Sean Payton tries to pump the brakes on the Bo Nix hype

Bo Nix is the talk of the NFL after a performance during Sunday’s 38-6 Denver Broncos win that was unlike any other for a rookie in NFL history.

Never before had a rookie quarterback completed 80 percent of his passes, thrown for 300 yards and tossed at least four touchdown passes without an interception in the same game.

It was enough to push the Broncos back above .500, keep them in the No. 7 seed in the AFC wild-card race and lead pundits to re-evaluate their thoughts on a Rookie of the Year race that seemed all but complete after Jayden Daniels’ magnificent start to the season with the Washington Commanders.

Such was the hyper focus on Nix and the offense that every question lobbed at Sean Payton in his Monday morning conference call with Denver-area media dealt with Bo Nix or the offense.

And perhaps that was what caused Payton to clap back.

“Yeah. Let’s not send this kid to Canton quite yet, please. All right?” Payton said as he answered questions.

“We’re sitting here, middle of the season. He’s playing well. I’m excited. The film showed he’s playing well. The film showed a few things, though, that I wanted to scream at him about.”

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Even though Payton hasn’t been reluctant to praise the progress of his young quarterback, that he would take time to focus on the miscues made in what seemed to be a near-flawless performance isn’t a surprise. Some of the weeks in which Payton appears to be hardest on his players are after their greatest successes, and Sunday’s win was the Broncos’ largest in terms of victory margin since 2018.

“We’ll keep correcting those things, but I like the way he prepares. I love the way he comes to work. I love his enthusiasm,” Paytons aid. “I think it’s naturally contagious, think he’s a winner.

“… It’s interesting because you guys, real time are seeing it just like we are, and so, I’m real encouraged by that.”

And it is more than just one game in Payton’s eyes. Sunday’s performance might have been a culmination of all the good things going on with Bo Nix, but they’ve been building for several weeks since a balky start to the season, allowing Payton to expand the offensive menu.

“I just think it’s a gradual [thing],” Payton said. “I can’t look at like one game
and say, ‘That was the game.’ But it’s just a gradual process of confidence, both in what he’s comfortable with and then confidence and what the others around him can do with it.

“So, it’s kind of something that is ongoing.

“And honestly … there’s no conclusion to it. You’re always tinkering, you’re always looking for new ways to get a third-down conversion.

“But I’ve been real impressed with the speed at which he’s been able to adapt to this league.”

And now the only thing faster than that is the rate at which plaudits from outside are flowing towards his rising rookie quarterback.

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