Denver Broncos general manager John Elway has urged the Senate judiciary committee to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the US supreme court in an endorsement letter written on official team letterhead.

“A native of Colorado, Neil has demonstrated tremendous intelligence, character and fairness while serving for more than a decade on the United States Court of of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit,” wrote Elway, a Hall of Fame quarterback who spent the entirety of his 16-year playing career in Denver.

Peter Marcus (@MediaMarcus)

BREAKING: On official @Broncos letterhead, @johnelway urges Senate Judiciary to confirm #gorsuch #copolitics #coleg #GorsuchHearing pic.twitter.com/HwkmRkrM0B

March 20, 2017

“His credentials, integrity and sound moral compass are major reasons why he’s already received so much bipartisan support for his nomination.

“Neil is a big Denver Broncos fan, and I can tell you that I’m a big fan of his.”

The letter was dated Monday, the first day of Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing for the supreme court.

The 49-year-old judge, who sits on the appeals court in Denver and lives in Boulder, was nominated by Donald Trump to fill the vacancy left by the February 2016 death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia.

Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the committee, said his panel will probably cast a vote on Gorsuch’s nomination on 3 April. Congress leaves for a two-week recess on 7 April.

The popular Elway, a two-time Super Bowl champion as a quarterback, has thrown support behind conservative causes in the past. He was once a rumored candidate for Colorado governor, though he’s typically been coy about his interest in running for public office.

“I have been approached a couple times (about running for office),” Elway said in a 2015 interview with Fox News. “I’d rather be on the supporting side than the guy that’s running.

“But I also believe it’s my duty to be involved. Politics is a tough business – football is (also) a tough business – but I’m not sure it’s as tough as politics, so I’ll stay on the outside of that.”