Why didn’t the Denver Broncos draft Josh Allen in 2018? John Elway finally explains

John Elway has revealed he once wanted to draft Josh Allen for the Denver Broncos, but the move never happened. Speaking recently, Elway said he liked Allen during the 2018 NFL Draft process but failed to get full support from his coaching staff. Nearly eight years later, Allen is now one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, while Denver is still reflecting on that missed chance.

The admission came as Allen continues to shine with the Buffalo Bills. Elway’s comments have sparked fresh debate among Broncos fans about how different the franchise’s path could have been if Allen had landed in Denver.

John Elway explains why the Broncos passed on Josh Allen in the 2018 draft

John Elway shared the story on Club Shay Shay with former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe. He explained that while he strongly liked Josh Allen, he believed in making draft decisions with full agreement from the coaching staff.

“I really liked him,” Elway said. “But I couldn’t get the buy-in from the coaching staff. I couldn’t get everyone on the same page.” At the time, Denver’s head coach was Vance Joseph.

Elway added that Allen was not a finished product coming out of college. “He was very raw. Accuracy was the big question,” he said.



“But he was big, strong, athletic, and competitive.” Elway admitted he now regrets not overruling the staff. “I wish I had just taken him and said, ‘Now it’s up to you to make him great,’” he said.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Broncos held the fifth overall pick but chose Bradley Chubb instead. Josh Allen was selected two picks later by Buffalo at No. 7. Chubb played four seasons in Denver before being traded to the Miami Dolphins.

Since then, the Bills have reached the playoffs every season with Allen and made the AFC Championship Game twice.

Denver, by contrast, has made only one playoff appearance during that stretch. Elway stepped down as Broncos general manager in 2021 and later moved into a consultant role.

This season, Denver has bounced back under head coach Sean Payton, posting a 13–3 record and leading the AFC West. Buffalo also remains a strong contender in the AFC, with Allen once again at the center of their success.

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