After Gary Kubiak stepped down from coaching in 2017, Kyle Shanahan was among the candidates the Denver Broncos considered to replace Kubiak.
There was speculation at the time that Shanahan might be the favorite to get the job, but Joe Ellis decided to hire Vance Joseph instead. In hindsight, that was clearly a mistake.
Shanahan has reached a third NFC title game with the San Francisco 49ers in his sixth season with the team. Every time the 49ers make a deep playoff run, Broncos fans are reminded of the team’s mistake in 2017.
Even former wide receiver Eddie Royal chimed in on Twitter:
So the Broncos could’ve had Kyle Shanahan as their head coach 🤔🤦🏾♂️
— Eddie Royal (@EddieRoyalWR) January 23, 2023
Royal is certainly not alone. Here’s a quick sampling of other fans and pundits who have made similar remarks.