The second weeks of Broncos OTAs is now in the book as Sean Payton, Bo Nix and the rest of the organization gears up for the 2025 season, a year in which the team hopes to build off the postseason berth from a year ago. The Broncos have a lot of familiar faces back in the building from a season ago as the team continues to build continuity, but they also had a couple of older, familiar faces in the building this week.
The 🐐 is here for #BroncosOTAs!@ProFootballHOF CB @champbailey joined Owner Carrie Walton Penner at today’s practice: pic.twitter.com/M89gX2KF08
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 3, 2025
Champ Bailey, one of the best players and arguable the best cornerback in Broncos history, swing by Dove Valley to check out Tuesday’s practice. On Thursday, Peyton Manning made an appearance to see what his former team was working on.
For Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton, even though he was on the opposite sideline when those two were wreaking havoc on the league in Denver, he was happy to see those veterans swing by practice to check out the team and dump some knowledge on the youth.
“I love when those guys come around,” Payton said after Thursday’s practice. “They have an interest in the program, and certainly, they’re impressionable. Our players know who they are and it’s good seeing them out here.”
Bailey played in Denver from 2004-13 after beginning his career in Washington. In his 10 seasons in the Mile High City, he made three All-Pro First-teams, two All-Pro Second-teams and eight Pro Bowls (he made four more Pro Bowls in Washington). He was also voted as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2006, coming up short to Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins.
Manning only spent four seasons in Denver (2012-15), but they were franchise-changing campaigns. He won the MVP in 2013, was the quarterback of the All-Pro First-team in 2012 and 2013 and helped lead the team to victory in Super Bowl 50. He holds the top-three marks for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season in franchise history.
Manning recently won a Sports Emmy for his efforts on camera with his “ManningCast” during the 2024 NFL season and was announced as part of the ownership group for the Denver NWSL franchise.
Next up on the schedule for Payton and the Broncos is mandatory minicamp, the last period of time for the team to work together before training camp later in the summer. Minicamp will be next week from June 10-12.
