John Elway’s tenure with the Denver Broncos was mercifully despatched to the glue manufacturing facility Wednesday, and he can now add “guide” alongside “basic supervisor” and “Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback” to the listing of roles he previously occupied for the group. Fortunately for Donkos followers, Elway received out earlier than he might draft any extra 6-foot-7 quarterbacks and additional sully the ring the staff gained throughout his time.
The Tremendous Bowl 50 win/Peyton Manning second was considered one of few indications that Elway was good at his job, but it surely was greater than sufficient to protect his deification within the eyes of Coloradans. Now, Denver can give attention to making an attempt to resuscitate Russell Wilson and Broncos nation, and followers can return to ignoring Elway’s politics.
I’m by no means in favor of franchises or faculties hiring hometown heroes to right the ship as a result of only a few can usher within the fairytale endings they did as gamers, and as a rule assembly your heroes is a horrible concept. This is among the uncommon cases the place it’s principally labored out regardless of the groans we’ve heard from Broncos’ followers since Manning retired.
Elway was not the one GM to whiff on QBs
Denver was a part of a current development amongst franchises to accumulate celebrity QBs late of their profession and was the primary to journey the transfer to fruition. Tampa Bay was in a position to do it with Tom Brady earlier than he stepped away, and although Matthew Stafford might need lots much less within the tank than we beforehand thought, he had the juice required to deliver Los Angeles a championship.
Denver is having much less success with the previous QB technique this time round, however that may very well be extra on Wilson than the roster Elway helped assemble. Apart from a constantly dependable offensive line, the staff has had its justifiable share of expertise over the previous eight or so years, particularly on protection. Final yr was no totally different, even resulting in obvious rifts as a result of the protection carried the offense.
Whereas this transfer was telegraphed when possession modified Elway’s title to guide in 2022, I’m shocked he lasted so long as he did. NFL success is dependent upon who’s underneath heart, and each choice since 2016 has been a towering flop, and I’m not simply saying that due to Elway’s obsession with
Listed here are all of the quarterbacks not named Manning to start out video games through the Elway entrance workplace period: Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater, Kase Keenum, Trevor Semien, Drew Lock, Paxton Lynch, and Brock Osweiler. There are even just a few Brett Rypien and Brandon Allen video games in there, and lest I overlook Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton.
I fancy just a few tall quarterback jokes at Elway’s expense as a lot as the subsequent snarky web author, so it thrills me to level out that Denver used both a first- or second-round choose on Lock, Osweiler, and Lynch. The three are a mixed 25-31 throughout their NFL careers, none are nonetheless with Denver, just one remains to be within the league, and he misplaced a QB battle to Geno Smith final offseason.
Be that as it might, in the event you take a look at the quarterbacks Denver had a shot to draft throughout these years — 2012, 2016, and 2019 — the one obtrusive miss by Elway was Lynch over Dak Prescott. Personally, I might’ve taken Prescott, however that’s as a result of I worth school success over who possesses an NFL physique and would’ve been fired 18 occasions over for my alternative of QBs.
Elway’s entrance workplace profession is textbook two issues might be true directly. Sure, he introduced Denver a title and proficient rosters, but the one factor that each profitable staff requires, he didn’t ship as soon as Manning retired.
I do know it sucks that Russ couldn’t “win one for John,” however Elway needs to be grateful that his array of Denver Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep dealerships will nonetheless be seemed upon fondly and never as in the event that they’re owned by the man who’s operating the Donkos into the filth.
