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Peyton Manning speaks to the crowd during a Ring of Honor induction ceremony at halftime of the game between the Washington Football Team and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on October 31, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Peyton Manning didn’t mince words when discussing Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on ESPN’s This Is Football on Wednesday morning.
“I’m a Bo fan,” Manning said. “He’s been a solid, winning quarterback.”
Peyton Manning on #Broncos QB Bo Nix:
“I’m a Bo fan. What he’s done this early in his career says a lot about him. The team believes in him. He’s very honest with himself; you don’t hear him making excuses. … He’s been a solid, winning quarterback.”pic.twitter.com/56CEWK1AmH
— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) January 7, 2026
“What he’s done this early in his career says a lot about him. The team believes in him. He’s very honest with himself and you don’t hear him making excuses,” Manning added.
That praise carries extra weight given the scrutiny Nix has faced as a second-year quarterback, even after leading the Broncos to their first AFC West title since 2015.
Manning made it clear that Nix is a crucial reason for Denver’s success this season.
“The one seed doesn’t excite me as much as winning the division,” Manning said.
“The Chiefs have been the bully in that division. Until someone beats the bully, it was their division. That’s what excites me.”
Manning also highlighted the little things that Nix has done to spark Denver to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed.
“It’s been good, complementary football,” he said.
“Bo makes a lot of plays with his legs that don’t show up in the statistics. He runs for critical third downs, keeps the offense on the field, keeps drives alive, and he hasn’t turned it over.”
Bo Nix’s Has Changed the Broncos’ Trajectory
By almost every measure, Nix’s first two NFL seasons have been historic.
He is the first quarterback in NFL history to win 10+ games and score 30+ total touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.
Beyond that milestone, Nix has helped build one of the league’s fastest turnarounds.
Denver has now reached the playoffs in both of his seasons under center, capped this year by the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
They also won a division title that snapped Kansas City’s decade-long dominance of the AFC West.
Before Nix was a Broncos, the team missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons since Manning won the Super Bowl in 2015.
They were not above .500 for seven years, and in just two years, Nix has led them to a 24-10 record.
In just a few seasons, the Broncos have gone from searching for stability at quarterback ever since Manning left to building their identity around their franchise QB.
Why Peyton Manning’s Praise Carries Real Weight
Manning’s endorsement resonates differently in Denver than it would anywhere else.
He remains the last Broncos quarterback to win the AFC West and the Super Bowl.
“What he’s done this early in his career says a lot about him,” Manning reiterated. “The team believes in him.”
That belief from the locker room, the coaching staff, and now the most accomplished quarterback in franchise history, reinforces that Nix’s rise isn’t a fluke.
Nix has the keys to this franchise for years to come.
For a historic franchise that once judged itself by Lombardi Trophies, Manning’s praise is meaningful.
And as the Broncos start its playoff run, looking to bring Lombardi back to Denver, Manning made it clear that Bo Nix is ready for the big stage.
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