Bo Nix Reflects on Broncos' Playoff Season & Rookie Body of Work

The Denver Broncos stepped into the playoff threshold for the first time since 2016 and were quickly pushed out the door by the Buffalo Bills in a 31-7 beating. The Broncos boasted the third-youngest team in the NFL with a rookie quarterback and limited offensive weapons, but through great coaching, they still made the postseason.

The biggest takeaway from 2024 is that Bo Nix can be the franchise signal-caller he was drafted to be after passing for 3,775 yards and totaling 34 touchdowns from scrimmage. His 10 wins are the most by a Broncos rookie ever.

After the game in Buffalo, Nix took the podium for what is likely the last time fans will hear from him in an official capacity until the offseason training program at the soonest. He was asked whether he was satisfied with his rookie campaign.

“Well, the simple answer is we didn’t win a Super Bowl," Nix said on Sunday. "So there’s a lot to learn from, a lot to grow from. The cliché good answer would be we had a winning season, we made it to the playoffs, we did something that we haven’t done in a while. We competed hard against teams that are really good. We just kind of showed [and] proved to ourselves that we belong in some of these games."

It was a great season overall, and the Broncos defied all the expectations, but it wasn't enough for Nix.

"You play this game to reach the highest level, so I don’t want to be complacent," Nix continued, "and I don’t want to ever be just comfortable and satisfied and happy with something that looks good on the outside. You play this game to win, and everybody’s working for a Super Bowl. We owe that to ourselves because of the time that we put into it."

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It’s refreshing to hear that Nix isn’t resting on his laurels. Making the playoffs as a rookie quarterback is no easy feat, but that’s not enough; he wants to win postseason games and Super Bowls.

Nix and the Broncos battled against some of the best teams in the league this year and mostly hung in with them. The lack of talent was very apparent against Buffalo, and that's what separates them from the Broncos as a contender, but not once did their young quarterback look rattled.

Denver proved that it belongs, and it started with Nix. He ended on a positive note, looking toward the future and how this team can grow.

“Unfortunately, only one team can do that at the end of the year, so every [year] 31 teams are going home disappointed," Nix said. "It’s a lot to grow from, a lot to build from. I’m excited where we are. Like I said, I’m excited to be here at this time because our trajectory is going up. I’m excited for it. A lot of things we have out in front of us, a lot to look forward to which I’m pumped about.”

The Broncos are trending in the right direction because they’ve found stability at quarterback. It’s always disappointing not making the Super Bowl, but this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and the Broncos far surpassed anyone's expectations.

Seeing a complete team like Buffalo across from them gives the Broncos the motivation to say, “We want to be like that.”

The Broncos have a bright future ahead of them, and Nix’s competitive fire to learn and grow. His unwillingness to settle for anything less than the ultimate triumph is good. Being the best is Nix’s expectation, and that is a hallmark of a franchise quarterback.

Sean Payton has found his guy.

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