Tensions run high in the NFL. If you make it all the way to the league, you are fueled by winning and everyone knows you have to play well to keep your job.
The tensions start even as early as your rookie season. The Denver Broncos drafted Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Many thought this was a reach, but head coach Sean Payton reportedly loved how Nix looked going through NFL Combine drills and during team interviews. That was good enough for Denver, who had decided to cut ties with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson at the cost of a huge dead cap penalty.
Nix's growing pains adjusting to the NFL have been evident. Denver is 2-2 and Nix has had a wide range of outcomes from looking like he is completely lost on the field to then looking like he was worth the first-round investment that Denver invested in him.
The Broncos are taking on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. It's still early in the season and the Broncos are winning, but that doesn't mean tensions aren't still high. Nix and Payton got into it on the sideline.
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Bo Nix-Sean Payton sideline argument
Nix comes off the field in the third quarter and looks like he is met with words from Payton. The quarterback looked like he was going to just brush past and head to the bench, but the coach puts his hand on his quarterback's chest, stopping him.
Broncos HC Sean Payton and rookie QB Bo Nix had this exchange on the sideline after Denver punted in their last drive.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/CxGDEA023i
We obviously can't tell what the dialogue was between the two, but upon being stopped, Nix gets super animated. He starts angrily gesturing with his hands as he is explaining something to the head coach. Nix starts walking away, but Payton starts getting his word in, as well.
It looks like either the offensive coordinator and/or quarterbacks coach are near and they subtly pull Nix away toward the bench.
Ultimately, the two got over the spat, as Denver continued to roll up the Raiders in the second en route to its third win of the season.
When asked about it after the game, Payton said that things like that happen. He wouldn't comment on what was being discussed, but just added that "there's a little bit of Ferris Bueller [in Bo], we gotta get rid of." Your guess is as good as mine to translate what that means.
Nix was also asked about the outburst in post-game, and provided a light-hearted take.
Bo on the interaction with Payton: “He told me he loved me. I told him I loved him back.”
— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) October 6, 2024
Bo Nix stats
Nix's first career game saw the rookie quarterback finish with 138 yards and two interceptions. He had looked better in the two weeks since, but had another setback in Week 4.
| Completions | Attempts | Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Carries | Rushing Yards | Rushing TDs | |
| Week 1 vs. Seahawks | 26 | 42 | 138 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 35 | 1 |
| Week 2 vs. Steelers | 20 | 35 | 246 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 0 |
| Week 3 vs. Buccaneers | 25 | 36 | 216 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 47 | 1 |
| Week 4 vs. Jets | 12 | 25 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Season Total (4 games) | 83 | 138 | 660 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 110 | 2 |
Nix had the best came of his short career in Week 5. There's still plenty to polish and improve, but there where plays he made that showed the vision in using the 12th pick on him. The win did come against Las Vegas who is seemingly unraveling at the seams, but hopefully the rookie can keep improving.
| Completions | Attempts | Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Carries | Rushing Yards | Rushing TDs | |
| Week 5 vs. Raiders | 19 | 27 | 206 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
This was the first win that Denver had against Las Vegas since December 2019.
