Broncos HC Sean Payton Pumps Brakes on the Bo Nix Hype Train

The Denver Broncos head coach pumped the brakes on chiseling Bo Nix's bronze bust quite yet.

Nov 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (16) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Bo Nix (10) in the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix shredded the Atlanta Falcons for over 300 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday, fans are excited, and the NFL is taking notice. While the ever-quickening pace of Nix's development is compelling, it might be wise to take a deep breath.

As the dust settled on the Broncos' 38-6 win over the Falcons, savvy veteran head coach Sean Payton pumped the brakes on the snowballing Nix hype. The question is, why?

"Let's not send this kid to Canton quite yet," Payton said on Monday. "We're sitting here in the middle of the season. He's playing well. I'm excited. The film showed that he's playing well. The film showed a few things, though, that I wanted to scream at him about. We'll keep correcting those things."

Payton taking the cautious approach shouldn't be perceived as negative; he's certainly not hell-bent on raining on Nix's parade. Nix is his handpicked guy. The coach was very flattering of his rookie quarterback in the same breath.

"I like the way he prepares. I love the way he comes to work," Payton said of Nix. "I love his enthusiasm. I think it's naturally contagious. I think he's a winner. It's interesting because you guys real time are seeing it just like we are. I'm really encouraged by that."  

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Payton knows he needs to keep his young Broncos grounded in the here and now. He can't allow the coming trip to take on the Las Vegas Raiders to become a trap game.

The extent to which the Broncos locker room has bought into Nix can't be ignored. That level of belief is evident, and Payton is far too experienced to deny how far that can carry a ball club. In his rookie quarterback, Payton, again, sees threads reminiscent of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

"I think it's pretty powerful and he's why—just having experienced it for a long stretch with another player in Brees," Payton said. "You always believe you're in each game. You always believe—even if you fall behind—you're in each game. The opposite can be very difficult. I think the player who's touching the ball on every offensive play, it definitely can lead to a direction—both mentally as well as on the field—lead to a direction [of] how a team thinks."

This week will get interesting as the national media now catches up fully to how quickly Nix is ascending. That being said, the emerging Offensive Rookie of the Year talk surrounding Nix can't be allowed to become a distraction.

So taking some time to level things out is an intervention Payton is likely making to maintain his team's focus on the bigger goals. After all, Payton's not wrong; Nix is still a rookie and is learning on the hoof.

"There are midseason goals and then the ones that you want to attain [in the] postseason if that's an opportunity," Payton said. "I always feel that way with him, and quite honestly feel that way with a lot of the skill players. It's an unselfish group, and they're playing pretty good team football."

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