Peyton Manning Gives Honest Assessment of Broncos QB Bo Nix

Former Denver Broncos legendary quarterback Peyton Manning had a positive yet honest review of the team's current signal-caller, Bo Nix, who led Denver to the AFC's No. 1 seed for the first time since The Sheriff himself was under center.

"Look, it's been good, complimentary football," Manning told ESPN's Kevin Clark in a recent interview. "The defense is really good. Bo knows that. He makes a lot of plays with his legs, which don't necessarily show up in the statistics, because the quarterback's passing statistics probably show up more. He's had some days where he [hasn't passed] for a lot of yards, but he's run for some critical third downs. He's kept the offense on the field. He's kept drives alive. He hasn't turned it over."

I asked Peyton Manning about Bo Nix and the @Broncos.

"The Chiefs have been the bully in that division. If that's not a Johnny from Karate Kid-Chiefs analogy, I don't know what is...Bo has done his part"

"I'm a Bo fan...what he's done early in his career says a lot about him." pic.twitter.com/0hJztqnvIl
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) January 7, 2026

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Starting every game this season, Nix completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, finishing with a cumulative 87.8 passer rating. He added another 356 yards and five TDs on the ground.

Nix became the only quarterback in NFL history to win 10-plus games and account for 30-plus total touchdowns in each of his first two seasons. The sophomore field general also tied his predecessor, Russell Wilson, for the most wins (24) by any QB ever across his first two years.

"I'm a Bo fan. What he's done this early in his career says a lot about him," Manning told Clark. "The team believes in him. He's very honest with himself; you don't hear him making excuses. I know he'd love to go out there and throw four touchdowns and complete 75 percent every single game. I don't know if that's always going to be possible, but I think he's been a solid, winning quarterback this year."

PFM — Oct 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Peyton Manning looks on during the game between the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

PFM Celebrates Division Crown

More impressive than earning the top conference seed, according to Manning, was the fact that Nix helped the Broncos capture their first AFC West title since their championship-winning 2015 campaign — and ending the reign of the Kansas City Chiefs in the process.

"Bo Nix has been heavily scrutinized for a second-year quarterback that just led his team to their first division [crown] since 2015," Manning told Clark. "Look, the one seed doesn't excite me as much as winning that division. The Chiefs have been the bully in that division. If that's not a Johnny from Karate Kid-Chiefs analogy, I don't know what is."

"They've been the bully. And until somebody beats the bully, they're the best team in the division. The Broncos went out and did it this year. They took care of business in that division. That's what excites me about what the team has done, and Bo has done his part."