Former NFL General Manager Identifies Bold Super Bowl Darkhorse originally appeared on The Spun.
Mike Tannenbaum can see a new Super Bowl contender emerging in the AFC this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs have won the conference in five of the last six seasons since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, and they typically must defeat some combination of the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals. If Tannenbaum is right, Kansas City may have to worry about an AFC West adversary in 2025.
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Tannenbaum touted the Denver Broncos as a legitimate threat during Tuesday’s First Take. When asked about their ceiling, the former New York Jets general manager immediately said, “Super Bowl.”
“Bo Nix played really good football, and he’s gonna get better and take another step,” Tannenbaum said. “That offense is gonna be extremely efficient.”
Nix’s second-year development under center will be pivotal to Denver taking a significant leap from last year’s 10-7 campaign, which ended in a lopsided first-round playoff loss to Buffalo. Yet Tannenbaum’s confidence stems from a “championship defense” that allowed the third-fewest points in 2024.
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Adding Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga from the San Francisco 49ers should only bolster that unit for head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 31: Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos looks on from the field during warmups prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High on December 31, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)Perry Knotts/Getty Images
“If Coach (Bill) Belichick was sitting here, he would always talk about how teams lose games in the NFL before you ever have to win it. This offense is gonna be a lot like Buffalo’s, where they’re gonna be efficient. They may not be flashy, but they have a smart quarterback who’s an underrated athlete.
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“And I’m telling you, this defense is outstanding. We’re going to be talking about Vance Joseph as a viable head-coaching candidate come down the stretch.”
Stephen A. Smith did not concur, wondering if “something’s wrong” with Tannenbaum. After all, it’s tough to discuss the Super Bowl when the Chiefs can win the AFC West for the 10th straight time.
“There’s still some question marks where we get to this team,” Smith said of Denver. “And I got to look at the rest of the AFC. Excuse me, can you talk about winning the division first? Wouldn’t that be nice?”
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Although he believes Nix and wide receiver Courtland Sutton “can play,” Smith hasn’t considered Denver in the same tier as the NFL’s top teams entering 2025.
“I expect them to make the playoffs,” he continued. “But when you say Super Bowl, you just threw me the hell off. I haven’t thought about the Denver Broncos and the Super Bowl. It never crossed my mind.”
Oddsmakers seem to side with Smith, as the Broncos are listed at +1300 to win the AFC on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Related: Stephen A. Smith Was ‘Disgusted’ With Jerry Jones This Morning
Former NFL General Manager Identifies Bold Super Bowl Darkhorse first appeared on The Spun on Aug 5, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.