Denver Broncos’ Patrick Surtain Gives Thoughts On Bo Nix, Sean Payton Dynamic

Former Oregon Ducks and current Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is coming off of an impressive rookie season in which he helped lead the Broncos to the playoffs for the first time in nine years. 

For much of the season, Nix didn’t look like a rookie with his play and also the way he carried himself. Broncos coach Sean Payton was criticized for taking Nix so high in the 2024 NFL Draft, as many thought he reached for Nix. Those people were proven wrong.

Broncos star cornerback Patrick spoke earlier this offseason about the dynamic between Nix and Payton.

Patrick Surtain On Bo Nix and Sean Payton's Sideline Dispute 

In an early season game for the Broncos against the Raiders this past October, Nix and Payton got into a heated exchange on the sideline. There was a disagreement of some sort between the two. Surtain spoke a couple weeks ago about this exchange in an interview with DJ Siddiqi or RQ.org.

Obviously, everybody was talking about that little confrontation on the sideline, but I wouldn’t call it a confrontation,” Surtain said. “Two guys who want to do what’s best for the team, They both have their different views of things, but when you have two guys like that, it just brings respect upon both of them and it makes the team better.”

While Payton and Nix were at the head of the snake on the offensive side of the ball, the defensive leader for Denver was Surtain. The former No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft earned First-team All-Pro Honors and won 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. 

"At the end of the day, we realize as a player that's pushing the coach towards success, and as a coach pushing the player towards success," Surtain said. "That brings the utmost confidence in the team and the utmost confidence in themselves."

Bo Nix's Rookie Season in the NFL

In his first year in the NFL, Bo Nix and the Broncos went 10-7 in the regular season, clinching a playoff spot for the first time since the 2015-2016 season when Peyton Manning was still the quarterback. Nix finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting; only trailing Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. 

Nix played in all 17 games, throwing for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing for 430 yards and four touchdowns. 

Denver’s season came to an end in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, losing on the road to Josh Allen and Buffalo Bills. Despite the loss, the Broncos have a lot to look forward to in the future.

This offseason, the Broncos signed a pair of San Francisco 49ers; safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. These two have experience playing in big games and will bring more fire to the Broncos defense in 2025. The AFC West will be a difficult division in 2025 headlined by big-time coaches; Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Pete Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The former Duck surpassed expectations when he was with Oregon, playing his way to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in 2023, and he surpassed expectations in his rookie season with Denver. What does Nix have in store for 2025?