Add Peyton Manning to the Case Keenum Fan Club

Good morning, Broncos Country!

There have been some pretty big-name additions to the Case Keenum Fan Club this week.

Von Miller, who had reached out via text as soon as news broke last month that the free agent QB had signed with the Broncos, said Tuesday that after four hours of hanging out with Keenum on the first day of offseason conditioning, he knew the former Vikings backup-turned-starter would “be a great quarterback for us.”

“I envision a whole bunch of magical moments between me and Case, holding hands and dancing around the locker room,” Miller said laughing. “It will be great. I’m a great guy in the locker room. He’ll be a great guy. All we have to do now is get the wins.”

The second big-name fan could have a little something to do with helping Keenum get those wins with Denver.

None other than The Sheriff.

Peyton Manning, who was being inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame no less, took time with the local media to add his praise for the team’s new signal caller.

“I’m a big Case Keenum fan,” Manning said, noting that he first met Keenum at his Manning Passing Academy years ago when Keenum was still at the University of Houston. “…He’s a hard worker. He’s really been a winner all his life — high school or college. What a great opportunity for him, and I’m certainly pulling for him.”

As if Manning’s support isn’t nice enough, the two-time Super Bowl champ also promised to play some golf with Keenum and give him a few pointers - about football, that is, though I’m sure if Keenum needs some tips on his chip shot, Manning will offer those too.

“He said he wanted to pick my brain on a couple things,” Manning said. “I just told him I’m here as a resource. I pull for quarterbacks. I really do. It’s a unique fraternity, and I’m excited for the opportunity for him.”

Manning has always considered the quarterback position a “unique fraternity,” and he reiterated Wednesday night the need for quarterbacks to be there for each other.

“I think quarterbacks need to look out for each other and kind of stick together,” Manning said. “That’s always been important, and I think certainly, [the mentality is] kind of ‘Once a Bronco, always a Bronco.’ I don’t know what resource I can be, but [I] just try to be there for anything a player might need, especially a quarterback.”

Having changed teams late in his career, Manning is very familiar - more than most perhaps - with the pressure that comes from being a high-priced free agent.

“I know what it’s like to change teams,” he said. “There’s expectations. There’s pressure. And there’s a lot of adjusting.”

Having Manning as a “resource” is a heck of a way to work through those adjustments. Kudos to Keenum for picking a great mentor right out of the gate.

“He’s got a chance to play with some great players, and what he did last year in Minnesota was really special,” Manning added. “I know Broncos fans kind of hope to see some of that same magic here this year.”

Yes. Yes we do. Thanks in advance for helping us with that, Peyton.

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