The Denver Broncos have been dealt with a quarterback carousel for quite some time, and nobody has seen more postgame handshake exchanges with the various QBs Denver’s cycled through than Patrick Mahomes. After Sunday’s game, Mahomes indicated that he thinks Denver has their guy in Bo Nix.

Denver Broncos HC Sean Payton reveals Patrick Mahomes post-game interaction

After Sunday’s heartbreaking loss at Arrowhead, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes went up to Bo Nix for the post-game handshake and told him it was the first of many they have between them.

That type of endorsement from a QB of Mahomes’ caliber is big, but it’s what he said to Broncos head coach Sean Payton that stands out the most. After meeting with Nix, Mahomes found Payton in the middle of the field. Denver’s been extremely encouraged by what they’ve seen from Nix under center.

“There are these steps,” Payton said. “There’ll be some more adversity, but there is a poise with him. I think his teammates in the huddle talk about it. The third-down play was significant because right at that moment, then we controlled everything. The clock [and] the game. It was funny after the game; you’re going across the field and I see [Chiefs Head Coach] Andy [Reid] and a few of the other guys. I see [Chiefs QB] Patrick [Mahomes] and knowing him and just turned to me and said, ‘You got one.’ I think he told [QB] Bo [Nix], ‘We’re going to have a lot of good games.’ That’s something coming from him. We continue to look at the things that he does well and try to feature those things as he progresses into some of the things that he’s going to need to do. Yeah, we’re really encouraged.”

Nix’s poise and growth over the course of the last two months have been promising developments for Broncos fans. He’s on the right trajectory and has continued to grow in various areas of the position — he’s much more comfortable than he was at the beginning of the season, and Nix hasn’t made the same mistake twice in the course of a game.

“That kind of stuff is awesome,” Nix said of Mahomes. “That’s a fortunate part of playing the game and competing against these guys that have been doing it on the stage for so long. It’s an honor, but at the same time those are the games that you have to continue to play and continue to compete in and ultimately win. You get guys like that, their respect. Then when you get their respect, it’s just kind of a special thing for you. It’s not something to be complacent about, but definitely you feel like you’re on the right track and you’re doing the right things.”

It seems like things are finally settling in for the Denver Broncos and their franchise quarterback.