Peyton Manning names AFC side as his dark horse contender for 2023 NFL season
Peyton Manning, a longtime AFC star and two-time Super Bowl winner in that conference, has a prediction for 2023. He thinks that a surprising team is going to make some noise.
The conference is full of heavyweights like the Buffalo Bills, the Super Bowl-bound Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. But Manning has his eyes on another squad.
At this year's Pro Bowl Games, Manning revealed how pleased he was with Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Manning raved about the quarterback, the coach and more:
"With Trevor [Lawrence], the sky's the limit for this guy. I've known him since he came to our football camp years ago and I've stayed in touch with him. Trevor wore #16 because he was a Tennessee fan growing up... I like the way he carries himself."
Manning continued:
"He's got a great knowledge of the system. I think Doug Pederson and he could be a tough combination for a long time, for years to come... I like when a head coach is calling the plays."
He finished:
"They had great success this year. They sent a message to the rest of the AFC that Jacksonville is here. I expect great things out of him for the next years."
Lawrence has long drawn comparisons to Manning, especially after having a subpar rookie year with a lot of turnovers. He, much like Manning, seems poised to be a force in the AFC for a long time and the Hall of Fame quarterback will certainly be watching.
Which AFC teams did Peyton Manning play for?
Peyton Manning retired in 2016 after his final run with the Denver Broncos. They were the second team he played for, though he might not have ever made it there if not for a neck injury that forced him out of the Indianapolis Colts.
He only played in the AFC and he's obviously very familiar with the Jaguars from his Colts tenure. He won a Super Bowl with each team, over an NFC South opponent each time.
He defeated the New Orleans Saints with the Colts and topped the Carolina Panthers with Denver.