Although his season ended in heartbreak, injury, and disappointment, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix didn't have much time to feel sorry for himself. Broken ankle and all, Nix became a father shortly after the season ended when he and his wife Izzy welcomed their daughter, Riley, into the world on February 26, which actually happens to also be Bo's birthday.
Nix recently wrote a letter to his daughter through The Player's Tribune with some incredible moments of reflection, clarity, and insight into his perspective on the whirlwind of events that took place earlier this year. It's truly an emotional and incredible piece to read, and a lot of what Nix says will have Broncos Country even more excited about the future of the team.
Nix talked about the rush of disappointment, realizing how close he and his teammates were to accomplishing the ultimate goal of getting to and hopefully winning a Super Bowl. He talked about the moments in the locker room after the injury, and the perspective shift he had of viewing it as a gift more than just an ill-timed setback.
Denver Broncos Bo Nix sends emotional message to his daughter reflecting on last season
"Our season didn’t end the way I thought it would. I broke my ankle one step away from the Super Bowl. It hurt. Bad. Not just physically. It hurt because I love playing the game with my teammates. It hurt because we’ve built something really special. It hurt because when you’re that close to something you’ve dreamed about your whole life, you don’t want it taken out of your hands...
Right now, my purpose feels clearer than ever.Â
I’m grateful for my teammates and a head coach and staff that believe in me. I’m grateful for our fans and all of Broncos country. I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given in Denver.Â
More than anything, I’m grateful for perspective...
As I write this, I am finishing up rehab for my ankle — and learning how to rock you back to sleep at 3 a.m. I’ll be back on the field soon. Stronger. Wiser. Hungrier. But if I’m being honest, the biggest win of this past season wasn’t a playoff game.
It was being slowed down long enough to hold you in my arms and realize that sometimes God’s plan doesn’t look like what you prayed for….
It looks better."
- Broncos QB Bo Nix (via The Player's Tribune)
It's truly an outstanding piece from Nix, and it shines some light on exactly why Broncos fans should be grateful he's the starting quarterback of this team both now and going into the future. Nix's description of himself in that letter is someone who can't sit still or not be doing something. He's achievement-driven, but not achievement-consumed.
And that's such an important distinction.
Nix is the type of competitor who seemingly hates losing more than he loves winning, which undoubtedly made the way the season ended a true whirlwind of emotions for him. He wants to be out there with his teammates and for his teammates. He loves the game, but his identity isn't consumed by the game of football, even if it's something that's part of his purpose.
That doesn't mean he's flippant toward the result, but Nix's even-keeled response to the outcome of games will give him longevity in a league that will crush you if you let it.
Anyone who has been fortunate enough to become a father will resonate so much with the way Nix articulates his thoughts in this letter. Becoming a dad changes so much about the way you see life in so many different ways.
Sure, it's great to get some updates on Nix's health situation and the fact that he's in a good place mentally after all that went down in the playoffs. There's no question about it. But it's even better to be able to feel the confidence, growth, and maturation through the words that he's writing, and even to allow your own perspective to be shifted by the way he talks about how he has navigated so much adversity in his football journey.
Nix has a firm foundation with his faith, and that shapes his identity in everything he does. And as much as he's carried this team over the past two seasons offensively, to think of what it will look like to have him back stronger, wiser, and hungrier is exciting for everyone in Broncos Country.
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