When it comes to Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, the NFL world still doesn't get it. On the heels of one of the most prolific rookie quarterback seasons of (literally) all time, you'd think the national media aggregators, rankers, and list-makers would be more respectful of Nix's body of work.
Yeah, no. One year after placing the Broncos' quarterback room dead last in the NFL, Pro Football Focus revealed its 2025 rankings. Nix checked in at No. 19, which isn't dead-last, but when the names ahead of him (more on that shortly) are revealed, Broncos fans will understandably be miffed.
"Nix had a strong rookie season, though it was somewhat overshadowed by Jayden Daniels’ historic campaign. If he can avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, the Broncos could be a serious threat in 2025," PFF's John Kosko wrote. "After a rocky start, including three sub-50.0 game grades in his first four outings, Nix found his footing, posting an 85.7 overall grade the rest of the way, sixth-best in the league over that span."
Per Kosko, the arithmetic that informs these rankings is based on "recent performance and career trajectory." If so, again, it smacks of unreason.
The 18 quarterbacks PFF ranked ahead of Nix:
- Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs
- Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals
- Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens
- Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills
- Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles
- Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders
- Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams
- Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers
- Jared Goff | Detroit Lions
- Geno Smith | Las Vegas Raiders
- Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers
- Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers
- Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans
- Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals
- Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars
- Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys
- Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins
There's an argument to be made that Nix did more with less than any of the quarterbacks listed ahead of him, including the top veterans. After all, sites like PFF panned the Broncos' skill positions last year, ranking them at the bottom of the league, and yet, Nix passed for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns as a rookie.
Going into December, Nix was giving Daniels — the NFL's new quarterback darling — a genuine run for his money in the Offensive Rookie of the Year sweepstakes. At season's end, Nix had out-produced Daniels in all but three statistical areas: completion percentage (69% to 66.3%), QB rating (100.1 to 93.3), and interceptions (nine to 12).
Nix passed for 200-plus yards more than Daniels, and tossed four more touchdowns. Nix also led all rookie quarterbacks with 34 total touchdowns from scrimmage, including four rushing and one receiving. Daniels had 31.
However, Daniels did win more games and led his team deeper into the playoffs, all the way to the NFC Championship Game. But anyone with even a passing knowledge of NFL rosters knew that Daniels' supporting cast at the skill positions surpassed Nix's in Denver.
Grudgingly ranking Nix just outside the bottom-third of the league, sites like PFF totally fail to recognize how he did more with less. He elevated the talent around him, which is a true hallmark of a franchise quarterback.
Only five NFL quarterbacks passed for more touchdowns than Nix in 2024: Burrow, Mayfield, Jackson, Goff, and Sam Darnold. Nix also finished No. 12 in passing yards.
Considering that Nix will once again be shepherded by an NFL offensive mainstay like Sean Payton, it's mystifying to see him outranked by the likes of Smith, Murray, Lawrence, Prescott, and Tagovailoa. There's an argument for guys like Stroud, Mayfield, Love, and Purdy to be ranked ahead of Nix, but it can only be asserted based on pre-2024 body of work.
At the end of the day, though, the Broncos aren't losing any sleep over offseason rankings like this. We know Payton pays attention to such media fodder, and when this PFF list published, he probably grinned ear to ear, knowing that it gives him even more bulletin-board fuel to add to Nix's fire.
Let 'em hate. Let 'em sleep.
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