The Denver Broncos are already seeing quarterback Bo Nix enter year three in the NFL. Following the 2026 NFL Season, Nix will be eligible for a contract extension. This is also the case for other notable passers from the 2024 NFL Draft, like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels.
It's not a stretch to think that all four could land monster deals next offseason. It's rare to see this many franchise quarterbacks in one draft class, but that's how things are trending approaching a massive 2026 season for the group.
On Wednesday, a major update hit the NFL world pertaining to one of the more polarizing players in the NFL, and it just so happens to be a quarterback from the 2024 class. Williams was revealed as the cover athlete for Madden 27, and while this isn't necessarily a big deal, at all, Williams being the cover athlete does also prove that the NFL is flat-out ignoring Nix.
Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix has a more desirable resume than Caleb Williams
Williams graces the cover of Madden 27 in electric fashion, and while it's a great accomplishment for a young player, it doesn't really make a ton of sense.
He's in the game 🎮 pic.twitter.com/emdW3Nvx6m
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 3, 2026
I guess if you want to argue that Williams is a more celebrity-forward name with more societal appeal, that would be fair, but in terms of on-field play, someone like Nix should have gotten the nod over Williams. Through two years in the NFL, the statistics aren't even comparable between the two players:
Nix
24-10 record
764/1,179
8,492 total yards
63 total touchdowns
23 interceptions
90.5 passer rating
1-1 playoff record*
Williams
16-18 record
681/1,130
8,360 total yards
50 total touchdowns
13 interceptions
89 passer rating
1-1 playoff record
Obviously, Nix's playoff record could look a bit different had he not gotten hurt in the Divisional Round victory over the Buffalo Bills. The only thing that Williams is 'better' at than Nix through two years is throwing few interceptions, but the Broncos starting passer has Williams beat out in everything else.
This would also be the case for the playoffs, as Nix helped the Broncos acquire the No. 1 AFC playoff seed in 2025, something that Williams was not able to do for the Bears in 2025. There has been this cloud of doubt that has stuck with Nix and the Broncos through the first two seasons of his career.
Williams was billed as a generational player and was the slam-dunk first overall pick, but even as Nix continued to prove people wrong, there are still some vocal doubters. At the end of the day, I am not sure Nix necessarily cares about not being the Madden cover athlete, but this is a discussion worth having.
Frankly, the cover athlete probably should have been Matthew Stafford, the league MVP, but Nix should have absolutely gotten the nod over Williams - he's the better player, period. The Broncos are also better equipped to win the Super Bowl in the 2026 season, so if that happens, perhaps Nix would then be in serious consideration for the Madden 28 cover athlete.
Add us as a preferred source on Google