There are regrets that haunt you forever. And for John Elway, that ghost is named Josh Allen.

In a recent interview at Club Shay Shay, the Denver Broncos legend admitted his biggest regret in his managerial career: “My biggest regret is not rejecting everyone’s opinion.”

In 2018, with the 5th pick, Elway chose Bradley Chubb over Josh Allen – who was later selected by the Buffalo Bills at 7th pick. What seemed like a logical decision at the time has now become a six-year nightmare.

The price of a decision
Josh Allen? He became a superstar, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, leading the Bills back to glory.
Bradley Chubb? A good player, no doubt. But he was ultimately traded, while Denver witnessed a prolonged quarterback nightmare: Drew Locke, Teddy Bridgewater, and then the disaster of Russell Wilson with his $245 million contract. Six years passed in a vicious cycle of suffering. While Allen shone brightly at Buffalo, Denver struggled to find a successor to Peyton Manning.
The cruelest moment
And then the confession came. Not on some peaceful afternoon. Not during the season that had already ended.

But RIGHT before the most important game – Week 18, where Denver could have secured the No. 1 playoff seed. As if an old wound had been reopened at the very moment they needed to focus the most.

But perhaps, that is the highlight of this story.
The opportunity for redemption named Bo Nix
Because now, Denver has Bo Nix. The rookie quarterback is proving himself step by step. And Elway – who once made mistakes – is now wholeheartedly supporting him.

“This is not an accusation against Nix,” Elway emphasized. It’s encouragement. It’s belief. It’s how a legend tells the next generation: I believe in you. Perhaps the biggest lesson from Elway’s regret is not about missing out on Josh Allen. It’s about not letting that regret get in the way of the next opportunity.
Redemption doesn’t come the way you think it does.
Sometimes redemption comes in the form of a second chance you didn’t know you deserved.
Bo Nix isn’t Josh Allen. He doesn’t need to be. But if he can bring Denver back to the top, if he can make the playoff dream a reality, then perhaps this story will have a different ending.
It’s not a story about the missed opportunity. It’s a story about the one who showed up at the right time.

And John Elway, with all his lingering regret, will eventually find peace—not by turning back time, but by believing in the present.

Game 18 is approaching. The Denver Broncos have a historic chance. And the ghost of Josh Allen? Perhaps it’s time for it to fade away.