Talk of the Broncos firing John Elway is nonsensical

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The Denver Broncos are a laughingstock.

Instead of competing for homefield advantage in the AFC playoffs with the likes of the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, they’re in a neck-and-neck competition with the Cleveland Browns for the worst team in the NFL.

There are plenty of places to point the finger, but it starts and stops with John Elway. He hired the incompetent meme who is still the head coach. He allowed the organization to become a comedy of errors at quarterback. He’s gone cheap on his offensive line and failed to make it a priority since he was hired in 2011. He’s done the same with middle linebacker. Tight end. Running back. Defensive line (to a lesser extent).

He’s hired three coaching staffs who think the best way to develop players is through magic pills and fairy dust. Above all, that is the biggest concern since it defines this franchise under him. As Elway has acknowledged, it all starts and stops with him. As it should. How this team performs on the field is tied back to the decisions he does or does not make. Point the finger at him. Hold him accountable.

But as Adam Malnati and I said on the latest MHR Radio Podcast, this sudden rise in talk that Elway needs to get fired is nonsense. Two years ago the Broncos were in the Super Bowl. Whether you want to credit that to Peyton Manning, Gary Kubiak, Elway or a combination of facets, Elway was the guy who made the decisions on the roster and coaching staff. If he gets the blame for the current state of the franchise, he deserves the credit for the success it had two seasons ago. Not to mention the two Lamar Hunt Trophies and five consecutive AFC West Division titles it’s won under his leadership.

The last time Denver was this throughly embarrassed (in Metlife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII), Elway did all he could to fix it. Perhaps it’s not the best comparison, but the odds have been stacked against Elway in the past, multiple times, and he’s delivered for this organization. In a certain game against the Browns in the AFC Championship Game, his offense took possession of the ball at its own 2-yardline with 5:32 to play, trailing 20-13. What resulted is The Drive.

The Broncos are a laughingstock. They are one of the worst teams in the NFL that is mired in a historic losing streak (currently at eight games with no end in sight). Elway is responsible for that. But let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he can work his magic once again.

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