Two Former Oregon Ducks Lead NFL Teams To Division Titles In Week 17

Two former Oregon Ducks quarterbacks continued to hit historic milestones during the latest slate of NFL action. Bo Nix and Christian Gonzalez also headlined the week by securing division titles.

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Week 17 of NFL action featured down moments for some former Oregon Ducks in the league, while a pair of alumni experienced big team success.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez both helped their teams to division titles during the latest week of NFL action. Los Angeles Quarterback Justin Herbert also showed why he’s special despite a loss, and three Ducks were selected to be a part of the NFL Pro Bowl Games.

Bo Nix Leads Broncos to AFC West Title

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Nix led the Denver Broncos to an AFC West title in just his second season in the league after the franchise experienced a decade-long drought. In his first two seasons in the NFL, Nix won over 20 games, recorded over 7,500 pass yards and over 50 pass touchdowns – and he’s the only quarterback in NFL history to achieve those numbers in that span.

The Broncos trailed the Kansas City Chiefs at halftime during their Christmas Day game, but Nix made some clutch plays down the stretch to secure the victory. He threw for 182 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown.

Nix continues to prove himself at the professional level. Now, he can help Denver earn the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye with a win against the Chargers in week 18.

Justin Herbert Stars Despite Chargers Loss

Dec 27, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is tripped up by Houston Texans safety K'Von Wallace (38) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Broncos AFC West title came at the expense of Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers secured a spot in the postseason over the weekend, but a 20-16 loss to the Houston Texans ended their chance of winning the division.

Herbert completed 21 of his 32 pass attempts for 236 yards and a touchdown, as well as 37 rushing yards. The Texans’ stifling defense limited the Chargers to just a field goal in the first half, however, which ended up being the difference.

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The former Oregon quarterback has 28 total touchdowns and 4,335 total yards on the season. Herbert also led an injury-prone Los Angeles team that featured 24 different offensive line combinations to 11 wins and a playoff berth.

Charger coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday that Herbert won’t play in the regular season finale against Nix and the Broncos. He’ll get some much-needed rest as the franchise prepares to make a deep playoff run.

Christian Gonzalez Continues to Impress in New England

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) runs onto the field prior to the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots also clinched their division title over the weekend with a convincing 42-10 victory over the New York Jets.

The former Oregon cornerback Gonzalez played a key role in the win and the Patriots’ season. The former first-round pick finished with four tackles and allowed just one catch for eight yards on four targets vs. the Jets.

New England has a 13-3 overall record, but is 12-1 when Gonzalez plays. He’s up to 65 tackles and 10 pass deflections through 13 games played in 2025. His 22 yards allowed after the catch this season equals 1.8 yards after the catch per reception, which is fourth among cornerbacks.