Vance Joseph is Unafraid of Comparing Bo Nix to John Elway

Some people get sensitive when Bo Nix is compared to a legend like John Elway, but Vance Joseph unabashedly made the connection, and with conviction.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops back to pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Just a few days ago, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph spoke with ESPN's Peter Schrager about a variety of topics, including quarterback Bo Nix. With the Broncos on bye last week, Joseph was a little bit more available for podcasts, as he also made time for two of his old Colorado University buddies, Alfred "Big Al" Williams and Charles "C.J." Johnson.

On the Big Al & C.J. show, Joseph spoke glowingly of Nix once again, forecasting a staying power in the Mile High City comparable to only one quarterback.

"I'm going to say two things about Bo. I think Bo Nix is the Broncos' future John Elway because he's built for it. He's built for it, I promise you that," Joseph told Big Al and C.J.

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The Elway-Nix Comparison

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Hall-of-Famer John Elway. | Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos/Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

A very interesting thing to say, and Joseph knows the seriousness of invoking Elway's name, especially in relation to any Broncos quarterback. As the Broncos' former head coach from 2017-18, Joseph answered to Elway the GM, and has now spent five years of his professional career in that building in Dove Valley with pictures of the Hall-of-Fame quarterback everywhere and fruits of his labors displayed in the trophy case.

There are already many parallels between Nix and Elway. Nix became the first Broncos rookie quarterback since Elway in 1983 to start a season-opener last year.

Most of Elway's rookie passing marks were broken by Nix last season, too. Elway took a couple of years to ripen on the vine, but eventually reached critical mass, leading the Broncos to three Super Bowl berths in four seasons, starting in 1986.

What Nix has that Elway didn't right away is the right coaching support from Sean Payton. That philosophical fit and trust are huge for Nix. Elway had to wait until Mike Shanahan was hired in 1995 to have those head-coaching blessings, but he made the most of it quickly, winning back-to-back Super Bowls before hanging up his cleats.

Touchy Subject

Some people get quite precious when comparing Nix to Elway. "You can't compare the two without adjusting statistically for era," etc. Or, "How dare you compare Nix to a Hall-of-Famer and the greatest quarterback in Broncos history?"

If Joseph is unafraid of doing so, perhaps so should we be. Nix has a 19-9 record as a starter, and he's not even through his second year. He's helped guide the Broncos to a 9-2 start and top seeding in the AFC playoff race, though the New England Patriots gained some ground during Week 12, picking up their 10th win.

It hasn't always been pretty from Nix, but neither was it with Elway as a young pro. Blasphemy! How dare you compare them?! Take it easy, now.

Full Belief That Nix Will Make a Play

Even when Nix has been slow to get started in a game, the Broncos haven't doubted that he'll eventually turn it on. Joseph has described Nix's support in the locker room and on the defensive side of the ball as unwavering.

"Number two about Bo Nix, we know, on gameday, he's going to make a play because we watch in practice, all summer, all spring," Joseph told Big Al and C.J. "He's going to make a play. His skill set, man, he's going to make a play."

According to Joseph, the way some of these wins have shaken out for the Broncos this season were by design. The common thread? Just keep playing, knowing that the uber-competitive Nix is going to rise to the occasion when it matters most.

"Defensively, offensively, we just play. As a team, we talk about how we're going to win each game," Joseph told Big Al and C.J. "And sometimes it's strategic of how we're winning these games. But we know, man, at the end of the day, he's going to make a play. He is tough and competitive, and he is smart, and he wants to win every game he plays. And the boys love him."

That's what Joseph told Schrager last week: how beloved Nix is in the Broncos' locker room. With support like that from his teammates and the stratagems of coaches like Payton and Joseph, there's no telling how far a tough, smart, talented, and competitive quarterback like Nix can lead the Broncos.