Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Bo Nix were viewed as a match before the union became official in the 2024 draft. He was the No. 12 overall pick and the last of six QBs selected in that draft’s first round.
One year later, Payton offered new details about the process that went into the Broncos’ decision on Nix, who the coach said did not throw the ball well in Indianapolis.
Notably, there also appeared to be some inconsistencies in the story.
“We had a pro day on Friday. And then Saturday, we had a private workout. And I think that Saturday after this private workout, we felt like that was our target,” Payton told NFL Network’s Peter Schrager on March 2. “At this point in time, we didn’t, and he really didn’t throw well.”
Payton drew praise for his comments, with many noting that it underscored the importance of film and individual sessions over the combine setting in the pre-draft evaluation process.
However, the timeline he laid out contains some potential discrepancies.
Breer: Private Workout Sold Broncos on Bo Nix
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks to Bo Nix #10 during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer laid out the process that put the date the Broncos were sold on Nix around March 18.
That was two weeks after the 2024 combine.
Breer’s report suggests Nix indeed reaffirmed his status as the Broncos’ primary target at his March 12 pro day. But the insider details Broncos general manager George Paton’s affinity began during the QB’s time at Auburn and only grew through the pre-draft process.
The Broncos still had three other quarterbacks in for private workouts, including Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy.
They also attended Michael Penix Jr.’s pro day after meeting with him at the combine.
“Payton worked with Paton to keep the circle small on the Broncos’ true intentions,” Breer wrote. “Still, Denver could only control so much. And that led to some grimaces early in the process when two guys who’d played for Payton in New Orleans—Fox college football analyst Joel Klatt and the recently retired Chase Daniel—identified Nix as a perfect fit. Seeing that, as they worked through the evaluations, prompted Payton to say to team CEO Greg Penner and his GM, ‘I promise you this: We’re not the only ones that feel this strongly about this player.’
“With that [private workout] complete, the Broncos retreated for final draft meetings. Payton, Paton and Penner by then knew where things stood on Nix. They also knew they had to keep it to themselves. So on the board in the Denver draft room, all of the quarterbacks were stashed on the bottom left corner, in no particular order, both to prevent any sort of bias in discussion and also, simply, to keep the brass’ secret.”
Sean Payton Called Out Over ‘Trolling’
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Fans were not entirely sold that Payton told the entire truth to Schrager, though speculation about the true timeline for the Broncos’ being sold on Nix was also not a consensus among those critics.
“He’s full of s***,” one fan said in Schrager’s replies. “He knew who his guy was well before the combine.”
Others noted Payton’s suggestion that he purposefully misled rivals about the Broncos’ plans.
“lol. Bo Nix became ‘their guy’ as soon as the Vikings submitted the 10th pick last April,” another fan posted.
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