Bo Nix Has 6-Word Response to ‘Future John Elway’ Label From Broncos Coach

Vance Joseph may see Bo Nix as the Broncos’ “future John Elway,” but the second-year quarterback isn’t ready to wear that label yet. Fresh off a 9-2 start and an eight-game winning streak, Nix thanked his defensive coordinator for the belief while telling Broncos fans to “definitely slow down” on the Elway comparisons.

“That’s quite something coming from a coach like that, well respected not only in our organization but in the entire league,” Nix told reporters. He quickly added that a statement like that comes with “a lot of work and responsibility” and “doesn’t just happen in year one or two” or overnight.

“Let’s definitely slow down comparing me to John Elway for now,” Nix said.

Bo Nix Responds to Vance Joseph’s ‘Future John Elway’ Comment

Joseph’s remark came on the “Big Al and CJ Podcast” with Guerilla Sports, where he said, “I think Bo Nix is the Broncos’ future John Elway; he’s going to be here for a long time… he’s built for it.” He also praised Nix as a gamer who will “make a play” on Sundays.

Nix has given Joseph plenty of on-field evidence to point to. Through 11 games, he has thrown for 2,421 yards with 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, completing 61.2% of his passes and posting an 86.1 passer rating, while adding 213 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

He’s coming off a 295-yard outing in Denver’s 22-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, where he went 24-of-37 with no turnovers and led the game-winning drive that set up Wil Lutz’s walk-off field goal.

Still, Nix was careful to frame Joseph’s Elway comparison as something he has to grow into, not something he’s already earned.

He said his focus is on “continu[ing] to do my part” and doing his role in becoming “the player that this team needs me to be,” adding he’s “not going to slow down” until he reaches that level “and more.”

Nix also made sure to flip the spotlight back onto Joseph, calling him “unbelievable,” a “great coach” and a “great encourager to his team,” and saying that’s why “guys love playing for him.”

Nix Balances Elway Talk With Broncos’ Bigger Picture

Nix’s answer fit with the rest of his session, where he repeatedly came back to the bigger picture: the grind of the stretch run, the importance of details and how rare this opportunity is.

On the mini-break around the team’s lone game over the last couple of weeks, Nix said the main benefit was rest and mentally stepping away just long enough to come back fresh.

“When you get back and you’ve got the ability to have a strong finish to the season, that rest is really important,” he said, noting that “you don’t get these opportunities twice” and that the Broncos have “one shot at it.”

Asked about the chance to chase home-field advantage, Nix said the team has “put [itself] in the spot” to compete for it but stressed “the job’s definitely not even close to being finished yet.” He called it his first time in a situation like this and said he’s “excited” and “eager” to keep finding ways to get it done.

“We’ve got a great culture,” Nix said. “We’re building something… I’m excited about the team that we’re building, I’m excited about where this organization is right now,” while again reminding that there’s “a long way to go.”

Command, Cadence & Why the Broncos Believe in Nix

Beyond the headline-grabbing Elway comparison, Nix said he spent the mini-bye tightening up things that don’t always make highlights: command, communication and cadence.

“As a quarterback, it’s ultimately our job to make sure the play is run well, run efficiently,” he said. For Nix, it starts in the huddle with a clear call and everyone on the same page. “Usually a well-run huddle is going to be a well-run play,” he said.

He talked about treating those “little details” as critical, from communication in the huddle to managing the play clock and using cadence to keep defenses off balance. Coming out of the Chiefs win, Nix said he thought their “command and communication and process” were “very efficient and pretty good,” even as he noted they need to finish more red-zone drives with touchdowns.

The Broncos will need that edge in the details Sunday night against Washington, with a chance to move to 10-2 and keep their hold on the AFC West lead and the conference’s top seed.

For now, Nix is content to let others mention John Elway’s name. His focus is on proving, snap by snap, that Joseph’s belief — and the Broncos’ 9-2 record — are no accident.

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