5:40 PM PT — We have now confirmed Elway was certainly behind the wheel of the golf cart.

NFL legend John Elway was proper in the midst of the golf cart accident that left his longtime good friend on life help, and he might need been driving … TMZ Sports activities has discovered.

Legislation enforcement and different sources inform us Elway was on the golf cart Saturday night in La Quinta, California when Jeff Sperbeck — John’s enterprise companion and former agent — fell off the again of the shifting car, rolled and hit his head on asphalt … struggling a traumatic harm.

John, Jeff and their wives had been on the Stagecoach music pageant earlier within the day in close by Indio, and had been leaving a post-party when the accident occurred.

We’re advised John is the one who made the decision to 911 instantly after the accident … and when paramedics arrived, Jeff was unconscious however nonetheless respiratory. The 61-year-old was transported to Desert Regional Medical Middle in Palm Springs.

Now, a number of sources inform us John was really driving the golf cart, nonetheless, we now have not been in a position to verify that with Elway. There is no indication he did something flawed.

Nobody else was injured within the accident — which occurred on the grounds of a personal golf group — and we’re advised cops didn’t reply to the scene.

By all accounts, paramedics and hospital staffers did every part they might to save lots of Jeff, however as TMZ Sports activities first reported … the prognosis shouldn’t be good. We’re advised he has been on life help as medical doctors put together to reap his organs for donation.