There is clarity in brevity. Not profanity.
Bo Nix will help guide the Broncos into their most important game since 2015 with a leadership style that remains as effective as it is unique.
Nix does not curse. It traces to his upbringing by his parents, Patrick and Krista, and connects directly to his faith. And it works.
“It’s a little different. I curse all the time. I am an Irishman,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said with a smile. “I don’t know how he does it. He has an immense amount of discipline, and it translates over to his game.”
Nix, 24, grew up in a locker room. His father coached him in high school. Sports are a clearing house for cussing. When Jim Leyland managed the Rockies in 1999, he used the F-word as a subject, verb, noun and adjective. Attend a Broncos training camp practice, and it is impossible not to hear an assistant fire off an obscenity. Or seven.
Nix long ago made a conscious choice to communicate differently. His parents provided freedom but were strict, and he felt comfortable following their example. He never went through a cursing phase. Not even in middle school.
As a leader, he does not talk much. When he speaks, he is more confident than colorful.
“I just believe out of the heart, the mouth flows. I want to keep my heart clean. There is something positive about the words you use. So I think it’s important,” Nix told me Wednesday afternoon. “I just figured out that I didn’t need to do it.”
It can be challenging in a sport littered with Type-A personalities. There are times it feels like curse words command attention, create urgency and add importance. Nix operates effectively outside of this space because he is authentic. This is who he is. And that comes across in his interactions with teammates.
“There is nothing corny about it. Without a doubt he has a real edge to him,” McGlinchey said.
“Absolutely, you can lead without (cursing), and he does it well,” added receiver Courtland Sutton.
Philip Rivers, a Chargers legend, is the last well-known quarterback known to refrain from cursing. Like Rivers, Nix’s trash talk is environmentally friendly. He showed off crazy eyes when yelling at a Raiders defender last month, but there were more shoots than anything else.
I asked a half dozen players about Nix on Wednesday, and they all swear they have never heard him utter a swear word.
“Good by him for sticking to his values and what he believes in. It’s cool,” backup quarterback Zach Wilson said. “He’s a great dude. Guys love being around him. He’s got all the Philip Rivers words in his bag. It works for him.”
That is because sports are Darwinism. Only the strong survive. Nix commands respect because of his work ethic, his maturity, his performance and his fiery competitiveness. The NFL operates under the premise: don’t tell me you are good, show me. Nix has followed these footsteps since his first spring practice.
“To me, his words have the same effect. The big thing is his confidence. You can definitely feel it in the huddle. How confident he is in himself. Even in OTAs and training camp, he’s out there playing ball,” receiver Marvin Mims Jr. said. “There’s some plays that we were supposed to be run a certain way and he would go off and do his own stuff, but it was just how he played.”
This is an example of what makes Nix special and why Denver will come closer to ending its eight-year playoff drought with a win over the Colts. He gets it. His preparation sets him apart. When he was drafted, his family, Nix included, wanted to know what were some of the mistakes players before him made in his position. It showed remarkable self-awareness.
Quarterback of the Broncos is more high-profile than the mayor or governor. Nix embraced the challenge, recognizing that everything matters. He exhibits intelligence, yet remains spontaneous and organic, like when he high-fives fans after home games.
During the bye week, Nix traveled to Alabama to watch his father coach in the state championship. There is no “too cool for school” with him. He doesn’t believe he has everything figured out. Quite the opposite.
Nix articulated this when I asked him about his leadership style, about how he balances when to be assertive as a rookie.
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“My role right now is simple. I have to go out there and perform on Sunday and help these guys win games. Get them going. That’s my job as a quarterback. You have to honestly take the rookie out of it. They are looking at me as their starting quarterback. That’s how I have to treat it,” Nix said.
“Right now, being young I can’t talk a whole lot. There’s not much I can say. I haven’t really proven anything. I have to go out there and work. They want to see that and how hard I am preparing and what I do on the field. Do I show up the same every day? And I think when they see that they have a form of respect and trust. Then when you make a few plays in critical moments then they know they can believe in you.”
Nix faces another huge test this week and understands what is at stake. His demeanor is always more serious than aw-shucks. But, make no mistake, he absolutely gives a … well, you know.
“I don’t make (not cursing) a big deal. Guys will eventually come up and ask and I will tell them why. I just want to make sure that I am encouraging, trying my best to use the right words,” Nix said. “It’s how I roll.”
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