3 Broncos Named Finalists for Coveted End-of-Season A.P. Awards

Having three players named finalists for these coveted A.P. awards is a sign of the times for the Denver Broncos.
Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) talks with head coach Sean Payton against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) talks with head coach Sean Payton against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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The Denver Broncos are coming off a remarkable season, defying the oddsmakers and nearly all outside expectations to win 10 games and make the playoffs. Along the way, the Broncos had multiple players elected to the Pro Bowl and five selected to the A.P. All-Pro Team, the most since 1996.

With the NFL Honors ceremony approaching in February, we learned on Thursday that three Broncos have been selected as finalists for coveted end-of-season awards via the Associated Press:

  • Sean Payton | A.P. Coach of the Year
  • Patrick Surtain II | A.P. Defensive Player of the Year
  • Bo Nix | A.P. Offensive Rookie of the Year

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Payton certainly deserves his flowers for coaching a remarkable turnaround with such a young team. But he's going against some hitters in the finalists group.

Any other year, perhaps Payton wins. It's unlikely to be this time around. Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings appears to be the favorite.

Nix turned in a tremendous rookie year, and like his coach, in almost any other season, he'd be the no-brainer ORoY. But Washington Commanders second-overall quarterback Jayden Daniels turned in a prolific rookie year, punctuating his regular-season body of work with an impressive, deep playoff run. He'll win ORoY.

However, Surtain is the legitimate frontrunner for his award. He was named the DPoY earlier this week by respected outlets like the PFWA and 101 Awards, two serious harbingers for the ultimate A.P. award.

All three Broncos are deserving. It'll be a tough pill to swallow for fans, seeing Nix finish as the ORoY runner-up after a historic first year where he tossed the second-most touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history and led all rookie quarterbacks in passing yards and scores. But take solace in the fact that only one quarterback who won the ORoY award has gone on to win a Super Bowl, and that was Ben Roethlisberger.

For a long time, it was mostly running backs and wide receivers who'd win the ORoY. But that worm turned over the past two decades, with quarterbacks winning the ORoY award in the modern era like Vince Young, Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton, Dak Prescott, Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, and C.J. Stroud.

As nice as the accolade would be for a Bronco to bring home, Nix will avoid that cloudy Super Bowl ju-ju and live to fight another day. Heck, he'll live to fight another 14 years or so, over which time he'll have every opportunity to do what all those prolific rookie quarterbacks before him couldn't (besides Big Ben), and that's win a World Championship.

The NFL Honors ceremony will take place on February 6, three days before Super Bowl LIX.


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Chad Jensen
CHAD JENSEN

Chad Jensen is the Founder of Mile High Huddle and creator of the wildly popular Mile High Huddle Podcast. Chad has been on the Denver Broncos beat since 2012 and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.