Most Denver Broncos fans have seen the lengths that people wil go to continue being 'out' on Bo Nix, but through two full NFL seasons, Nix has proven them wrong, period. You really can't argue with 24 regular season wins, a division title, a No. 1 playoff seed, and an 'almost' Super Bowl appearance.
While 2025 obviously didn't end with a Super Bowl berth, it's clear that the Broncos would have made it if Nix was healthy. Heading into 2026, there are still some detractors out there, and it feels like the goal posts will continue shifting if Nix continues to prove them wrong.
Many seem very adamant about their stance on Nix, and that has dated back to the pre-draft discussions before the 2024 NFL Draft. FanSided recently released some quarterback rankings before the season, and to the surprise of zero Broncos fans, Nix didn't come in as high as he could have.
Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix comes in at No. 18 in FanSided's rankings for 2026
Nix came in at No. 18, in the 'Strong QB1' tier, which does seem like an accurate description for the third-year player, but that tier included the QBs ranked from 9th through 19th. Here is how the first 19 QBs looked, which represents the end of the tier Nix is in:
Tier 1 - Truly Elite
1. Josh Allen
2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Matthew Stafford
4. Lamar Jackson
5. Joe Burrow
Tier 2 - High End QB1
6. Drake Maye
7. Justin Herbert
8. Dak Prescott
Tier 3 - Strong QB1
9. Caleb Williams
10. Jordan Love
11. Trevor Lawrence
12. Jayden Daniels
13. Jared Goff
14. Baker Mayfield
15. Brock Purdy
16. Sam Darnold
17. Jalen Hurts
18. Bo Nix
19. CJ Stroud
At the end of the day, that 10-18 tier is one that could be in endless different combinations, so I guess it's not necessarily a huge deal that Nix is ranked 18th instead of, let's say, 12th or 13th, but ranking Nix lower than guys like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Baker Mayfield, of note, feels insane.
Williams and the Chicago Bears enjoyed a very successful 2025 season, but Nix and the Broncos won more games, and Nix was a more efficient passer, as Williams' completion percentage dipped below 60 percent.
Daniels played just seven games last year, so I struggle to see how he'd get the benefit of the doubt for such a high ranking, and Mayfield has played for a plethora of teams for a reason, notably seeing a major regression after an explosive 2024 season.
And as for Nix, he's been the one who has carried this team. He's dealt with 15 more drops from his pass-catchers than the next-closest QB since entering the league (Nix - 75, Lawrence - 60, via Pro Football Reference).
He's also had to deal with, in some instances, a now former play-caller in Sean Payton who constantly swapped personnel and wasn't really someone who let the offense flow, if that makes sense.
It's not the end of the world that Nix is ranked 18th, but it's certainly another sign of disrespect. As the regular season approaches, perhaps another strong season from the Oregon product will finally be enough for the haters to admit they've been wrong, but as I said earlier, the goal posts might continue to shift.
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