Payton loves Nix, but calls him ‘Ferris Bueller’ after big Broncos win

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton compared his rookie QB Bo Nix to a classic movie character after Denver beat the Raiders on Sunday.

The Broncos rolled to a 34-18 win, ending an eight-game losing streak to their hated rival.

But an incident on the sideline between Payton and Nix had social media abuzz. Late in the third quarter, Nix threw a deep ball to his fellow rookie and former Oregon Duck Troy Franklin that should’ve been caught for a touchdown.

Franklin dropped the ball, and Payton and Nix got into on the sideline shortly after. It was a verbal spat that the FOX cameras captured.

Broncos HC Sean Payton and rookie QB Bo Nix had this exchange on the sideline after Denver punted in their last drive.

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/CxGDEA023i

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024

Payton was asked about the incident after the victory, and referenced Ferris Bueller. He was the rebel kid who took a day off school in the 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. 

“It’s part of the deal… there’s still a little bit of Ferris Bueller in this player that we’ve got to get rid of. Alright, talking about Bo. And I love him to death and sometimes it’s my love language,” Payton said.

His love language is apparently getting into a bit of a argument. Payton was asked if he would say what it was about, and declined.

“No, no, no. Absolutely not,” Payton said.

Fortunately, a reporter followed up in the last question of the press conference and got some more details out of Denver’s head coach.

“Oh, it’s just funny. Ferris was kind of quirky, doing his own thing once in awhile. I don’t know, did you watch the movie?” Payton asked the reporter. “He’s still got a little Ferris Bueller in him. I mean, he’s got some.”

When asked if it meant Nix is mischievous, Payton disagreed then agreed.

“Not that, maybe a little bit, kind of subtly. Look, there are times when you send something in and I don’t want it flipped and then it gets flipped,” Payton said with a smile. “So, it’s all good. He works his tail off. And I am that way, so it just is what it is.”

Essentially, it sounds like Nix had changed a play before the deep ball to Franklin, and Payton wasn’t thrilled about.

But when you win by 16 points, it’s all good. And now we know Payton loves Nix, but does worry about his him being a bit of a rascal at times.

That’s something the Broncos can live with in a lighter moment after getting their record to 3-2 on the season.

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