Broncos HC Sean Payton Addresses Fears of a Dreaded Bo Nix 'Sophomore Slump

Only a dreaded sophomore slump could seemingly derail the rapid rise of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. Navigating through the notoriously treacherous second NFL season has proved difficult for many signal-callers. 

However, Broncos head coach Sean Payton doesn't buy into the widely held sophomore slump quarterback myth or the idea that already proven talent somehow disappears into thin air. 

"I'm trying to think of the MTV one-hit wonders, and there's not a lot of them that come to mind," Payton said on Wednesday. "It's a term we use, but I can't think of examples that match that term of rookie quarterbacks that excelled and then all of a sudden it's, 'What happened in their second year?'" 

Those who cling to the sophomore slump anxieties for Nix point to how NFL defensive coordinators now have a year of tape to study on the Broncos quarterback. He's no longer a brand-new, unknown quantity. In other words, they'll have a plan for Nix that he's yet to see.

Payton didn't throw a bucket of cold water on that negative narrative; he pointed a pressure washer at it and pulled the trigger.

"I hear that a lot. Look, we're all watching the film throughout the year, so there's not this one offseason where there's a group of defensive coaches sitting in a room for two weeks looking at Bo Nix film," Payton said. "I mean the study and looking at the system, the players in the system—I've heard that, and I kind of cringe when I hear it." 

A Solid Foundation

If Payton and Nix were building their house on shifting sands, perhaps the big bad wolf could huff and puff and blow down what the Broncos have built thus far. Most of the Payton/Nix stock is being put into fine-tuning the nuances of their relationship, and identifying what works best for the young quarterback within the plays the head coach will be calling. 

And by adding to the quality of personnel surrounding Nix, Payton can throw the full gamut of the playbook at Denver's opponents. 

"Well, we're constantly looking at that, and we're looking at it as it pertains to him [Nix], but then just as much the pieces around," Payton said. "What are the things that these guys do well? We're learning with a handful of these guys that we haven't had yet, and we haven't had a chance to see in pads yet. It'll be exciting to kind of see what we have. That evolves each year, and we will continue to this year." 

Going the Extra Mile

Putting in the work to refine the process certainly won't find Payton and the Broncos lacking inspiration and perspiration. Even so, the holy grail of hard work and dedication has to be reciprocated at the other end by Nix, but Payton has no concerns there either, as we learned with the Broncos' young quarterback seeking out Drew Brees this summer. 

"Him just reaching out and just coordinating some time to dive into the offense, the schedule, the calendar, his schedule and his work week in season," Payton said of Nix working with Brees. "All of that is just stuff he's doing on his own. Again, that's what you're looking for." 

Suffice it to say, performing an exorcism on the ghost of the sophomore slump isn't at the forefront of Payton's offseason mission to round Nix into a polished diamond. Payton's hand-picked signal-caller has headed into the spring and summer months to notably spend extended time with Brees, and even find additional mentorship in the well-respected throwing guru, Tom House. 

"He's someone who works his tail off, wants to improve and the whole offseason is planned out," Payton explained how they've approached things. "He's gone and visited Brees for four or five days and adds [throwing coach] Tom House in here. There's a lot he wants to absorb in a fast period of time. That's a great thing for a young player like that. We're never just going to pick up from where we left off, but there's a lot of building to do when we look at last year and a lot of positive things to look at."