Head coach Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos will not play Bo Nix in the preseason finale, feeling good about where he is after just one drive this preseason.
However, where Nix is as a player remains a hot-button issue. It was a topic of discussion for former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and ex-New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini.
At the root of the discussion was whether Nix would take a step forward or back in 2026.
Sean Payton Claps Back After Ex-Chiefs OL Geoff Schwartz Gets Honest About Broncos QB Bo Nix
GettySean Payton had Bo Nix’s back.
Schwartz has been a media personality for several years, having last played in 2015. He spent one season with the Kansas City Chiefs, starting seven of 16 games in 2013. That was long before Nix and Payton were with the Broncos.
Asked directly if Nix is more likely to progress or regress, Schwartz chose the latter.
Schwartz, a former Oregon Duck who was forced into a binary choice for the exercise, suggested Nix does not look much different from his time in Eugene, if at all.
“I do think he just is what he is at this point. He looks like the same quarterback he was in college. I watched every one of his snaps at Oregon. He looks exactly the same guy in Denver. He’s consistent, right? He’s not going to make mistakes; He’s not going to push the ball down the field all that often, right? We know his air yards were short. His sort of advanced stats kind of put him right in the middle of the NFL,” Schwartz said on “First Things First” on August 26.
“Sean Payton needs to get him to throw the ball in between the hashes, and he was fifth-worst in the NFL [in] just completion percentage in the middle of the hashes. There’s things to work on, but that’s sort of the issues that–issues, the wrong word to say. It’s what he was in college. He didn’t throw a ball ton between the hashes in college, right? If it was, it was very far, deep down the field. And so, this is what he is.”
Payton appeared to clap back at the claims made.
“Always easy to tell who works at it and who doesn’t,” Payton posted on X on August 27 in response to the clip.
Scwartz commended Nix’s rushing ability in certain situations. However, fans on X added community notes to the post, noting “Nix has thrown the most deep touchdown passes of 20+ air yards since the start of the 2024 season (19 including postseason),” per Next Gen Stats.
Sean Payton Credited for Building Offense Around Bo Nix
GettySean Payton has done well to put Bo Nix in situations where he can thrive.
Schwartz gave credit to Payton, suggesting it was the coach’s ability to game plan around Nix that made the difference.
“I give Sean Payton credit. They built the offense around what he can do, what he can’t do. They do a really good job of maximizing his talents,” Schwartz told Mangini and show host Danny Parkins.
“If I had to pick one or the other, I would say, probably back is the wrong way to put it. I don’t think … he’s going to become a Pro Bowl or All-Pro-type player. I think he sort of is what he is. He’s very steady. He’s good at certain things, [and] he’s got to get better at certain things. But he’s also just kind of–I think he’s set at what he’s going to be in the NFL.”
Bo Nix ‘Needs Better PR’
GettyBo Nix’s reputation is lacking behind his production.
Schwartz did acknowledge Nix’s propensity for coming through in the clutch for the Broncos, saying that was an aspect of the QB’s game that he enjoys.
Mangini noted how often former MVPs like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen have come up short, using that to underscore how significant Nix’s big-play and clutch abilities are in the grand scheme of things. He also lauded Nix’s processing speed.
Parkins believes Nix simply needs better public relations.
“We know that Sean Payton loves Bo Nix from every single time he’s spoken about him. It’s been glowing other than the ankle injury stuff, which was a little weird,” Parkins said. “I would say even as someone who’s not the biggest believer in [Nix], he does need better PR. Because he has more wins and touchdowns than anyone else in that draft class, and all we do is talk about Jayden [Daniels], Caleb [Williams], and Drake [Maye]. He’s got more wins and more touchdowns than any of them.”
Parkins did say he believes the Broncos may take a step back after winning 14 games last season. That shortfall could be put on Nix’s shoulders. That is even if that is not really the reason it happens (if it does, of course).
Broncos’ Sean Payton Claps Back at Former Chiefs Player Over Bo Nix