Denver Broncos legend John Elway gives a lot of credit to head coach Sean Payton for Bo Nix's development. The 25-year-old quarterback has already proven that he's the franchise passer of a team that's been lacking one for the past decade. Nix led the Broncos to their first playoff appearance in nine years last season while having one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback of all time. Nix threw 29 touchdown passes — second-highest for a rookie of all time — to go along with four rushing touchdowns last season.
He's off to a great start this season, coming off the biggest win of his young career, a 14-point comeback on the road against the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles.
Elway, who knows a thing or two about big wins as a two-time Super Bowl champion, gives major credit to Payton.
“I think that's just the type of guy he is,” says Elway of Nix remaining aggressive and confident. “I also think that Sean Payton has really done a heck of a job of bringing him along slowly and not giving him too much to where he's been overloaded, to where he couldn't handle things. The process that Sean is, the way he's brought it on and how he's continued to grow the offense around Bo with what Bo can handle.”
The Broncos great says Payton has done an excellent job of not putting too much on Nix's shoulders. He says this happens often with other young passers who enter the league.
“You see that as a confidence a lot of times, these young guys come in, they've always been heroes, they've always been successful, and all of a sudden, they come in the league and they're given too much,” says Elway.
“They're not necessarily a very good football team, they don't have success, and they lose their confidence — that's the worst thing that can happen,” the Hall of Fame QB continued. “Bo is a confident kid, plus he played six seasons, he had 62 college games, and he was way ahead of a lot of these guys are drafted high, that have one good year, or maybe two good years of where they played, 24-to-26 college football games. The maturity level that Bo has is a big bonus for him, but also, I think coaching and the way that they brought him along has allowed his confidence to continue to grow, too.”
Nix already has a 13-9 record as a starting quarterback, with only the Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels having a better record from his draft class last year. The second-year quarterback has excellent dual-threat ability, as evidenced by his 430 rushing yards last season.
Elway, who is obviously very high on Nix, also compliments his ability to run the ball and extend the play in a league that values those traits these days.
“If you look in today's world, I think he's got all the tools,” says Elway of Nix. “The way that the game has evolved often, athleticism is a bigger piece of playing the quarterback position now than it used to be. We used to have more pocket passers, and they'd stay in the pocket. But in today's world, you've seen it and all the other quarterbacks as their athleticism continues to get better and better, and they got to be able to make some plays with their legs and be able to avoid some sacks. Get outside, extend the play, and make big plays outside the pocket. Bo's got those, and I just think that's where the game has gone. That's why it's exciting to have a guy like Bo.”
