Entering the critical Year 2 of his burgeoning NFL career, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix must be getting used to proving the doubters wrong. On the heels of dispelling the notion that he was a draft-day reach, Nix is now attacking the perception that he will be prone to the dreaded sophomore slump.
Despite several key additions on both sides of the ball vastly improving the Broncos' playoff roster, murmurs and predictions of a sharp drop-off in Nix's performance levels have been a recurring trope throughout this offseason. Putting in the hard work required, Nix delivered a phenomenal rookie campaign.
That body of work serves as his foundation as he settles back into his role as QB1 at Broncos OTAs.
"We're going to learn a lot from this time to the season," Nix said following Thursday's OTA session. "We're going to learn a lot once we get into the season and go. I have a buddy on the team and we talk about it all the time—we tell each other. 'You're still a nobody, you haven't done anything yet.' We have a lot to prove, and we have a lot to go out there and do."
Humbleness forms a key part of absolutely everything Nix does, and the determination to prove himself on a consistent basis will be critical when it comes to avoiding any kind of sophomore regression. Nix has already worn the captain's badge as a rookie, and while his position as a bona-fide team leader is unquestionable, he seems to be taking even more command of proceedings during Thursday's practice, which was open to the media.
Only a quarterback with a complete command over his offense can give off such vibes this early, but Nix is at ease enough to already declare that he's doing things without really having to think about them.
"I feel like I'm a lot further [along]. Just spitting out play calls a lot easier and just processing," Nix said after. "Being around 'VJ' (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph) for a year and understanding the defense that I'm going to get. It's a lot better and a lot more enjoyable not thinking right now as opposed to what I was doing last year. It's fun, it's fun to be in the know, and it's fun to have a little more of an understanding of what's going on so I can be a little more beneficial to others and help them out along the way. I feel good. We're in a good spot."
All that diligent work Broncos head coach Sean Payton put in previously with Nix was designed to set him up for sustained success far beyond his rookie year. Planting and nurturing the seeds proved to be a time-intensive process last year, but now it's facilitating the Broncos getting back up to speed rather quickly.
Of course, having the same play-caller provides a golden opportunity to really cash in on the solid framework that's already been built between Nix and Payton. Indeed, Payton is seeing early on how things are ticking along a lot more smoothly, and the lines of communication are far smoother a year into the quarterback-coach relationship.
"I think it's a positive," Payton said on Thursday about having the same play caller. "Just the stability in what we're doing offensively and his overall understanding. It kind of goes to the earlier question of him just out here, taking the script, going through it, and feeling almost like the plays can run off his tongue, where a year ago, you were having to repeat it twice. It's just a lot different."
As far as Nix is concerned, the upside of having the same voice guiding him cannot be understated, because falling into the classic sophomore trap often boils down to coaching changes being made. Coaching continuity comes at a premium in the NFL.
When that voice in the meeting rooms and headset changes, and the playbook and play-calls are entirely different, the performances are consequently more prone to being affected. Thankfully, the polar opposite applies for Nix with Payton by his side. Nix has been put in a most enviable position to succeed in year two.
"It's huge. It's kind of weird going back to the first install, it's not new verbiage and not new things," Nix said about the continuity that's in place. "It made it a lot easier this year. Now, it was tough to learn it last year, but being in a system and getting right back to where we were, just being able to call plays and understanding what it's like—going longer than 365 days just hearing the same thing, I think it's going to be really beneficial."
Quarterbacks have always been routine-driven beasts, so Nix is more than happy to tick the same boxes as last year and get right down to business with the added benefit of nearly his entire supporting cast, including Denver's top-shelf offensive line, also returning in 2025.
Nix had a hard time putting it into words, but the benefits and blessings of such continuity — from the scheme to the coaching to the personnel — will come out in the wash in a multitude of ways in 2025.
"I'm just used to learning different things, so it's good not to have to learn an entire new system this year and have the same play caller and have the same quarterback coach. [Also], the same guys you're throwing it to," Nix said on Thursday. "The same center and the same [offensive] line. Being the same, it's going to be—it's hard to even explain. You’re going to see it in ways that you can't even understand. It’s just a natural thing to go out there and just pick up right where you left off and not have to restart.”
