Bo Nix

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Lore & Background

Bo Nix's journey to Denver began in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, before he starred at Pinson Valley High School in Alabama. There, under his father Patrick, he accumulated over 12,000 total offensive yards and 161 touchdowns. After winning Alabama's Mr. Football Award as a senior in 2018, he committed to Auburn University. His time with the Tigers saw him win SEC Freshman of the Year in 2019 after leading the team to a 9–4 record and an Iron Bowl victory over Alabama. Following an up-and-down tenure that included being benched for T.J. Finley and suffering a season-ending injury, Nix described himself as "miserable" under head coach Bryan Harsin before entering the transfer portal in December 2021. Nix transferred to Oregon with two seasons of eligibility remaining due to an NCAA COVID-19 waiver. He led the Ducks to a 10–3 record in 2022, including a Holiday Bowl victory over North Carolina. In his final collegiate season, Nix led the nation in completion percentage, finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting behind Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. He set the record for the highest single-season completion percentage at 77.45% and started 61 games total between Auburn and Oregon, the most in NCAA history for a quarterback.

In Their Own Story

On August 22, 2024, Bo Nix became the first Broncos rookie to start since John Elway in 1983. His debut against the Seattle Seahawks was a struggle; he completed 26 of 42 passes for just 138 yards and two interceptions in a 26–20 loss, setting an NFL record for fewest passing yards by a quarterback with 25 or more completions. However, his resilience quickly emerged. In Week 3, he secured his first win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. By Week 4, he led a 10–9 upset over the New York Jets despite finishing with only 60 total passing yards. October proved to be a breakout month. Nix threw three touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders and four total touchdowns in a victory over the Carolina Panthers, setting a new franchise record with five wins as a rookie. His performance earned him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors. A pivotal moment came on December 29 when he went 26-of-29 for a then career-high 321 yards and four touchdowns in a 38–0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, clinching the Broncos' first playoff berth since 2015. Even after playing with transverse process fractures in his back since Week 12, he guided the team to the playoffs. In the Wild Card round against the Buffalo Bills, Nix threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to rookie Troy Franklin, marking the first rookie-to-rookie touchdown pass in NFL playoff history.

Reader's Guide

Bo Nix established himself as the Broncos' starter immediately upon being drafted in 2024. His playing style is defined by high completion rates and low negative play differentials, attributes that attracted head coach Sean Payton. In his rookie season, he set a franchise record for wins by a rookie quarterback (5) in October and finished with 29 total passing touchdowns, the second-most ever by a rookie. He became the first rookie in NFL history to complete over 80% of his passes while throwing for at least four touchdowns and 300 yards in a single game against the Atlanta Falcons. By the 2025 season, Nix had worked with former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and mechanics specialist Tom House. He achieved historic feats, including becoming the first player to have at least two passing and two rushing touchdowns in a single quarter during a comeback victory over the New York Giants. In Week 18 of that season, he set the record for the most wins ever by a Broncos quarterback in a single regular season (14) while tying Russell Wilson's NFL record for the most regular-season wins by a quarterback through two seasons (24). He led the team to the top seed in the AFC and secured their first playoff win since Super Bowl 50 with an overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills.

Did You Know?

• Nix started 61 games between Auburn and Oregon, the most in NCAA history for a quarterback.
• He broke Mac Jones's record with a 77.45% single-season completion percentage at Oregon.
• In his NFL debut, Nix set a record for fewest passing yards (138) by a quarterback with 25+ completions.
• He played through transverse process fractures in his back from Week 12 of his rookie season.