Broncos QB Bo Nix remains harshest critic entering Year 2

Bo Nix may have delivered the best rookie season by a quarterback in Broncos history — even better than John Elway — but he isn’t satisfied. A finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Nix led Denver to its first playoff berth since 2015, looking every bit like the franchise’s long-awaited answer at quarterback. As Year 2 begins, he remains his own harshest critic.

“I have a buddy on the team, and we talk about it all the time,” Nix said. “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.”

The Broncos shattered expectations last season under Sean Payton, transforming a roster widely seen as mediocre into a 10-7 contender that snapped a seven-year streak without a winning record. But for Nix, that achievement is just the starting point.

“I haven’t done anything up until this point, and I have a lot to prove and a lot of show,” Nix said. “Every day, it’s [about] working. Every day, it’s finding a way to get better. You don’t want to get to Year 2 or go down the road, and all of a sudden you got stuck and didn’t get any better. So, that’s my focus right now. … It’s not even worrying about what people say. Just internally, I know I have a long way to go.”

It certainly didn’t take long for Nix to set the Broncos’ franchise record for most wins by a rookie quarterback, surpassing John Elway (1983) and Drew Lock (2019) — who each had four — by Week 8. His 29 touchdown passes on the season rank second-most by a rookie in NFL history, just two behind Justin Herbert (2020).

Nix said he entered OTAs with a clearer grasp of the playbook and a sharper mental edge. Unlike last year, when everything was new and a tad overwhelming, this time he’s more comfortable.

“I feel like I’m a lot further,” Nix said. “Just spitting out play calls [is] a lot easier, and processing. … It’s a lot better. It’s 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. It’s fun to have a little bit more of an understanding of what’s going on so I can be a little bit more beneficial to others and help them out along the way. I feel good. We’re in a good spot.”