The Complex Legacy of John Elway’s Tenure with the Denver Broncos
Assembling the pieces of an NFL franchise’s success or failure is a complex and often scrutinized endeavor. Few know this better than John Elway, the legendary quarterback-turned-executive who served as the General Manager (GM) for the Denver Broncos. While Elway's tenure was marked by both triumphs and missteps, one decision stands out in sharp relief: passing on quarterback Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft. Opting instead for pass rusher Bradley Chubb has served as a focal point for debate and reflection among Broncos fans and football analysts alike.
Elway, who took on the GM role after rejoining the Broncos as director of player personnel in 2011 and later being named executive vice president of football operations in 2012, had a promising start. His first five seasons saw an impressive 64-26 record. However, his final five seasons were markedly less successful, ending with a 32-48 record. Central to this decline was the revolving door at the quarterback position, an issue that has continued to plague the franchise since Peyton Manning's retirement following their Super Bowl win in the 2015 season.
Elway's decision in the 2018 draft was influenced by multiple factors. At the time, he had considerable faith in Case Keenum, whom he saw as a solid foundation for the team's future. "Last year I played [golf] with [Josh Allen] and I'm wondering, 'How long is it going to take him to realize that I passed on him and took Bradley Chubb instead?' And it took him two and a half holes. And I loved him. But it just didn't work out. He was my type. That was probably my biggest mistake of my GM days, was not taking Josh," Elway once reflected.
The Broncos went with Bradley Chubb, a pass rusher from NC State, with the fifth overall pick. At the time, the decision seemed sound, addressing a need on the defensive front. Initially, Chubb showed promise but struggled with health issues during his time in Denver. His tenure with the Broncos ended with a trade to the Miami Dolphins, highlighting yet another setback in Elway's later years as GM.
Meanwhile, Josh Allen has flourished with the Buffalo Bills, developing into one of the league's premier quarterbacks and leading his team to deep playoff runs. Allen's success only serves to underline the frustrations and what-ifs surrounding the Broncos' quarterback situation. Since Manning's retirement, the team has cycled through 13 different starting quarterbacks, a factor largely contributing to their playoff drought.
Elway's earlier decisions at the quarterback position also failed to pan out. He drafted Paxton Lynch in 2016 with the hope that the young quarterback would become the franchise's future leader. Unfortunately, Lynch started only four games before his release in 2018, another decision that added to the instability at the position.
The sum of these missteps in the draft and quarterback evaluations has significantly impacted the Broncos' performance. Denver has not made the playoffs since their dominant Super Bowl run in the 2015 season, a reality that has been a bitter pill for fans to swallow. For Elway, who stepped away from his role following the 2020 season, these decisions have punctuated his otherwise storied legacy with the franchise.
While his tenure as GM was undoubtedly a mixed bag, Elway's early success and subsequent struggles provide a rich tapestry of lessons for the Broncos and other NFL teams. It serves as a potent reminder of the challenges inherent in building a consistently competitive team, where a single draft decision can ripple through seasons.