One Quinn Meinerz Comment Perfectly Captures Broncos’ Late-Game Edge

The Denver Broncos added another comeback win to their 2025 tally on Christmas Night, defeating the depleted Kansas City Chiefs 20-13. While the Chiefs received plenty of plaudits for their never-say-die propensity last season, the 2025 Broncos have seemingly been deemed far less praiseworthy for matching that exact win total in such games.

I suppose the Broncos will have to console themselves with the AFC West crown they've won by virtue of their 13-3 season. The media's dismissive attitude toward the Broncos has only served them thus far, so fans should hope that it continues in the playoffs.

In the national press, the belief is that the Broncos' luck is sure to run out, as it did in Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Pro Bowl guard Quinn Meinerz believes that deep down, his team is simply a winner.

"In the NFL, there's so many good players in this league, anyone can win any week," Meinerz said via 9NEWS' Mike Klis. "But, yeah, part of our fabric is, 'We'll see you in the fourth [quarter]."

For older Broncos fans, it's hard not to draw comparisons between what franchise icon John Elway so often managed to conjure when chasing wins to the present day, with how Bo Nix now works his late-game magic.

Nix undoubtedly has the unique ability to remain calm when the game is on the line, but his knack for pulling everyone along with him was much more rooted in taking what the Chiefs' stingy defense was giving Denver on Christmas Night.

The Broncos' penchant for working their way back into the game takes stoic patience and resilience.

"This was one of those games where, as you were playing it, you knew you weren’t going to throw for a lot of yards," Nix said post-game in Kansas City. "You want to see how many completions you can hit in a row and get the ball to playmakers in space and get first down after first down. You knew they were going to put a lid on it, but patience is key in a game like that. It is all about patience, one cut after another.”

Nix sets the tone and also calls the tune when it comes to staying the course for the full 60 minutes, and his teammates both believe and feed off what he gives them.

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Using Nix's Legs

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a touchdown during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Broncos head coach Sean Payton is increasingly placing his trust in his second-year quarterback, and that's also been deeply rooted in what Nix can do with both his arm and legs. It has led to calls for Payton to start calling more quarterback-designed running plays to maximize Nix's mobility.

After Nix successfully hit paydirt on a quarterback draw against the Chiefs, clearly, there's plenty of opportunity for Payton to do just that moving forward.

"That was a QB draw," Payton said of Nix's rushing touchdown in Kansas City. "What he did well, you can call a QB draw, we got coverage, and they match the routes, but you have to find how they are rushing. It wasn't as convenient as the last one a few weeks ago. To his credit, you run a route, and they match it. That is what happened. He just had to find the gap."

Seeing Nix lower the shoulder and drive through tacklers on his way into the end zone provided yet another flashback to how Elway simply would not be denied triumph. On the flip side, and especially when you see quarterbacks go down hurt and concussed, Payton's safety-first mindset is understandable.

However, Nix becoming the only NFL quarterback to win 20-plus games, while passing for 7,500-plus yards and 50-plus touchdowns in his first two seasons, offers plenty of proof of just how durable he's been to date.

We have unquestionably entered into that stretch of the season where the demands of winning suddenly bump directly against the necessity of keeping players healthy, especially the quarterback.

Mounting historic comebacks and chasing championship dreams is never for the faint of heart. Just ask the 2025 AFC West-champion Broncos.

Using Nix's Legs

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