The Denver Broncos are all-in on Bo Nix, especially after his historic rookie season in which he helped snap a playoff drought that stood for nearly a decade. Nix still has his share of detractors and doubters.
However, a telling stat flies in the face of one of the most prevalent critiques of Nix’s game: his deep ball.
Contrary to popular belief about his arm strength, Nix fared well down the field.
“Bo Nix had the third-most deep passing yards in the NFL last year with 819, per @NextGenStats,” DNVR Broncos’ Zac Stevens posted on X on March 23. “Weird, people said he can’t throw deep…”
Nix completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,375 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He set franchise rookie records in starts, attempts, yards, and touchdowns.
Nix earned a 93.1 grade on passes 20-plus yards down the field from Pro Football Focus.
He completed 41.6% of his passes for 975 yards, 9 TDs and 4 INTs. Nix tied for the third-most deep touchdown passes. He also finished fourth in deep completions and was fifth in attempts and yards during the regular season.
Faulty Bo Nix Narrative Sticking
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos looks on before facing the New York Jets.
Stevens’ post comes days after Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski listed the Broncos as the “worst fit” for Texas speedster Matthew Golden in the 2025 draft.
“The Denver Broncos are another team in need in another receiving threat, though quarterback Bo Nix doesn’t necessarily have the arm talent to consistently take advantage of Golden’s downfield playmaking ability,” Sobleski wrote on March 19, naming the Dallas Cowboys as a polar-opposite destination.
There is also a belief that the Broncos panicked into taking Nix.
Nix has faced questions about his arm strength dating back to his collegiate days. The noise grew louder amid a slow start even as views about his fit with Broncos head coach Sean Payton remained high.
Nix sported a 1,082-5-5 line on 61.1% completion, and the Broncos were off to a 3-3 start.
“To say Bo Nix and the Broncos have had a rough go of it over six weeks would be an understatement. Through six weeks the only QB with a worse Success Rate is Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson, and the only QBs with a worse individual adjusted EPA/dropback are Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Will Levis. Yeah, not great company,” SB Nation’s Joseph Acosta wrote in October 2024.
“I actually think Nix’s arm is good enough to operate this offense. It’s not anywhere near the top tier guys, but for a Sean Payton offense it’s good enough. The arm hasn’t been the problem—it’s been his head and feet that have caused the issue.”
One area PFF dinged area? Big-time throws, where he ranked 23rd in rate on deep passes. He still tied for the fourth-most such throws and the second-most attempts.
Nix was 13th in big-time throw attempts and rate overall among QBs with at least 500 attempts.
Sean Payton Offered Telling Take on Broncos Drafting Bo Nix
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks to Bo Nix #10 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlien posited that some of Nix’s production was scheme-dependant in his pre-draft evaluation.
Payton’s comments about drafting Nix where the Broncos did are arguably the most telling.
“I think the biggest thing is trusting what you’re seeing, and I say that respectfully,” Payton said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on April 25. “Everyone has jobs to do and it’s always like, ‘Well, manage the draft.’ [Or], ‘They could have backed up and got him.’
“I heard that with Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City took him. And I’m like, ‘Well, they couldn’t have backed up and got him because we were taking him with the next pick. … Before [Michael] Penix was taken, we were discussing a slight wiggle. Then you start looking at it and saying, ‘Is it worth the risk for a third-round pick?’ And I’m just glad it worked out in our favor.”
Nix and the Broncos were a blocked field goal away from beating Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 10. That likely bolstered Payton’s belief in the young passer.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post ‘Weird’ Revelation Undercuts Narrative About Broncos QB Bo Nix appeared first on Heavy Sports.