Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton broke some news last week, casually mentioning that quarterback Bo Nix traveled to San Diego to work with former NFL quarterback Drew Brees (who won a Super Bowl with Payton while playing for the New Orleans Saints).
Nix has also connected with Peyton Manning, and he had the chance to pick the brain of Eli Manning while filming a show for ESPN+ earlier this offseason.
“It was fun,” Nix said Saturday when asked about visiting Brees. “Any time you can spend some time with a guy like that, with that experience and just that mind and the knowledge of the game. Just his routine and what he was able to do. More than anything, it was just sitting down and talking to him.
“A lot of guys are like that. Peyton and Eli are the same way. Any time you can pick those guys’ brains, and just kind of stand in their shoes and see what they went through, and if you can pick up on any one thing that’s a win in the conversation.”
Nix was asked in a follow-up question if he discusses Xs and Os or things like leadership and routines when he has the opportunity to connect with legendary quarterbacks. The second-year QB had an impressive answer.
“That’s a great question,” Nix said. “I go with the leadership, how to handle the job. Xs and Os are going to change. They’re going to adapt over time, and really technique could adapt over time because we find different ways, unique ways to do things. With technique, it goes a lot to your physical capabilities. It can be different per person. How to be a leader and how to handle certain situations, those kind of can carry over. That’s more or less what I’m trying to do with a guy like that, is figure out, ‘What are some things that if you were in a bad spot, what would you do here? If you were going through this, what would you do here?’ Just seeing how they handled things, seeing how they handle situations and experiences.
“For our job, we talk about leading and all that kind of stuff. That’s the name of the game. They don’t really care… Your job is to go out there and complete passes and to score points. Everybody understands that. It’s the off the field. How are you encouraging guys? How are you making sure guys are seen, and making sure guys are getting what they need and being put in a position to succeed so that we all can help each other? We’re all good players. We’re all talented. We all know the object of the football game. Now it’s all about those second-layer things that are deeper than just what’s on the football field. To me, that’s what makes a good team. That’s what makes good leadership and a close football team that wins a lot of games.”
With mentors like Brees and the Mannings, as well as an accomplished quarterback-friendly coach in Payton, Nix has clearly been set up for success going into his second season. After an impressive rookie campaign, Nix is doing everything he can to take the next step in Year 2. So far, so good.
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