Broncos QB Bo Nix Shares Response to Talanoa Hufanga's Iconic T-Shirt

Talanoa Hufanga made an unwavering show of support for Bo Nix following the Denver Broncos' Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts after the game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In the NFL, you win some, you lose some. Based on the conversation surrounding quarterback Bo Nix, you'd be forgiven for assuming the Denver Broncos had lost their season-opener to the 'lowly' Tennessee Titans.

That's not what happened. The Broncos defeated the Titans 20-12, so what's the deal with all the anxiety? Well, Nix didn't play well.

Make no mistake, Nix also made some plays in Week 1, but he was responsible for three giveaways — two interceptions (bad ones) and a lost fumble. The Broncos would give it away four times vs. the Titans, becoming the only NFL team to lose the turnover battle and still prevail in Week 1.

However, amid the negativity surrounding Nix's debut performance of 2025, there was one shining example of support from inside the Broncos' locker room. Veteran safety Talanoa Hufanga stepped to the post-game podium on Sunday wearing a Bo Nix T-shirt.

Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga heads to podium wearing Bo Nix shirt pic.twitter.com/htiwvJVDEM

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) September 8, 2025

On Wednesday, Nix held court with local press ahead of the Broncos' Week 2 road tilt to face the Indianapolis Colts. When Hufanga's fashion statement was broached, Nix shared his appreciation for his teammate with just the right amount of self-deprecation and levity.

“I saw it after the game; I missed him before. I was kidding with him, I was like, maybe after my performance, he didn’t want to wear it. (Laughs) But no, that’s just the type of teammate he is," Nix said of Hufanga. "When he first showed up, he was an awesome teammate. He was all about what can I do for the team?"

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Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) reacts against the Tennessee Titans in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Hufanga has expressed how Nix's presence was one of the reasons he chose to sign with the Broncos as a free agent this past March. Just because Nix turned in one less-than-ideal performance doesn't negate the immense effect the young quarterback has already had on this team, and will continue to have, and Hufanga knows that.

Hufanga Shines in Broncos Debut

For his part, Hufanga led the Broncos with 10 tackles in the season-opener, and he forced a fumble. Nix was suitably impressed, and he also appreciated how Hufanga helped get the Broncos out of a couple of self-inflicted jams on Sunday.

"I think he made every tackle in the first quarter, so that was impressive, but he just kind of sets the tone, whether he’s following the defense or they’re following him, they’re playing about the same," Nix said. "‘Huf’ is just a great addition to what we have already going out there and he’s just one of those guys that’s a great eraser of some things [that] don’t go as planned happen, he’s there just to just kind of erase them and we have a lot of those guys on defense, that’s when you know you have a good defense."

Payton is the Nix Fix

Nix made a few throws that he certainly wishes he could get back. He looked stressed, or a bit tight, like he was pressing. Thanks to his historic rookie season, the expectations surrounding the Broncos have skyrocketed, and it's fair to wonder if that's gotten to Nix a little bit.

Even if it has, the equalizer here is the comforting presence of head coach Sean Payton, who, himself, didn't have a great debut game as the Broncos' primary offensive play-caller. But Payton's quarterback track record is a gold standard in the NFL, and Nix is just the latest signal-caller to benefit from the veteran coach's tutelage.

That Titans defense is also a lot more formidable than many fans realized entering Week 1. People looked at Tennessee's 3-14 record last year, which qualified them for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and made too many assumptions about the quality of the team.

In the NFL, parity reigns supreme. It's one of the reasons the NFL rules all professional sports, and why famous maxims like "any given Sunday" are commonly used to this day.

Bottom Line

The Titans gave the Broncos a run for their money, putting Nix through the ringer, but thanks to the offense making just enough plays, and Hufanga and the defense utterly dominating rookie quarterback Cam Ward and company, we're nitpicking a victory instead of lamenting a loss.

Let's keep the proper context in mind here as we inch closer to Week 2.

"Obviously [I] appreciate the shirt. I know that was planned," Nix said. "I know he’s got my back, and obviously, me and the offense, we got his too. We’re just going to continue to play well together and just keep picking up each other and I think it’ll do well as the season goes.”