Analysis of Bo Nix’s message to Broncos country ahead of training camp

Bo Nix just completed an impressive first off-season training program with the Denver BroncosAfter hearing his name called with the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Nix arrived in the Mile High City and consistently showed up as advertised.

But even before Nix donned an orange and blue jersey for the first time, he had an interesting message for Broncos country — a fan base that, on one hand, has enjoyed great success over the decades while, on the other, has suffered through eight straight playoff-less seasons.

“The fans are incredible. They put in so much effort to see us succeed,” Nix said on April 26. “Everybody that’s a part of the organization, that’s our goal.”

The Broncos are trying to win games. If they win games, the Broncos increase their chances of making the playoffs. If they do, the team’s chances of making and winning a Super Bowl skyrocket.

That’s the ultimate goal. And it just so happens to be a goal shared by Broncos country. In that sense, when Nix talks about Broncos fans and their high expectations for the team, everyone — from the player to the coach to the front office — is rowing in the same direction.

Nix’s remarks to fans immediately after being selected are a good harbinger of what the near future could hold for the Broncos. He spent the offseason learning, absorbing the scheme, getting to know his new teammates and competing.

Soon, Nix will join his teammates for a rendezvous at “Compete Street” — that’s what the sign that hung above the Broncos’ practice field said when the rookie first arrived. That’s where the next chapter of his NFL story begins. To satisfy the fans and the team’s expectations, he must outplay two veterans and earn the Broncos’ starting QB1 job.

“I can’t wait to get out there and compete,” Nix said. “I saw the sign on the practice field that says ‘Compete Street.’ I think that’s the best thing you can do by going out there and doing that because that’s all you do. You’re just competing to be the best for yourself because when you put your team together, it’s a team game.”

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Nix had to overcome one obstacle after another to get to the Broncos via the first round of the draft. That’s how any successful individual succeeds, and it’s even more true for athletes.

Without failure and the lessons it teaches us, success would not be possible. As NBA legend Michael Jordan once said, “I have missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. 26 times I have been trusted to make the game-winning shot and I have missed. I have failed many times in my life, and that is why I am successful.”

In Nix’s case, he had to overcome the instability of his coaching position at Auburn, which eventually led to his transfer to Oregon. He was supposed to be Auburn’s golden boy, but the story didn’t play out that way.

Nix reinvented himself at Oregon, leading the Ducks to 22 wins and finishing his senior year as a Heisman Trophy finalist after a ridiculous 4,500-yard, 45-touchdown campaign. Still, it wasn’t enough in the eyes of many NFL journalists, who denigrated Nix by trying to portray him as a “system quarterback” with a noodle arm.

The Broncos have done the work to analyze the veracity of these claims. As Sean Payton recounted, the Broncos cut every “ball throw” from Nix’s film at Oregon (as they did for every QB they scouted), and he finished first in every critical category that makes or breaks a signal-caller.

Payton was so excited about Nix that he originally planned to go to the quarterback’s house to announce his pick when the Broncos were planning to take him with the 12th overall pick. Payton was ultimately talked out of it, but suffice it to say he didn’t lose any sleep over the media reaction to Denver’s 12th overall pick of Nix.

One of my favorite things Nix said during his introductory press conference with the Broncos came in response to the cliché about his arm strength. Yeah, he’s accomplished a lot (and I mean a lot) of those “easy throws,” but his tape was also filled with one explosive vertical pass after another.

“Quite frankly, I’ve done a lot of long film, too,” Nix said. “I don’t mind people going back and watching the film. They can see everything they need to see. It’s over. I’m excited to be here now and do whatever I need to do to win games, and that’s if I’m out there playing, if I’m backing up another quarterback, whatever it may be, (I’m) going to do whatever the coaches ask of me and I’m going to do it at a high level… So I’m excited, and I don’t think I need to show anything else because I’m in the right place now. I just can’t wait to get to work with the team.”

You can repeat it. Nix landed in just the right place. He and Payton plan to accomplish great things together for Broncos Country. Training camp can’t come soon enough.

The cleats hit the turf at Compete Street on July 23.

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