The Denver Broncos named Bo Nix the starting quarterback on Tuesday. It seems Broncos head coach Sean Payton has finally found a signal-caller in the draft who is ready to lead the franchise as a rookie.
Through two preseason games, Nix led Denver’s offense to points on six of seven drives and had the best passer rating of any rookie quarterback at 117.5, per Pro Football Focus. His play on the field speaks for itself and has earned him respect from the veterans in the locker room, including Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain ll.
In the immediate aftermath of the Nix news breaking on Tuesday, Surtain revealed how the rookie won over the locker room on the way to earning the starting job.
“I think Bo has been great as far as taking command of the offense," Surtain said. "You can just tell how confident he is. You just see it each and every day. The way his confidence sort of resonates upon the whole offense. I just think he builds confidence with the veteran guys. Obviously, Coach [Payton] made a decision today, but it think all the quarterbacks did a great job. I know it’s a tight race, but I think Bo will get the job done.”
Confidence is key in the NFL, and for a rookie quarterback to exude so much of it that veterans notice how it’s changing the team around him is remarkable. It’s evident that when Nix took the field with the first or second-string offense, the Broncos functioned much smoother and with more vigor than when Jarrett Stidham or Zach Wilson led.
Nix’s comfort and confidence weren’t the only thing that caught Surtain’s eye. The young corner also revealed when he knew Nix could play in this league and laid out a few more attributes that pushed Nix to be the starter.
“I saw it early on," Surtain said. "Obviously, he’s got poise, the IQ, all the fundamentals and all that. I just think he came in confident and ready to take control of the offense. I have just seen it day in and day out.”
The Broncos' best player has corroborated everything that was rumored about Nix's playstyle, attitude, and work ethic, which Broncos fans should be excited about. Adding substance and validity to Payton’s post-draft assurances that Nix would be the perfect fit for the Broncos.
Surtain concluded by sharing his recollection of the 2019 Iron Bowl when his Alabama Crimson Tide faced off against Nix's Auburn Tigers.
“Yeah, I was kind of salty about that game, I’m not going to lie (laughs)," Surtain said. "It was tough game all around. Me and Bo had battles in college for sure from [my] sophomore year to junior year. What I’ve seen from him is just the versatility of him. Obviously, he can run the ball and throw the ball, but he knows how to win ball games, and that’s what he does best. I’m looking forward to it coming into action on Sundays, so very excited for him.”
It’s clear that Surtain respects Nix and believes that he can lead this franchise going forward. The first step was earning the starting job, and now Nix’s primary objective is to keep it.
Week 1 will be a true test of confidence and ability facing the Seattle Seahawks on the road, but fans should be optimistic about the first Broncos rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since John Elway.
