In the NFL, it’s very difficult to own up to your own mistakes, especially for front-office executives and managers. One of the most notable general managers in recent memory, Hall of Famer John Elway, recently went on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon my Take” podcast and acknowledged that not drafting current Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was his biggest mistake as a general manager.
John Elway believes his biggest mistake as Broncos GM was not drafting Josh Allen @SorryForMyTaking #CountryOfTheBroncos photo.twitter.com/7eCwalnU93
— Denver Bar Stool (@BarstoolDenver) July 29, 2024
During the 2018 draft, Elway and the quarterback-needy Broncos opted to select NC State pass rusher Bradley Chubb to help bolster their top-tier defense instead of selecting the then-volatile Allen.
“I played golf with him last year and I’m like, ‘How long is it going to take him to realize I passed on him and picked Bradley Chubb instead?’ And it took him two and a half holes,” Elway said during the interview.
“I loved him, but it didn’t work out. He was my guy. That was probably my biggest mistake in my days as a general manager: not picking Josh.”
Of course, Josh Allen is now a dominant player and the face of the Buffalo Bills franchise, while the Denver Broncos are hoping to finally have an answer in their latest first-round pick, Bo Nix. This just goes to show how quickly failing to sign a player can turn into quicksand and end in the premature resignation of any front office manager.
