After years of quarterback struggles in the Mile High City, Bo Nix stormed onto the scene and did what seemed impossible – he made the Denver Broncos relevant again.
The rookie didn’t just win the starting job in training camp (something no Broncos rookie QB had done since John Elway back in ’83), but he earned his teammates’ trust so completely that they named him team captain before he’d even played a snap in the NFL.
On a recent episode of ‘Up and Adams,’ Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II couldn’t help but shower Nix with praise. According to Surtain, lots of things stood out about Nix in his rookie season. But what stood out most was his leadership.
“What impressed me most is understanding how he was able to control the offense and sort of have so much of a presence leadership-wise over the locker room,” said Surtain. “I think everybody felt his presence, everybody felt the type of player he was.”
Nix’s numbers only tell part of the story. 3,775 passing yards, a rookie-leading 29 touchdowns, and multiple franchise rookie records snapped. But the bigger picture? Nix led Denver back to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl 50 victory during the 2015-16 season.
While we have only seen one season of Nix at the helm, it’s given fans (and Nix’s teammates) a glimmer of hope for a positive future for the franchise.
“Obviously, he’s an exceptional player. But the person he is on top of that makes him an even better person,” Surtain continued. “I think with his composure, with his attitude that he brings to the game, he’s going to be a threat for years to come in this league. You saw it this year—and this was only his rookie year—you see that happen his rookie year. I’m excited to see where he grows on from here on in. Yeah, Bo’s going to be something special for years, so I’m excited for him.”
