Yes. Yes, he is. This is why.

With very little happening in the NFL world due to Memorial Day (thank you to all who served), I thought it would be fun to look back at what was going on this very day ten years ago. I stumbled across this MHR article from 2012 written by BroncoPH. While it is a touch long and wanders a bit, it speaks to the nervousness that existed at the time with the Colts legend coming to helm our Denver Broncos. Was Peyton going to be the answer to the Broncos woes? Should we have all piled in on his bandwagon? Was he worth all the hype?

When it comes to the Denver Broncos, every concern and question with this team seems to be answered by simply saying Peyton Manning. It appears to be the be all end all to Bronco conversation. All roads lead to Manning. You gots questions? We got Manning.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around Broncos Country over the past few months. The Broncos and this city have hitched their wagons to the Manning Mobile so quickly that I feel like I haven’t even had time to fully appreciate what a huge deal Peyton Manning as a Denver Bronco really is.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Then, like now, the Broncos were in need of a central character to bring all the disparate parts of the offense and the team together as a whole. There was a need for the voice of experience and vigor to motivate the Broncos back into greatness.

Now, unlike then, we have the experience of having brought in the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to salvage the Broncos from the leaky basement of despair. If anything, the hype is even more pronounced because we have been through it before and expectations are picking right up where Manning left off. The bar is set at two AFC Championships, a year that broke all offensive records, and a Super Bowl Championship.

Can the Broncos do it again? Answer: Russell Wilson.

Question: Do you think the Broncos have a lack of veteran skill at wide receiver? Answer: Peyton Manning.

Question: Do you think our run game is suspect without Tim Tebow at QB? Answer: Peyton Manning.

No matter what discussion you create regarding our new Denver Bronco team the final answer eventually reaches Peyton Manning, and if you really want to add emphasis you just drop an F-Bomb somewhere in the middle and it’s game over for that conversation.

While BroncoPH was somewhat thumbing his nose at the cultural shift that was Peyton Effing Manning, time has shown that Manning was indeed the answer to everything. Even though it was defense that ultimately brought home Super Bowl 50, it was the spark of Manning-ness that willed the Broncos to victory against the Chargers in that final game of 2015 and beyond. It’s the intangible knowing that greatness can happen at any moment that makes the difference. It’s what the Broncos have been missing.

In 2022, is Russell Wilson the answer to everything? Absolutely. We have seen life without him and the alternative is just not as much fun/tolerable/acceptable. Wilson brings to the Broncos the hope and expectation of greatness. I don’t want to go back to the last six years, do you?

HEADLINES

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