These Denver Broncos might have a little more fire than anyone thought.
Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix was involved in a wild training camp brawl on Tuesday that involved NFL All-Pro edge rusher Nik Bonitto and left 1 Bronco walking off the field bleeding from the face.
“First real fight of training camp,” DNVR’s Zach Stevens wrote on his official X account. “HUGE pile on the ground. Bo Nix (angry from getting sacked and taken to the ground earlier) grabbed Nik Bonitto’s leg and pulled him off the pile. Nik then got very angry and was held back by multiple teammates … (offensive lineman) Calvin Throckmorton is bleeding on his face after being at the bottom of the first real fight of camp. Being looked at by trainers.”
Nix is coming off the 1st major injury of his career — a fractured ankle suffered in the AFC Divisional Round, which required multiple surgeries and cost him the entire offseason.
When asked if it frustrated him to have been knocked down during practice — something that should never happen — Nix gave a surprising reply.
“I love it, it’s football,” Nix said, smiling.
The Broncos play their 2nd of 3 preseason games on Friday against the Green Bay Packers, with Nix expected to play at least 1 series. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT and will be on the NFL Network.
Broncos Have NFL’s ‘Best Value’ in QB Bo Nix
Headed into his 3rd season as the Broncos’ starting quarterback in 2026, Nix isn’t just a premium value for his franchise — he’s a value almost all 32 NFL teams would kill to have.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon placed Nix at the top of his list of the NFL’s “Most Underpaid” players again.
It was Nix’s broken ankle suffered on 1 of the final plays of an AFC Divisional Round overtime win over the Buffalo Bills that likely kept the Broncos out of the Super Bowl last season — made even more incredible by the fact that Nix broke his ankle then continued to play to set up the game-winning field goal.
Nix’s injury wasn’t disclosed until an hour after the game ended. Just 1 week later, the Broncos lost to the Patriots, 10-7, in the AFC Championship Game as the offense looked lost without its leader, as backup Jarrett Stidham started his 1st game in 2 years and struggled through a snowstorm.
“Nix is a bargain to the Broncos like Drake Maye is to the Patriots,” Gagnon wrote in March. “Promising third-year first-round pick on track to become a longtime franchise quarterback. His $5.1 million 2026 cap hit ranks 35th at that position, behind Davis Mills, Marcus Mariota, and Gardner Minshew. In fact, Nix won’t even be the highest-paid QB on the Broncos roster this year, as Jarrett Stidham is due $8 million.”
Bo Nix Playing for Big Money in 2027
Any training camp fight with a starting NFL quarterback is cause for concern because of the risk of injury — and in Nix’s case, another injury could cost him a shot at becoming 1 of the highest-paid players in NFL history in 2027.
Nix is eligible for a contract extension following this season that could land him anywhere in the range of $50 million to $60 million per year.
“We just can’t cross the line,” Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb said following Tuesday’s practice. “I’m glad that we’re fiery and I love the competition out here, but we can’t cross the line, and that’s not 1 person or 1 position group, that’s offense and defense.”
Broncos QB Bo Nix Involved in Wild Training Camp Brawl