Peyton Manning’s Candid Reaction to Bo Nix’s Costly Interception Against Chiefs
Bo Nix threw an interception on his first drive in Week one of the 2026 NFL season.
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Bo Nix (Image via IMAGO)
Bo Nix’s first NFL game back since his ankle injury was disappointing. The Denver Broncos quarterback struggled to deliver the deep ball and threw wayward passes all night.
Arguably the worst moment of Nix’s game came on the first drive. He threw a pass straight to Kansas City Chiefs rookie DB Mansoor Delane while trying to connect with wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
A former Broncos quarterback was displeased with Nix. And that former QB is Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who watched Nix throw the interception sitting beside his brother and 2x Super Bowl winner Eli Manning on the Manning Cast.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
Peyton Manning said when Delane made the INT
From the first whistle, Nix looked uncomfortable under center. On the very first play, the third-year starter was sacked; on the second try, he ran the ball; and on the third play, he threw the pick.
The Manning brothers quickly dissected the sequence. Their conclusion did not favor either team.
Heavy inside technique, a form of two-man where the corner’s going to trail.
Peyton Manning said
Eli Manning quickly retorted that the Chiefs only had “one man” covering Sutton, and yet Nix still managed to find the defender. Peyton Manning, staying true to his ‘The Professor’ nickname, explained that Nix should have thrown a deeper pass.
He’s [Delane] lucky he ran the in route, because the trail technique without a safety help over the top, if you go deep, it’s going to be wide open.
Peyton Manning said
"No! No, no, no!" – Peyton Manning on the Bo Nix opening-drive interception pic.twitter.com/1HdLZTgeFD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2026
After the turnover, the Chiefs scored their first touchdown of the season. Patrick Mahomes, who played his first game since his ACL surgery, rushed for a 15-yard score.
Nix replied five minutes later. On 1st & 10, Nix connected with veteran receiver Evan Engram for a 19-yard touchdown. That was by far the Broncos’ best moment. As for KC, debutant Kenneth Walker scored one receiving and one rushing touchdown, Travis Kelce had a history-making run, and Rashee Rice silenced his doubters by scoring his first touchdown since bagging a couple in a loss to Dallas last November. The Broncos lost 31-10. Walker alone had more yards (191) than the Broncos’ total (176).
Peyton Manning expects Bo Nix to be hungry in 2026
Nix led the Broncos to a 14-3 regular-season finish and the AFC number one seed. They also won the AFC West for the first time since Manning did it in 2015. Denver edged out Buffalo in the divisional round to qualify for the conference championship game. The last time they had made it that far, they went on to win the Super Bowl (2015).
However, Nix suffered an ankle injury in the Buffalo game and missed the big showdown against New England. The Patriots won 10-7.
In April, Manning spoke with the Denver Post about Nix’s ceiling as a quarterback. Manning believes the gut-wrenching feeling of missing an important game like the AFC Championship would light a fire under the 26-year-old.
I’d rather have my heart ripped out because that means you’re knocking on the door. I’m sure Bo [Nix] would tell you that, and Courtland [Sutton] and all the guys that were disappointed that they got so close. It makes you hungrier for the next year; it means you’re doing something right. I know Sean and that bunch will rebound and pick up where they left off, and I think, be even better.
Manning told the Post
Well, the Broncos are starting the 2026 campaign with a defeat, and that too, against a divisional rival. The only other team to win in the West is the Las Vegas Raiders, who defeated the Miami Dolphins. The Los Angeles Chargers suffered a shock defeat to the Arizona Cardinals, a team that had just 3 wins last year.
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