From the moment rookie QB Bo Nix had arrived in Mile High End, there was visible excitement around him. After the Broncos confirmed their 12th overall draft pick, head coach Sean Payton said, “We have a plan.” Well, going into the regular season, we might have received an answer about the plan that Payton had teased us about.

With Bo Nix getting the nod for starting QB role under Payton. An ex-NFL star, Mike Golic, was quick to express his views on GoJo and Golic show for Denver’s new rookie starter, stating, “I’ve always been one that, if the situation warrants it, put him in there. Let him get bloodied up.” Although Golic has referred to Nix being thrown into the field, he has been performing on the brighter side for the last couple of preseason games.

In his first preseason match for the Broncos, the rookie QB replaced Stidham against the Colts and finished with 15-of-21 passes for 125 yards while scoring a TD. Starting his next preseason game under Payton, Nix produced 8-of-9 passes for 80 yards while avoiding any interceptions or sacks.

Even the Broncos HC was full of praise for the rookie, “Well, listen, he’s played well.” Adding to his applause, Payton also pointed out a difference that made the rookie stand out, among others, “The larger body of work.” Citing other QBs who were in contention for the starting position, Payton stated, “I think he’s been consistent. It’s not really a reflection on Jarrett or even Zach. It’s some of the things that he’s been able to do pretty quickly.”

Well, the positives throughout the preseason games might have done the trick for Nix after he received the nod over other QBs on the roster. However, Payton already had an eye for the former Heisman Trophy finalist after he drafted him amid other teams being interested.

How did Sean Payton get his hands on Bo Nix in the 2024 NFL draft?

Following the incident of Patrick Mahomes back in the 2017 NFL draft, when Payton lost him by a single slot. The Broncos HC kept himself aware of the speculation regarding franchises looking for a QB. And one of the teams lurking behind the Broncos was their bitter division rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders.

Citing his thoughts on the “Scoop City” podcast, Payton revealed his efforts to sign the rookie QB, “Our concern right behind us were the Raiders. Then it was like, call the Raiders, tell them we might want to move back. They didn’t want to move up. And then, there’s that.” Well, the Raiders ended up picking TE Brock Bowers as their 13th overall pick, thereby surprising the lot out there.

But, the Raiders weren’t the only team that kept Payton on his toes, as he expressed, “We felt the Giants were going to be at large team, not necessarily for Bo, but for quarterback.” Looking back, Payton was indeed right about his prediction, but the Giants selected Malik Nabers as their 6th overall draft pick.

With other teams dropping out, the Broncos went ahead and selected Bo Nix, who was coming off a sensational two seasons playing for the Oregon Ducks. The rookie, during his two years with the Ducks, recorded 8,101 yards and 74 TDs with just 10 interceptions. However, will he be able to repay the faith shown by Payton after making him the starting QB for the Broncos? Or will the pressure of the regular season get a hold on the rookie’s performances?

With that being said and done, if you are eager to learn about Chris Gronkowski’s NFL struggles and his journey off the field, feel free to check out our Dual Threat Podcast with BG12.