Despite the fact that the Denver Broncos are 21-5 over their last 26 games, which dates back to the start of the 2025 season, quarterback Bo Nix has remained one of the most criticized players in the entire NFL. Even after their playoff run last year, and you could argue a healthy Nix would have brought the Broncos to the Super Bowl, the critics are happy to let Nix hear it.
All Nix has done in his now two-and-a-half seasons in the NFL is win, but that seemingly has not been enough for the talking heads around the NFL, highlighted by Ryan Fitzpatrick's odd and emotional rant in Week 6. Regardless, Nix and head coach Sean Payton continue to win.
No one is going to sit here and argue that Nix is playing at an MVP level, or even that he has improved upon his play from the 2025 campaign, but he has been more than enough for the Broncos so far. As the slate of defenses the Broncos have faced has lightened up, Nix's play has improved each game and is beginning to settle in.
As this happens, a few voices around the game are starting to take notice, including one who just called Nix's two-touchdown performance in the Broncos' win over the Carolina Panthers.
CBS' Ross Tucker offered up some serious praise for Bo Nix after their Week 9 win against Carolina
CBS analyst Ross Tucker was on the call for the Broncos' 26-21 win over the Panthers in Week 9, and he had nothing but complimentary things to say about Denver's quarterback after their third straight strong offensive showing. This sound bite should be music to the ears of all Broncos fans.
"All the guy does is win."@RossTuckerNFL explains why Bo Nix deserves more credit for protecting the football and making winning plays.@RedBirdFarms @woodypaige @TGreenDenver#Broncos #NFL pic.twitter.com/c1vZx2aIfb
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) November 12, 2026
"I personally think Bo gets a little bit of a bad rap. All the guy does is win - and I know people want to see bigger numbers or drive the ball down the field more. Well, first of all, he can not help it if the other team keeps interfering with the receivers, so the yards are pass-interference yards as opposed to passing yards for him. But the things he does really well: protect the football... does not take sacks... those are winning plays. Show me the guy who did not take a sack and did not throw a pick. That team is going to win a majority of those games." - Ross Tucker
Tucker could not be more correct in his assessment of the Broncos' offense and Nix. Carolina had multiple defensive pass interferences called against them on Sunday, and 13 penalties in total were assessed against the Panthers for a total of 119 yards.
Five pass interference penalties were called against the Panthers, four of which were accepted, and the yardage totaled 59 yards. Adding that to Nix's 237 passing yards, the Broncos' passing attack was responsible for 296 yards between completions and penalties. And as Tucker said, it isn't the Broncos' fault that teams are committing penalties against them. Nix is throwing catchable footballs, and defenders are getting too aggressive and interfering with Broncos receivers.
Bo Nix has significantly cut back on his mistakes so far this year
To Tucker's point, Nix is playing considerably better football this year as opposed to the two seasons prior. Through nine games, Nix has just four interceptions, which puts him roughly on pace for seven on the season.
Nix has consistently been criticized as a game manager and a checkdown merchant, but it almost feels as though he is playing into those ideas this year. And to the credit of him and the Broncos' coaching staff, it has transformed into yet another elite Broncos team.
Nix has definitely taken some of the air out of the ball, but with that has come better ball security and fewer risks. It has kept the Broncos defense, which has been banged up more than usual so far this year, out of quick-change situations and poor field position. Paired with the fact that Jeremy Crawshaw has been one of the five or six best punters in football this season, the Broncos are consistently forcing teams to start from a bad field position.
These bad field positions are a calculated part of the Broncos' identity: you start near your goal line; our defense makes stops; you punt; we'll start near midfield. Denver gives themselves shorter fields, which allows them to take less risk in the air, and even a drive that "stalls out" after only one first down is right on the cusp of field-goal range. All the pressure is on the opposing offense when the Broncos' offense faces significantly less
This strategy isn't doable if Nix is taking major risks that are turning into interceptions. It is far from the most entertaining style of football and likely won't get the Broncos the A-segment on Get Up or First Things First, but it has the team at the top of the AFC West and in the hunt for the AFC's top seed.
Add us as a preferred source on Google