Former SB50 Champ Shaq Barrett Makes Strong Claim About Broncos

Shaquil Barrett knows what it takes to win championships. The former Super Bowl 50 champion weighed in on what he sees in the cards for the 2025 Denver Broncos.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) react during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For a 10-2 team riding a nine-game winning streak, the Denver Broncos don't have many high-profile cheerleaders in their corner. However, the levels of skepticism and unbelief in the national press will only add fuel to the Broncos' fire.

Denver's reliance on its elite defense and winning so many close games is drawing comparisons to the 2015 squad. Super Bowl 50 alum Shaquil Barrett told Forbes' DJ Siddiqi that he's seeing mirror images between the respective squads as the 2025 season plays out. 

“I got faith that they’re going to do exactly what they need at the right time on offense and the defense has been lights out – they remind me of the defense when I was there,” Barrett told Siddiqi. “They got pad stretchers all over the place, lockdown cornerbacks, good inside linebacker play. They got the potential to take it all the way.” 

Defensive Wins Championships But...

The majority of naysayers have argued that relying on a tremendous defense to power a championship run is akin to a football version of Russian roulette. Undoubtedly, Barrett has firsthand experience of how that stacks up over a gruelling campaign. He believes the Bronocs' offense, led by quarterback Bo Nix, will need to keep stepping up when the chips are down.

“With the defense that they got, defense wins championships,” Barrett told Siddiqi. “I’m a firm believer. I think they could take it all the way as long as they stay healthy. The offense, they’ll have to step it up when they need to, and get the points on the board when they need to.” 

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Bo Nix: Clutch When it Matters Most

Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) waits in the tunnel with teammates before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Certainly, when the Broncos faced Dan Quinn's well-coached Washington Commanders defense, not everything went perfectly according to plan, but Nix played well and was clutch when it mattered the most. 

Building more consistently on offense will require running the ball with far more authority than what we've seen over the past two games. J.K. Dobbins' absence was keenly felt on Sunday night vs. the Commanders.

Thankfully, Nix was aided by veteran tight end Evan Engram. Engram's late-season emergence as a "joker" type of weapon has been encouraging.

Game Recognizes Game

Even if the Broncos' offense continues to hold up its end of the bargain, the manner in which rush linebacker Nik Bonitto made the game-defining play on Sunday makes it clear that pure star quality matters on the gridiron. Barrett is seriously impressed by Bonitto's continued emergence as an elite defender and his game-challenging abilities. 

Barrett sees the same buccaneering characteristics from Bonitto and company that powered the Broncos' last quest for a Lombardi Trophy, of which he was a part of the pass-rushing rotation behind Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. 

“I started hearing about him, like two years ago, and he’s just burst on the scene, and then just kept climbing and climbing,” Barrett said of Bonitto. “I love to see that once you get your opportunity, you take advantage of it. That reminds me of me – not my play style or anything – just once you get your opportunity, to take advantage of it and just keep grinding. That’s what he’s been doing. I love to see people win.” 

Folks in the know like Barrett and Hall-of-Fame coach Tony Dungy might not change the national narratives about the Broncos just yet, and maybe that's exactly the way it should be.