ESPN: Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto the Leading Contender for DPoY Award

Nik Bonitto broke out as a Pro Bowler and All-Pro last year. He's just getting started.

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos All-Pro rush linebacker Nik Bonitto is converting his massive potential into hard currency. He's become a bona fide game-changer.

Bearing witness to the birth of a superstar player is fairly rare, so Broncos head coach Sean Payton is enjoying being along for the ride. 

"There's a confidence thing we discussed," Payton said of Bonitto on Thursday. "Past performance, past successful performance, leads to confidence. His get-off—he prepares, for at home obviously it's easier. You're limited with what you do in the snap count, and then on the road, he'll spend time. I just think that right in front of our eyes, we've seen a guy get continually better." 

The process of constant improvement that Payton has referenced has also been reflected in the friendly battles between Bonitto and his fellow Broncos edge rushers Jonathon Cooper and Jonah Elliss; the goal is to see who has the quickest get-off at the line of scrimmage. 

Legit DPoY Candidate

As everything now comes together into one complete destructive package, reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II is suggesting that Bonitto's trajectory might see him supplant him as the league's best defender. After going 50 years between Broncos winning the DPoY award, it would be unprecedented for it to happen in back-to-back seasons with two different players.

"I know it'd be a big opportunity for him to get that, for sure. I mean, he's on his way to securing that award," Surtain said of Bonitto on Thursday. "I know he's going to look forward to getting better each and every week. I think it's in the back of his head for sure that he's thinking about getting that award." 

How quickly Bonitto can arrive at the quarterback evokes fond memories of Von Miller's iconic and trailblazing tenure with the Broncos. Miller will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. 

DPoY Leader?

Previously, the national media was perhaps a little slower to wake up to Bonitto, the big contract, and the 4.5 sacks he's notched this season. However, ESPN's Bill Barnwell has put Bonitto as the current leader in the clubhouse for DPoY.

"I'm just not sure we can put anybody ahead of Bonitto, who rates out as the best pass rusher in the NFL this season by about every metric I can put together beyond sacks -- where his 4.5 are a half-sack behind Brian Burns of the Giants. Bonitto has done that on 86 pass-rush opportunities, while Garrett is at 98 and Burns has had 127," Barnwell wrote.

"Leave sacks aside. Pressures? Bonitto's 27 are the most in football, and his 31.4% pressure rate is about double that of superstars like Hines-Allen and Aidan Hutchinson. Quick pressures? Bonitto's 15 are four more than anybody else in the league, and his 17.4% quick pressure rate is almost laughably outlandish. The second-best quick pressure rate for guys with 80 pass-rush opportunities or more is Garrett at 11.2%, and he's closer to 23rd than he is to Bonitto in first."

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Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after a sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

By the way, Barnwell also has Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles as the No. 3 contender for the newly-created Protector of the Year award. How wild would it be to see a Bronco win the award in the first year of its existence?

As for Bonitto, potentially chasing the DPOY award means that Surtain suddenly has competition for his coveted crown, but the contest will be pretty cordial, it would appear. 

"Yeah, we talk about it for sure," Surtain said. "Obviously, he's quite an athlete. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's aiming for that. Why not? Go get that accolade." 

Being enthusiastically engaged and supportive of each other's success is not only the bastion of any two teammates. It's good for the team.

Major Strides

"Even acknowledging those realities, though, Bonitto has simply been head and shoulders above everyone else in getting to the quarterback and creating problems this season. There might not be anybody better right now at getting off the line and around opposing tackles; there's usually at least one snap per game where it looks as if Bonitto was in the offensive huddle and knew the snap count and the protection scheme," Barnwell wrote. "He made major strides between 2022 and 2023 and then again between 2023 and 2024. It looks as if he has leveled up into one of the league's best speed rushers in 2025."

Bonitto's fellow edge-rushing partner, Cooper, believes that he's lining up opposite the premier sack artist in the league. 

"This is Nik Bonitto, best pass rusher in the NFL," Cooper said via The Denver Post's Luca Evans. "And yeah, take it away, man." 

Sustaining his early stellar performance through the gruelling 17-week campaign will keep Bonitto ahead of the likes of Garrett, Hutchinson, and even Surtain. With a statement game against the Philadelphia Eagles up next, Bonitto has a golden opportunity to make even more waves.