Even though Peyton Manning hasn’t been with the Denver Broncos since the 2015 NFL season when he finished his playing career, he has remained very vocal about the team. Despite being known mostly for his time with the Indianapolis Colts, his tenure with the Broncos was a special one.
Manning played for four years in Denver. Now, he’s turned into a fan of the team and has been an outspoken supporter of the Broncos.
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Manning spoke out with a high opinion of the team.
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Last season, Denver made a surprising run to the playoffs. Led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos were able to finish the year with a 10-7 record.
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Entering the 2025 season, expectations are much higher than they were at this point last year.
In a new conversation with Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Manning did not hold back and sent a strong message about the 2025 team.
“Look, I can tell from watching practice one day and sort of keeping up, belief and confidence are high in the building,” Manning said. “And that’s what you want, right? Where we are not hoping we are a good team, but knowing we are a good team. That you believe it. Now you have to go do it. But the belief is there.”
He continued on, revealing why there is reason for the Denver fan base to be excited about the present and future.
“That’s the thing, there is a reason to be excited,” Manning said. “When you look at this team with Bo (Nix), the pieces they have added, and with all of us expecting Sean to be around for a long time, they have every reason to believe it can result in a lot of wins. But they have to stay healthy.”
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Nix is going to be a huge part of deciding whether or not the Broncos can live up to the hype. As a rookie, he threw for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while completing 66.3 percent of his passes and running for 430 yards and four touchdowns.
Sean Payton and company seem to have the pieces in place to be a contender in the AFC. Manning likes what he sees as well and it will be interesting to see if they can take the next step as a team.
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