Columbus Dispatch error credits John Elway, not Peyton Manning, for Denver’s win over Baltimore

An Ohio organization that still has John Elway on the brain? You don't say!

The Columbus Dispatch earned Internet attention for all the wrong reasons on Friday morning after the above mistake went viral. As you can see, someone at the paper thought John Elway was responsible for the bulk of Denver Broncos' 49-27 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL opener on Thursday night.

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Yes, the same John Elway who is 53 years old, has been retired from the league for almost 15 years and currently serves at the executive vice president of football operations for the Broncos. He was instrumental in bringing Peyton Manning to the Broncos before last season and watched from a suite as Manning turned in a record-tying seven-touchdown performance against the Ravens. One that Elway would eventually get credit for, at least in central Ohio.

As a former newspaperman myself, I can relate to the sinking feeling that was probably in Ben Marrison's stomach when he saw the mistake he had no way of erasing from the driveways and newspaper boxes of Columbus. It's no fun and it's likely akin to the feeling that Danny Trevathan had when he realized he had dropped the ball one yard before scoring what would have been a defensive touchdown for the Broncos on Thursday.

However, given Elway's villain status in Ohio — yes, "The Drive" in 1987 puts him right up there with Art Modell, LeBron James and Jose Mesa — and it's easy to see how this might have happened.

On the bright side, at least the paper didn't also confuse Joe Flacco for Bernie Kosar.

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