Sean Payton defends Bo Nix after rough outing against 49ers

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton isn’t turning on his franchise QB after a tough loss to the 49ers.

Bo Nix struggled badly in Sunday’s 24-14 loss to the 49ers. On Wednesday, the Broncos coach went to the podium after practice and defended him. Sean Payton admitted the film showed some throws Nix would like back. He pointed more to the small details around Nix that weren’t getting done than to the quarterback himself.

Nix finished 25 of 42 for 214 yards and a touchdown, an average of just 5.1 yards per attempt. He took the checkdown again and again while receivers were open further downfield. He completed only one of nine throws that traveled 10 or more yards in the air. Jaylen Waddle said the 49ers were “putting a lid on it” with their coverage on Sunday.

Payton didn’t make excuses, but he made it clear the problems went beyond Nix.

“The thing that I saw in the film was, yeah, were there certain throws, that from a timing standpoint, he wants back? Yes,” Sean Payton said.

“But, I think collectively, when you’re playing well on offense, you’re doing a lot of little things well. And then that job, for him, becomes somewhat easier.”

“And so, that’s really the focus this week. The little things, detail on the little things, and we’ll see that in the end product.”

The running game is one of those little things. Denver ran for just 82 yards on Sunday at 3.7 yards per carry, and only 32 of those came in the first half. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey didn’t hide from it. “It’s a huge part of our job. And we are not doing it well enough,” he said after the game.

Sean Payton was also asked about Nix’s running, which has looked different this season. Nix has 25 yards on 14 carries, an average of 1.8 yards per attempt. At that rate, he’ll finish with barely more than 100 rushing yards. He ran for 430 yards as a rookie and 356 last season. That’s a noticeable drop for a quarterback who is coming back from the broken ankle that ended his 2025 season in the Divisional Round win over Buffalo. Nix has said several times that the ankle isn’t limiting him.

Payton said Nix’s running depends on the matchup and on Nix’s own feel for the game.

“There are certain games where you try to get him on the perimeter. Last week he got on the perimeter on a 3rd down, kept it for a first down,” Sean Payton said.

“I think you got to be careful you don’t tell that position too much. I think there’s some instincts involved when he chooses to, in a certain coverage, keep it.”

“I think more importantly, calming it down, relative to what it is we’re trying to do. Both in the passing game, the boots, the movements. Some weeks those look more attractive than others based on the edge.”

The Broncos are 2-2 and already two games behind the unbeaten Chiefs in the AFC West. Sean Payton and first-year play-caller Davis Webb are under even more pressure now. The Broncos have pulled off 14 comeback wins since the start of last season, but they weren’t able to come back this time in Santa Clara.

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