We are excited now to welcome in Ryan Michael, a Pro Football Hall of Fame contributor. Brian, how's it going?
Man?
Doing well?
Eric?
How are you guys tonight?
They're doing well. Let's start here by talking about an article you just wrote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame about Peyton Manning. He's a guy he did a few good things around here. Huh, Nick, Yes he did.
Ryan.
Could you just tell us a little bit about this four year rodeo that Peyton had in Denver and kind of what stands out from a statistical perspective here as we get inside the numbers.
Sure. Yeah. I actually had a chance to meet Peyton yesterday at the Fanatics Fest in New York City. So for anybody who didn't get the chance to go, it was a fantastic, first of its kind event. Brady was there, Peyton, Jerry Right, lt Ray, Lewis Cheater, Tyson, Cody Rhoads, pick your sport. There was somebody who was there. A little bit of something for everybody. So you know, listen, you guys.
You know Peyton he's a guy who is as gracious to the fans, as humble with the media, with as much reverence for the game as anybody I've ever known, and so he's worked with Omaha Productions, what he's doing with the Manning cast. This is a guy who never lets up, and it was the same way during his career. So in my article for the Pro Football Hall of Fame that went live today, it's really just a breakdown of that four year rodeo. And I've made the argument before.
My personal opinion is that his four year run in Denver is the most impressive four year run that any pro football player has had at any position in the history of the game, not just because of what he was able to do statistically, but certainly what he was able to overcome in terms of the neck injury in twenty eleven, in terms of the injuries he battled from twenty thirteen really up to his final year in two
thousand and fifteen. So you know, to get started in twenty twelve, you could make the argument that was actually the most impressive year of the four given what it was to come to a new organization, learn a new system. In his first year back to action, He's named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. He's named a first team All Pro selection at quarterback, and he rewrites the
Denver Broncos single season record book. He would get even more dominant the following year, starting with a seven touchdown performance against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and finishes the year with five four hundred and seventy seven yards, fifty five touchdowns and only fifteen and a half games. Single season records that really haven't been touched or even threatened. Dak Prescott led the NFL with thirty six touchdown passes
in a seventeen game schedule last year. Twenty fourteen was more of the same for Manning. He got off to it to a start where he was on pace to throw for five thousand yards fifty two touchdowns again, and then you know, the injuries began to take their total. He had the quad injury in twenty fourteen and issues with the planter fascia in twenty fifteen. We all know
how that ended. So if he if you check out my article of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's website, it's really just a breakdown of all the individual numbers and what he had to overcome to end his season and to end his career with Sting Lombardi Trophy.
Ryan, do you think it's fair, because I think there's certain places in the NFL that becomes tough for rookie players at different positions. But here in Denver, when we talk about the quarterback position, we're always talking about Peyton Man, the guys who just talked about We always talk about John Elway. People always forget over my you know, my guy, Jake Plummer. But Bo Nixon is now falling or following
in those footsteps. Do you think it's fair for I guess maybe for most people to start an early comparison to bow Knicks to all those guys.
I don't think so. And I guess that's the penalty you pay for having the fortune of having two first ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks, you know, to have led the franchise to moreable championships. Right. So, while it's impossible to not live in the shadow of John and Peyton, I do think enough time has passed, and collectively as an organization, we've battled so much adversity over the last seven or eight years that it is going to give
Bo Nicks a bit of a fresh start. So seeing him get off to the hot start that he's had in the first two preseason games is certainly encouraging. I was listening to everything you guys were saying earlier in the show, and you know, so yes, living in the shadow a little bit. This is a new time, this is a new era, and I think the Broncos country has been very welcoming. We're starving for great quarterback play here in Denver, and you know, we're hoping that that starts sooner rather than later.
Right. I assumed you agreed more with me than you did with Nick. Yeah, yes, awesome, good, That's what I wanted to hear.
Rian.
When you look at young quarterbacks, and obviously you see CJ. Stroud succeed last year, you see some quarterbacks not succeed year one, and then take a jump. When can you tell if a guy is quote unquote a hit or not? And how long does that take? Generally? When do you think, you know on bo Nix if he is a guy that you can build around?
You know, Eric, that's really tough to say, because they do think it's unique to every young quarterback situation. Using CJ. Stroud certainly as an example last year and even Jordan Love, most people would be surprised to know that they're scoring. Defenses on the opposite side of the football actually ranked higher than those teams did in scoring. And so when you have the support, as Nick can appreciate as much as anyone of a top ten defense, it certainly enables
a quarterback to play at his very best. We have to be realistic. We're a team that's coming off the season where we finish nineteenth in scoring, twenty seventh in points surrendered. So if bo were stepping into a situation comparable to what Pat Mahomes stepped into in twenty eighteen, I'm confident he would be a Pro Bowl quarterback, if
not even better than that. And as excited as I am for the roster that we've put together with the limited resources we have, I think it would be disingenuous to suggest that we're going to see something comparable to a CJ. Stroud, Jordan Love, or even Pat Mahomes twenty eighteen certainly type of season out of Bou this year. So to answer your question, I don't know if we're going to get the answer to the question as far as the boom in year number one. I think that's
more likely. If that's if that ends up being the reality, and that's what we're all hoping for. I think we're going to have a better gauge for that in year two or year three. As far as whether or not a quarterback is a bust, rarely do I feel comfortable making that determination After year one. I'm confident that bo Nix is not going to be a bust. It's just a matter of how high is this ceiling going to be?
Well, Ryan, we appreciate your perspective. That is Ryan Michael, contributor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here for Inside the Numbers, Ran, Thanks for your time.