Bo Nix's 'Arm Strength' Critics Suffer an Ego Blow With New Stat

The Denver Broncos rookie continues to make his doubters feast on crow.

Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes the ball in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Only two days ago, we analyzed a Bo Nix statistic hinting that the Denver Broncos' rookie quarterback has already broken into the NFL's upper echelon. Nix is one of the hardest quarterbacks to sack (19, fourth-fewest), especially on third down.

That means Nix is doing a good job of understanding what he's seeing pre-snap, getting the Broncos into the right protections, showing tremendous pocket poise (especially for a rookie), and taking decisive action with the ball. Sean Payton has to be thrilled with what he's seeing in that department because it was one of the attributes that attracted the Broncos to Nix in the 2024 NFL draft.

"He's a tough sack," Payton said of Nix.

But what about Nix's arm strength, which was castigated and critiqued pre-draft as being barely NFL-caliber and certainly not worthy of the first round? Some doubters are still holding onto the Nix arm strength tropes, bitterly dug into their position, but he's proven that he's got a very live appendage hanging off his right shoulder.

Just take a look at what's arguably the NFL throw of the 2024 season, which happened on Monday Night Football last week:

93 YARDS TO THE 🏡!!!!!!!!!!@marvindmims | 📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/DbkJnOqy7j

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 3, 2024

And if one isn't inclined to believe one's very eyes, we have a new metric to help overcome those useless organs. According to Pro Football Focus, Nix's 25 completions of 20-plus yards is the most in the National Football League entering Week 14.

Eat your hearts out.

Bo Nix has been letting it rip 🚀 pic.twitter.com/gPOBntiLCW

— PFF (@PFF) December 7, 2024

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The bottom line is Nix is one of those controversial quarterbacks whom the vast swath of the NFL draft media-sphere completely got wrong. A good chunk of those analysts have already owned up to their freezing-cold takes, but it's time for the resistant remainders to follow suit.

When studying Nix's film leading up to the draft, Payton and the Broncos asked themselves, "We can't be the only ones seeing this, right?"

Considering that Nix ended up being the sixth quarterback off the board, even at No. 12 overall, it would seem that the Broncos were among a minority of teams that recognized and identified the former Oregon star's true capabilities. Payton has expressed confirmation that there were a few teams behind the Broncos that would have taken Nix and that he was never getting out of Round 1.

Still, Payton and the Broncos deserve credit for seeing something that, at the very least, the 10 teams in front of them in the draft clearly missed. It might not be happening right this moment and then again, it might, but teams like the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons will be kicking themselves for missing the Nix boat in 2024.

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders have had some internal misgivings about passing on Nix, although Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are seemingly on the right track, especially the latter.

Nix has passed for 2,842 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 304 yards and four additional scores. Throw in his receiving touchdown in Baltimore, and Nix has 22 total touchdowns, the most by an NFL rookie quarterback entering Week 14.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are 8-5 and sitting on a commanding two-game lead for the seventh and final seed in the AFC playoff picture. The Broncos finally got it right at quarterback.

Nix will become the first-ever franchise quarterback drafted and developed by the Broncos. John Elway doesn't count because although Denver developed him, he was drafted by the then-Baltimore Colts.

Peyton Manning was a free agent, while Tim Tebow only spent two years in Denver, and Jay Cutler was traded after his third year. And we're not going to discuss Brock Osweiler or Drew Lock.

That's all water under the bridge now, but thanks to the Nix tide, the Broncos' ships are rising.

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