The two greatest Broncos quarterbacks will be in one place on Monday night.
John Elway will make his “Manningcast” debut for the Broncos-Chiefs game, joining fellow Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Brother Eli, who remains a candidate for Canton, will be there, too.
But Elway’s first appearance will draw in apountry for what Elway and Manning have to say. Both have an intimate knowledge of the Broncos. When it comes to the team’s history, there is Elway and everyone else.
He guided the Broncos to five Super Bowls, winning the franchise’s first two in the 1997 and 1998 seasons behind a star-studded offense that included future Hall of Famers Gary Zimmerman, Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis.
With the help of an historically great defense, Manning engineered the Broncos’ last title, taming the Carolina Panthers, 24-10.
The current Broncos open the season with championship expectations, making Elway’s appearance well-timed and even more fascinating.
The “Manningcast” began in 2021, the same year Elway transitioned from head of the Broncos football operations to a consulting role. His last day in that position was March 15, 2023.
While Elway has been removed from the Broncos, he has not been far away. He has long had a good friendship with coach Sean Payton, through many golf outings, leaving him tethered and mindful of the Broncos’ results.
There will likely be questions about Bo Nix. Following Manning’s retirement, Elway struggled to keep the Broncos in contention because a carousel of quarterbacks — from Trevor Siemian to Case Keenum and Joe Flacco — failed to pan out.
Nix represents the 13th starter since Manning, and two playoff berths in his first two seasons have cast him as a long-term solution.
Elway’s thoughts on Nix and the Broncos should make for interesting listening. There should be some barbs as well. Elway and the Mannings have a history of one-liners, and it would be a disappointment if they didn’t rib each other.
Elway is the third former or current Broncos player to appear on the “Manningcast,” joining Sharpe and Russell Wilson.
