Sean Payton Makes Bold Prediction for Broncos Super Bowl Hopes, Bo Nix Ceiling
Sean Payton Makes Bold Prediction for Broncos Super Bowl Hopes, Bo Nix Ceiling originally appeared on Athlon Sports .
The hype and expectation have been sky-high for the Denver Broncos since training camp began. After quarterback Bo Nix led the team to its first playoff appearance since 2015 last year, the Broncos only reloaded with talent this offseason.
With multiple additions on both sides of the ball, a defense that was among the top in the NFL should only get better, and Nix has even more weapons on offense. The Broncos won 10 games last season and finished second in the division.
In 2025, the first goal is to make it back to the playoffs, but the Broncos want to win the division and more this year. The Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC West for nine straight years.
"The short-term goal is winning the division," Payton said . "But this is a team capable of winning the Super Bowl. I've coached six teams that I thought could win the Super Bowl. Some went to championship games, some to the playoffs. This is my seventh team that I think has that."
Payton has high hopes for this Broncos team, and he's not the only one. Recently, former Broncos' Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning gave his vote of confidence to the team as well. Manning believes there's reason for the belief within Denver.
One of the main reasons is the development of the young players and the additions of veteran and championship-caliber players. The Broncos added safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw in the offseason, who have been to the playoffs and played in big games for the San Francisco 49ers .
On offense, Nix has developed extremely fast, and the Broncos added tight end Evan Engram and running backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey for the young quarterback.
“When you bring in a few of these leaders we’re talking about who have been to the championship games — who have been to that championship game — there’s a confidence here that’s much different than when you and I sat here one year ago," Payton said of Denver’s free-agent signings (h/t Yahoo Sports ). “We were in a comeback a year ago. We were young. But a young team can be very dangerous because they don’t know what they don’t know.”
Now, the Broncos made their comeback, and they're ready to make more noise in 2025. That's led by Nix, in control of the offense. Payton made another bold prediction, this time about his young quarterback, on Monday.
“He’s going to be one of the top four or five quarterbacks in the league the next two years,” Payton said . “That’s what we’re seeing right now. He doesn’t take sacks. He’s got exceptional arm strength. ... He threw the longest ball — [67] air yards against Cincinnati . He can run. He can throw in funny body angles.”
Nix is only in his second year in the NFL, and Payton believes he can reach that elite tier of NFL quarterbacks very soon. If Nix becomes a top-five quarterback, and the Broncos' defense continues to get better, Payton's Super Bowl comments may not be far-fetched.
Every season presents its own obstacles, but the confidence is soaring in Denver, and the Broncos' head coach isn't shying away from putting high expectations on his team and its leader.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
