Nik Bonitto continues meteoric rise, now favorite to win NFL DPOY

Denver Broncos stud edge-rusher Nik Bonitto had another huge game on Sunday against the New York Jets.

Bonitto officially registered another sack and six tackles, plus two QB hits on Justin Fields. He now has eight sacks through six games, which leads the NFL.

And while the Broncos had the Defensive Player of the Year last season in Pat Surtain II, they could go back-to-back with Bonitto.

104.3 The Fan’s Zach Bye has been tracking his odds to win the prestigious award from the summer until now, and Nik Bonitto has had a meteoric rise when it comes to the oddsmakers.

Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto’s Defensive Player of the Year odds

August 1st: 60-1

September 1st: 40-1

October 1st: 15-1

Last Monday: 6-1

Today: +330 —> co-favorite for DPOY

— Zach Bye (@byesline) October 13, 2025

One sportsbook even has Bonitto as the favorite all by himself (+330), edging out Aidan Hutchinson (+360) of the Lions and Micah Parsons (+360) of the Packers.

The former-second round pick of the Broncos had a slow rookie year in year in 2022 with just 1.5 sacks, but has been climbing ever since. Nik Bonitto had eight sacks in 2023, 13.5 sacks last season and is on pace for a wild 22.6 sacks this year. That would set the NFL record shared by T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan with 22.5 sacks in 2021 and 2001, respectively.

Of course, Nik Bonitto got paid handsomely this summer, earning a four-year, $106 million contract extension that can be worth up to $120 million. It already looks like a bargain six games into the season.

Bonitto and the Broncos defense had a ridiculous nine sacks against the Jets in London, helping Denver escape with an ugly 13-11 win to move to 4-2 on the season.

He’s clearly the best pass-rusher we’ve seen in this town since Von Miller — and Nik Bonitto has a real shot to break his franchise record of 18.5 sacks in one season.

Do that, and more, and another NFL DPOY could be headed to the Mile High City.

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