Broncos rookie Bo Nix gives honest assessment of his NFL experience

During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick. Nix is ​​still a rookie, but there is a lot of pressure on the young quarterback. With the Broncos having to deal with a carousel of QBs since Peyton Manning’s retirement in 2016, fans are desperate for someone to lead the franchise. Despite the pressure, Nix has thoroughly enjoyed his time in the NFL thus far.

“It was awesome,” Nix told DenverBroncos.com. “It was really fun. I think it was a great learning curve. It was all the things I always thought the NFL was about: (the) long, extended plays with a lot of checks and all that kind of stuff. That’s the fun part, and that’s what you can’t wait to get to the NFL and do. The players are great, the coaches are great and I’m just excited to be here.”

Before heading to Oregon, Nix played some college ball at Auburn. His time at Oregon would statistically prove to be the best years of his career. Despite having less than ideal seasons at Auburn, Nix said that working in multiple schemes and systems helped prepare him for the NFL. His transition to the NFL, however, wasn’t entirely smooth.

“Sometimes I struggle, sometimes I feel like I excel. It’s just a happy medium where I still feel like a rookie and everything still feels new. It’s just repetition,” Nix said. “I go through everything multiple times and find ways to connect it to my brain and what I’ve done in the past. But I think the overall experiences and the knowledge that I have from playing in a lot of systems and a lot of offenses and a lot of teams with a lot of players, I think that all contributes to a better transition.”

Broncos quarterback competition kicks off during training camp

One of the biggest questions the Broncos have heading into the season is who their starting quarterback will be. In addition to Nix, the Broncos also have Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson on the roster. According to head coach Sean Payton, no one is leading the league right now. Each quarterback gets a fair shake and reps with the first, second and third units.

Competing for a roster spot, including a starting spot, can be a cutthroat competition. While the three are competing against each other for the starting position, Nix said the competition has remained respectful.

“I have a lot of respect for those guys and we compete at a very high level, but it’s a very respectful competition,” Nix said. “I think we all want each other to succeed. We all know we’ve been on different paths and had to overcome different adversity, and that’s what unites us. We all help each other out, and it’s great to learn from those guys and experience things that they’ve been through.”

Both Stidham and Wilson have played in different scenarios and schemes in their NFL careers. Even in competition, Nix enjoys the opportunity to learn from the veteran quarterbacks.

“I honestly think my job as a rookie is to absorb everything I can, especially from those guys,” Nix said. “You know, Zach’s played a lot and Stidham’s played a lot of years. And so they have — between the two of them — different situations, but a lot of knowledge, so that’s what I’m looking to continue to learn in training camp. I think it’s just healthy competition, good competition and I think we’ll all come out better.”