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Peyton Manning Says ‘There Is Reason to Be Excited’ About Sean Payton-Led Broncos
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Peyton Manning Says ‘There Is Reason to Be Excited’ About Sean Payton-Led Broncos

Originally posted on Athlon Sports  |  By Douglas Santo  |  Last updated Aug 4, 2025 12:15 PM ET

The Denver Broncos made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season. It was head coach Sean Payton's second year in charge and quarterback Bo Nix's rookie season. Now, the duo is looking to make it to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 10 years.

The last time the Broncos did that, Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was the quarterback, and the Broncos won the Super Bowl.

Manning spent four years with the Broncos at the end of his career after playing 13 years with the Indianapolis Colts. The Broncos went to the playoffs all four years and played in the Super Bowl twice.

Since then, it had been nine years of a playoff drought filled with five different head coaches and numerous different quarterbacks. However, after reaching the playoffs in 2024 and adding to a loaded roster this offseason, there's a lot of belief and expectation around this Broncos team led by Payton and Nix.

The Broncos' Super Bowl champion quarterback recently added to that belief.

“Look, I can tell from watching practice one day and sort of keeping up, belief and confidence are high in the building," Manning told The Denver Post. "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.”

Manning's voice carries a lot of weight in the football world, but especially in Denver. It's one thing for reporters and media to talk highly of the 2025 Broncos, but when it comes from the last quarterback to win a Super Bowl for the city, it means a little more.

The Hall of Fame quarterback went to 14 Pro Bowls, earned seven All-Pro honors, five league MVPs, and won two Super Bowls, including in 2016 with the Broncos to cap his career.

The Broncos added numerous weapons this offseason, and Manning believes staying healthy is the only thing that can hold them back.

“That’s the thing, there is a reason to be excited. 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,” Manning said. “But they have to stay healthy.”

Health always seems to be the key throughout each season. But if the Broncos can escape injury, there's plenty of talent on Denver's roster. The additions of tight end Evan Engram and running backs J.K. Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey bolstered Nix's weaponry on offense.

Then on defense, the Broncos added safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a unit that ranked as one of the best in the NFL last season.

“That defense is going to do their part, and constantly get the ball back to Bo. The offense will know they don’t have to score 40 points to win,” Manning said. “It really helps. It’s not going to be all on the offense.”

That's the key for the Broncos. Living in the AFC West, they don't want to get into a shootout with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Although Manning has high hopes for the Broncos, he did mention the strength of the division around them.

“The AFC West and AFC North are the toughest divisions. Man, the West is tough. The Chiefs are the Chiefs with Mahomes and (coach) Andy Reid,” Manning said. “And Jim Harbaugh with the Chargers and Pete Carroll going to the Raiders and the signing of (quarterback) Geno Smith, the West only got tougher. Nobody is going to hand anything to (the Broncos).”

The Broncos made it to the playoffs in 2024, but the Chiefs still won the division. Getting back to the playoffs is the No. 1 goal in Denver, but you can bet the Broncos' next goal is to knock off the kings of the division.

After all, if the Broncos want to get back to the Super Bowl, there's a good chance they'll have to beat the Chiefs at some point in 2025.

“With Bo going to the playoffs in his first year as a starter, and this team around him,” Manning said. “It gives you a lot of confidence.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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