Peyton Manning wishes the Kansas City Chiefs 'would get out' of AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs fans know Peyton Manning all too well. The Denver Broncos ran the AFC West with Manning under center, winning four straight division titles from 2012–2015. But his reign of terror could not last forever, and the Broncos came crashing back to earth when Manning retired in 2016. The Chiefs have dominated the AFC West since Manning's retirement, winning seven straight division titles.

Their AFC West opponents have been all hype and no bite in recent years, and the Broncos are the best example of that. The team added quarterback Russell Wilson in the 2022 offseason, boasted a young receiving corps, and had Super Bowl hopes. But poor play and the AFC West buzzsaw led to a terrible 5-12 record last season. Those 12 losses are tied for the most in a single season in Broncos history. The team is hoping to turn things around and avoid another dismal season, but Manning has a surefire plan.

Peyton Manning jokingly advocates for Kansas City Chiefs to leave AFC West.

Manning's "ManningCast" format is a hit with fans, and he plans to continue providing insightful commentary and analysis throughout the NFL's upcoming season. ESPN uses that format in other sports, and the network's Stephen A. Smith hosted Manning during Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals. Smith picked Manning's brain about the Broncos 2023 season under new head coach Sean Payton. 

"Sean has brought some new juice [to Denver], he is going to get the best out of Russell," Manning said. "Russell feels rejuvenated as well. I like my Broncos."

But, after all the compliments Manning had for Denver, he had to acknowledge the problems the Chiefs present in the AFC West.

"I wish the Chiefs would get out of the division," Manning said with a smile. "Unfortunately, they are not going anywhere, so we still [have] some work to do."

Manning is in no way advocating for divisional realignment, but he recognized the Lombardi Trophy-sized hurdle that is the Chiefs. He also expressed his respect for the Chiefs and their talented quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Manning knows that in order to win the division, the Broncos will have to bring their A-game every time they face off against the Chiefs. Even Manning's own kin remind him of that.