With a talented and composed rookie quarterback at the helm, Broncos coach Sean Payton has the team moving in the right direction following a successful 2024 season. Too often, a team enjoys a breakout year only to fall off the next, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning doesn’t see that happening in Denver. Instead, he expects the Broncos to keep building on their momentum and continue trending upward.
"It’s been a good fit,” Manning said during an interview on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan in January. “I just see it continuing to get better.”
After a stellar season at Oregon in 2023, where Nix led the Ducks to a 12-2 record while also being a Heisman finalist, winning the Campbell Trophy, and being named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Nix was drafted as the 12th overall pick by the Denver Broncos.
Nix wasted no time making an impact in Denver. After earning the starting job in training camp , the rookie quarterback put together a record-setting season, leading all first-year players in completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, and total touchdowns. His 29 touchdown passes were the second-most ever by a rookie, trailing only Justin Herbert’s 31 in 2020.
“I could just tell Sean liked him from the get-go,” Manning told The Fan. “I remember Sean talking about his private workouts and sort of their conversations."
“You could tell Sean was interested in him early on as a player, as a person. And I think he’s been everything that Sean was kind of hoping he would be. Just a gym rat, a guy that loves ball, a guy that wants more. ‘Hey, give me more, I can handle it,'” Manning continued.
Nix consistently delivered throughout the season, making NFL history as the first rookie quarterback to log multiple games with at least 300 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a passer rating of 140. He also set the rookie record for the most games with multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions. That level of efficiency played a key role in leading the Broncos to their first 10-win season and playoff appearance in nearly a decade.
With Nix leading the charge, the Broncos have established a foundation built for long-term success. Manning has seen teams rise and fall, but he believes Denver is on a steady upward path, showing no signs of slowing down.
The 2024 season proved that Denver can compete at a high level, but now the challenge is taking that next step. With a full year of experience under Nix’s belt and a roster that continues to develop, the Broncos have every reason to believe they can make an even deeper postseason run in 2025.
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