Broncos WR Courtland Sutton Opens Up on Message to Bo Nix After Chiefs Loss

Courtland Sutton dished on what he said to Bo Nix privately after the Denver Broncos' crushing loss at Arrowhead.

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) celebrates with quarterback Bo Nix (10) after scoring against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos get to turn the page every week on the ongoing development of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. As Nix continues to progress, it's easy to forget he's only a mere 10 games into his burgeoning professional career.

Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Nix took command of the game on the final possession in what should have been the final game-winning drive. By bullishly taking the game by the scruff of the neck, the noticeable shift the rookie made from being an exciting young playmaker to an authoritative leader became hard to ignore.

Nix falling short of that big statement win was brutally taken away from him by an infamous blocked field goal as time expired — the Football Gods are fickle and especially cruel. Even so, Nix delivered a remarkably composed performance, a display that made even bigger believer out of veteran wideout Courtland Sutton. 

"I told him after the game that I was super proud of him," Sutton said on Wednesday. "Obviously, we didn't get the win, but the way we handled that game [by] going into hostile territory, playing against the defending champs and playing against a really good defense and defensive coordinator, he handled the game really well. For a young guy and especially a rookie to go into Arrowhead [Stadium] and manage the game the way he did and manage that two-minute drill the way that he did, that is all you can ask for."

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Rarely has the energy at Broncos HQ been so high coming off of such a devastating defeat. It's funny how finally finding that elusive franchise quarterback can boost a team.

Indeed, Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi spoke about how good Nix is at avoiding critical errors and how beneficial a skill set featuring minimal bad habits can be. 

"When you trust a guy like that, it makes it easier to call games and give him stuff because you just feel like, 'Hey, this play will work, but he's not going to turn it over, and he's not going to do something stupid,'" Lombardi said on Thursday. "And so, I think there's probably older quarterbacks where you don't feel that way about [them]."

The Broncos can only build momentum down the stretch if Nix plays well and delivers a much-needed win over the Atlanta Falcons to snap a two-game losing streak. That mini-slide is a trope that hasn't received much focus coming out of Kansas City.

That being said, under the fresh leadership of Nix, overcoming adversity and being fiercely competitive can bleed into a stoic belief that the Broncos' best football is still ahead of them.

"I think it is. I think we've been through a lot of highs and a lot of lows this year already, and I think that we're very close to turning a corner and getting over the hump," Nix said on Wednesday. "I think we have a young team and we've done a lot of growing this year. We have some younger guys that are playing a lot of ball, so that only helps. I definitely think it's ahead of us."

Nix was named Rookie of the Week earlier this week, even though it came in a valiant losing cause. It could even be suggested that he's now pulled even with dynamic Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in the race to become Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Under the glare of a national audience, Daniels came down to earth a little in Thursday night's defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a stuttering performance from the Commanders' precocious signal-caller, providing a timely reminder to Nix that infamous rookie struggles can resurface at unfortunate moments.

Personal accolades and plaudits from NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes have come Nix's way this week. But he's remained focused on the team objective of getting off the schneid and making a playoff push, a huge testament to his growing maturity.

"That kind of stuff is awesome," Nix noted the praise and awards. "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."

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