Bo Knows - What Bo Nix has already come to understand about the Denver Broncos

When Nike aired the “Bo Knows” commercial, they couldn’t have possibly guessed at the luck of their timing, but a very few minutes after the remarkable Bo Jackson did this…

Nike turned around and gave us this…

Sometimes the universe just aligns, and you know you have something special. For all of the things Bo Jackson “knew” in 1989, no one could know just how remarkable and torrid his career and the campaign both would be.

A new Bo rode into Denver via a now-obvious draft pick the Denver Broncos traded up for a scant four months ago in Detroit. But sometimes the universe just aligns, and… While the move up to grab Oregon quarterback Bo Nix was initially hailed as an obvious Hail Mary by Sean Payton and crew, the 120 days since has made the move look more and more prescient, especially to the thirsty Broncos fans who have watched more than a dozen starters flail at the helm post-Peyton. With such little time to get to know Bo, there is still so much he’s made readily apparent in his impressive ascension to rookie starter, the second Broncos rookie to ever do so. Yeah, you know know who the first was.

So, with all we still have to learn, he’s what we’ve already found that Bo knows…

Bo knows Efficiency

Nix was the most efficient quarterback in NCAA history, a stat many still attributed more to the pro-style Oregon offense than the skills that Nix showed in his three years at the helm. It’s only taken a couple of preseason games to see that the stat was as much a product of Nix’s skillset as the system around him, with a scintillating stat line in the seven drives he’s led.

Bo knows Politics

For a rookie, even a rookie with 61 college starts under his belt, Nix shows a maturity and EQ that belies his years. With a faith that could be a firebrand, a history that could make him entitled, and a record that could turn him cocky, he’s instead turned each of those possible stumbling blocks into groundedness, leadership, and assuredness. Even the two gents competing against him for the job have admitted their affinity for the “kid”.

Bo knows Leadership

As the ever excellent Zac Stevens called out about Bo, Nix has “…started every single football game that he’s been healthy to play” since his freshman year of high school. Remarkably, Nix has only driven himself harder and further as a byproduct of that, impressing his coaches with his mastery of complex playbooks overnight, and impressing his own defense, who tried to give the rookie a “welcome”, and found instead that he was already looking them off primary receivers, gaining yards, and gaining their quick respect. For every accolade and achievement, Nix passes along the credit and accomplishment to the larger group like a great leader should.

Bo knows Maturity

Many who have marveled at Bo’s maturity tack the quality to his 24 years, and record-settingly long collegiate career. While even Bo acknowledges the growth of the years at Auburn and Oregon, he’s only six years removed from being Alabama’s “Mr. Football”, having accumulated 161 touchdowns and over 12,000 total offensive yards. Even his teammates from years back say Bo has had this calm beyond his years since he was young.

Bo knows Winning

Nix has also not had a losing season as a quarterback, at least back through high school, a record only a little longer than the streak of losing seasons these Broncos have stacked up since 2017. Something’s gotta give in those streaks, and Broncos faithful know which way they want that domino to fall. While the success of Nix still needs to be stacked up against a full speed regular season, you can see believers all around him, from the staff to the players to the fans. That belief goes a long way towards actually accomplishing the task, and there’s a togetherness amongst this Broncos crew that never felt present when Mr. Ciara and Entourage took their ride through town. That belief breeds a hope that might just make $85 million dollars worth of hurt go away.

There’s still a lot to be proven with where this all goes for young rookie Nix, and the comparisons to a rookie Elway starting don’t seem to recall that John only started 10 games that season, going 4-6 in those efforts. We’ll see after some struggles and successes how well Bo’s knowledge holds. What he’s already surely discovered is how to ignite the hopes of so many of us bleeding orange and blue. For that, we are already grateful, and we just wanted to be sure that Bo knows.