Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is set to step into a different kind of spotlight Monday night, joining Peyton and Eli Manning on the “Manningcast” for the Los Angeles Chargers-Baltimore Ravens game.
According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Nix will be part of the broadcast for the first quarter. For Broncos fans, it should be a rare chance to hear him outside the usual controlled settings - not a press conference, not a sideline hit, but a looser conversation with two quarterbacks who know the position from every angle.
The connection runs deeper than a one-night appearance. Nix once attended the Mannings passing academy in Louisiana, and Peyton Manning still has close ties to the organization.
Manning also has been a believer in Nix for a while. Renck reported that Manning backed him heading into last season and was convinced Nix would avoid a sophomore slump because he was “made of the right stuff.”
That call proved accurate. Nix did sidestep the slump, but the scrutiny around him has only grown. Manning has long understood what comes with being the Broncos’ quarterback, and he put it plainly: “When you do it, you sign up for all of it.”
Nix has felt plenty of that this season. His game has always drawn attention because of its unconventional style, and because he can follow uneven stretches with the kind of fourth-quarter comebacks that light up a fan base. This year, the heat turned up even more after he entered the season recovering from a broken ankle and opened poorly enough that one of his performances was labeled “garbage” by Thursday Night analyst and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
That moment could easily come up on the broadcast, along with other topics that fit the setting. One possibility is the almost-trade for linebacker Daiyan Henley, who will be back on the field for the Chargers against the Ravens. Nix would be expected to steer clear of that subject, but it still has the makings of an interesting exchange.
If he relaxes and lets the conversation breathe, Nix can be a lively listen. Monday night gives him a chance to show that side on a stage that should feel very different from the one he usually occupies.
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