For all the talk on what he is, or what he will be … let’s start with who Bo Nix isn’t.
He’s not Russell Wilson. Thank goodness.
“I know my role, OK?” David Morris, Bo Nix’s personal QB coach and founder of QB Country, told me with a chuckle. “And I’m not up there to try and tell Sean Payton how to coach quarterbacks. I’m here for Bo and when he needs advice in the offseason and (for) supplementary things I know. I know how lucky he is to be coached by him and by all those guys up there.”
Baby steps, kids. Although if Nix commands a huddle half as well as he commanded the podium at Dove Valley on Friday, the Broncos are good to go.
“I’m excited to just embrace it all,” the Denver draftee said. “That’s what I was able to do at Oregon. You go around and you watch other teams and support the city. Not just the organization and the teams, but to be around for the rest of the city and just show up. Because ultimately, on Sundays, they’re going to show up for you. So that’s what I’m excited about.”
The franchise savior? He’s human. Which makes a delightful change of pace from young Jay Cutler, the last Broncos quarterback (2006) to be drafted in the first half of the first round before Nix went at No. 12 on Thursday. Cutler was a crusty sort, a curmudgeon before his time.
“I see (and) feel a lot of Jake Locker with Nix,” said Fox Sports analyst Brock Huard, an old Pac-12 QB himself, of the Broncos’ new rookie signal-caller. “Having to play early on a bad team would be incredibly detrimental to his NFL future.
“He’s a plus-athlete, plus-character prospect. His arm is good, not great, though the Rocky Mountain air would help. If Sean (Payton) goes back to his QB roots, Nix checks Bill Parcells’ wish list for the position: Tough. Productive. No drama. Leader.”
So he’s not Drew Lock, either.
No dancing. No COVID-19 shenanigans.
“We have a great opportunity here. It’s an unreal organization. (Denver) fans are incredible. They put so much effort to watch us succeed,” Nix said. “Everyone that is a part of the organization, that’s what our goal is. So for me, I just have to start from somewhere and just grow each and every day to be the best player that I can possibly be for my teammates and for my coaches.
“I’m so excited to be a part of this quarterback room with Ben (DiNucci), Zach (Wilson) and Jarrett (Stidham). Obviously, they’ve had great careers thus far. They’re all different, but I feel like we’re kind of all made up the same — just ultimate competitors and excited to grow as players.”
He’s got Peyton Manning’s cell and Philip Rivers’ ear. No ego. No conceits. No airs. Faith, family, football. Raiders first, social media sixth.
“He’s been coached hard,” Morris explained. “He expects that. By the same token, look, Sean Payton is one of the best. So anytime you can take coaching from him, it’s a great opportunity.
“Bo expects excellence and demands it of himself first. I think those two together, it’s going to be competitive — I kind of foresee highly competitive, exciting, creative things going on between those two.”
Nix is 24 and still came off Friday as wise beyond his years, measured and mature. A yes-sir, no-ma’am gentleman, without being remotely hokey.
Or remotely hockey.
“I know the Avalanche are really good, I hear,” the Broncos QB said. “I’m not necessarily a huge hockey fan, but I’ll watch a game …”
His eyes darted nervously, as if taking careful steps not to offend this puck-happy home.
” … or … match.”
Cue the scribe laughter.
Even Nix smiled at that one.
“I don’t even technically know what it’s called,” he continued.
All good. And if you bring your “A” version of it to Empower Field, dude, you can call it whatever you like.
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