Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix and head coach Sean Payton both met with the media on Thursday as the team wrapped up its first week of OTAs.
And the two had slightly different approaches at the podium.
Payton is excited for Nix in his second year as Denver’s quarterback, noting these voluntary practices went smoothly. That’s not to say they didn’t a season ago, but perhaps everything was crisper.
“Just the processing, understanding of what we’re doing. In and out of the huddle,” Payton said. “As you’re watching each decision, where you want the ball to go, I think it’s entirely different.”
That’s to be expected. Bo Nix should definitely be more comfortable with a 10-7 rookie season under his belt and the Broncos making the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
But with that, expectations are higher, and some folks think Denver can challenge Kansas City for the AFC West. Nix isn’t paying attention to any outside noise.
“If we were all what people said we we’re going to be, we wouldn’t play the season. We would just finish with the final standings of what they said we were going to be,” Nix said.
And even though Bo Nix finished sixth in the NFL last year with 29 touchdown passes, he’s not reading the headlines nor thinking he’s accomplished much.
“I’ve got a buddy on the team, we talk about it all the time, we tell each other ‘you’re still a nobody, you haven’t done anything yet.’ And so, we’ve got a lot to prove, we’ve got a lot to go out there and do,” Nix said.
The Broncos were blasted in the AFC Wild Card round by the Bills, so in one sense, Bo Nix is correct. The eventual expectation is to win playoff games and get back to a Super Bowl.
On the other hand, Nix looks like the best QB Denver has had since Peyton Manning. And fans are excited about that. Still, Nix will defer to his teammate.
“He’s right, I haven’t done anything up until this point. I’ve got a lot to prove, a lot to show. Every day it’s working, every day it’s getting better. You don’t want to get to year two or down the road and get stuck,” Nix said.
That answer is a perfect one. Bo Nix wants to keep ascending, eventually taking the Broncos to places they haven’t been in a long time.
It’s still only May, but with both basketball and hockey season done in Denver, real football can’t get here soon enough.