BN #10

Bo Nix

Quarterback · Oregon

Broncos QB who led Denver to its first AFC West title since 2015 in his sophomore year before a broken ankle ended the season.

Bo Nix's second NFL season did exactly what Sean Payton needed: he won the AFC West, beat the Bills in the Wild Card, and looked like a foundational quarterback for the first time since Peyton Manning. The story ended badly. Nix broke his ankle on the third-to-last play of the Divisional Round loss to Kansas City and was placed on injured reserve on January 24, 2026.

★ AFC West Champion (2025)

★ Rookie record: 2nd most pass TDs by a rookie (29)

★ FBS career starts record (61, at Auburn/Oregon)

★ 3rd in 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year voting

Path to the league

Started at Auburn before transferring to Oregon, where he set the FBS career record for starts (61) and finished third in the 2023 Heisman voting. The Broncos took him 12th overall in 2024 in a class that also produced Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. Payton named him the starter immediately.

Rookie season (2024)

3,775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns (second all-time for a rookie QB behind Justin Herbert's 31), 12 interceptions, 66.3 percent completions, 93.3 passer rating. Added 430 rushing yards and four rushing TDs. Led Denver to its first playoff appearance since the 2015 Super Bowl run. Third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Jayden Daniels and Brock Bowers.

2025 season recap

3,931 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions across 680 dropbacks. Denver went 12-5 and won the AFC West for the first time in a decade. The Broncos beat the Bills in the Wild Card before losing to Kansas City in the Divisional Round, where Nix broke his ankle on a non-contact play late in the fourth quarter.

What to watch in 2026

Denver opens the 2026 season at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night (Mahomes' first game back from ACL surgery). Nix's recovery from the broken ankle is on track for full clearance by training camp. The Broncos open at +3000 to win Super Bowl LXI, and a healthy Nix gives them a real ceiling in a wide-open AFC West.