Seattle Seahawks Crowd Provides Tough Test For Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix

The No. 12 overall pick will need to keep his composure against a raucous Seattle Seahawks crowd.

Oct 14, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks to pass the ball during the first half against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, is one of the loudest NFL venues in the league, and the noise can catch some unsuspecting opponents off guard.

In Sunday's season-opener, the Denver Broncos (and especially rookie quarterback Bo Nix) will have to deal with the intense crowd noise in Seattle. Nix, the No. 12 overall pick out of Oregon, has had an impressive start to his NFL career, but his first start won't be easy against a raucous crowd.

However, Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes his rookie signal-caller will be up to the challenge.

“It’s going to be loud,” Payton told reporters earlier this week.“I would imagine there will be some similarities to when Oregon goes to Washington and they’re playing in front of however many thousand people. That’s another loud stadium an hour down the road. So we’ll deal with the crowd noise this week. This won’t be the first game we play where it’s loud.” 

Last season, Nix's Oregon team traveled to Seattle to face Washington in one of the best games of the college football season. The 24-year-old was fantastic as he completed 33 of 44 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn't enough as the Huskies won 36-33. The two teams met again in the final Pac-12 Championship Game in Las Vegas, with Nix completing 21 of 34 passes for 239 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 34-31 Huskies win.

The crowd at Husky Stadium is no joke, but the one at Lumen Field is even louder. Payton knows how loud Seahawks fans can get firsthand, as he lost two playoff games in Seattle as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. That includes the famous "Beast Quake" game in the 2010-11 playoffs, when the cheers to Marshawn Lynch's incredible run literally caused seismic activity.

The Broncos know the challenges associated with playing in Seattle, and the 12th Man will be ready to make their lives difficult.