to such an extent that she never did “much else ot her than” go to school as well as swim. It’s thus no surprise she was nationally ranked by the time he was a 16-year-old sophomore at Woodrow Wilson High School, only to then break the World Student Games record at 18.
Janet was subsequently awarded a scholarship to Stanford University, which helped further her swimming aspirations. She also chose to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology. Her collegiate stint began in a remarkable fashion as she led her team to an NCAA title while breaking a previously held record during her freshman year; however, things changed the very next year. Despite being ranked the 4th best swimmer in the world in her category in 1980, a sudden yet necessary shoulder surgery and the US’ boycott shattered her dreams of competing in the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Janet Buchan Always Respected Her Now Former Husband’s Grind
After Janet’s Olympic dreams came to a halt, she decided to focus on her studies while also building a healthy relationship with fellow Stanford athlete John Elway, who played both baseball and football. She continued swimming, but according to her own account in the aforementioned original, things changed during her involvement with her then-future husband due to his professional prospects in both sports. He eventually earned a Bachelor of Economics degree in 1982. He chose football after negotiating a deal with the Denver Broncos, the NFL team with which he played for the entirety of his 16-year career.
As for Janet, she obtained her degree a year later and happily settled down in Colorado with her college sweetheart before they tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in California on March 3, 1984. The couple adored everything about one another and cherished their time together, along with respecting their unwavering ambitions. She truly admired his perseverance to be the best of the best, along with the way he never let fame, money, or success go to his head — he always knew his priorities were his game and his family.
The couple welcomed four loving children into this world – Jessica, Jordan, Jack, and Juliana – during John’s long stint with the Broncos, meaning Janet was primarily responsible for their household. She never minded caring for the kids or supporting her husband, and she genuinely appreciated the stability of his career in Denver. However, she struggled with the lack of anonymity and personal time. Therefore, by the late 1990s, their marriage was crumbling from within despite both of them still having love and respect for one another, which sadly didn’t change even following his retirement in 1998.
Janet Buchan is a Proud Philanthropist Still Based Out of Colorado
In the early 2000s, Janet and John realized it would also be better for their children if they went their separate ways. They did so in a very amicable manner in 2002, before finalizing their divorce in 2003. Since then, it appears as if they have managed to maintain a positive relationship of admiration and deep understanding, which has enabled them to be great co-parents, friends, and grandparents. In fact, she stated in the documentary that her ex-husband’s greatness is undeniable. Yet, she is now glad to see him handle no one’s expectations but his own and devote himself solely to his family.
As for Janet’s personal standing, she has preferred to remain largely away from the limelight since her separation from John, but we do know she continues to reside in Arapahoe County, Colorado. She has a beautiful home in Cherry Hills Village, where she admittedly “built a large pool so I could swim and work out,” as per her own account in an interview with Spotlight Colorado. She has even started swimming a lot again, all the while challenging her limits at every step — she has even gone as far as to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco, California, alongside her brother.
On a more private level, Janet became engaged to Kevin Kretzmar, an executive-level financial services professional, in 2011 after a year of dating; however, their relationship did not last. He ultimately married Patricia Kretzmar on June 26, 2021, and then built a new life with her in their hometown of Colorado Springs. Sadly, he passed away in a swimming accident while on a cruise in Cozumel, Mexico, on November 27, 2025. Coming to her professional endeavors over the years, the yoga enthusiast and faith-driven mother of four is a philanthropist in every sense of the term.
Janet is the Founder of Janet’s Camp, a signature fundraising program for the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver that provides disadvantaged children opportunities to attend YMCA summer camps. The 2015 recipient of the Invisible Disabilities Association’s Volunteer Award reportedly also serves on the board of the YMCA Board of Trustees and the Advisory Committee for Adam’s Camp. Moreover, she is involved with the Kempe Children’s Foundation, is in the Y-USA National Honor Roll of Donors, supports the Denver Victim’s Service Center, and even backs a local program called Young Life. In her own words, she dedicates her time to the community, ensuring that the children of the future have everything they need to grow into well-rounded individuals.
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