Bo Nix, the Denver Broncos quarterback, was impacted significantly by pressure during the 2025 season. He suffered a broken ankle in the final moments of the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills.
What happened?
The Broncos went 14-3, winning the American Football Conference West division, and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. However, they lost 10-7 in the AFC Championship to the New England Patriots without Nix.
Performance under pressure
Nix's production took a hit when he was pressured, with a 44.3 passing grade under pressure, ranking 27th among qualified quarterbacks. His big-time throw rate fell from 5.8% to 3.3%, and his turnover-worthy play rate more than doubled.
Statistics
Nix completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,931 yards, with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, leading to a 15th-best QB rating. He led the NFL in passing attempts with 612 and tied Matthew Stafford with the third-most completions, at 388.
Improvement needed
Nix needs to progress while under pressure to help the Broncos achieve sustained success in the future. Only Geno Smith and Joe Flacco had worse drop-offs in passer grade when under pressure, which is not the company Nix wants to be with.
The Broncos were confident that Nix would be a difference-maker when they drafted him 12th overall in the 2024 National Football League draft. Nix took a major leap during the 2025 season, showing maturity in a critical area, despite having some footwork issues in the pocket.
Nix was excellent when he had a clean pocket to work with, but his production suffered when defenses got through to him. According to Pro Football Focus, Nix's 89.3 clean-pocket passing grade ranked seventh among qualified quarterbacks.
Mark Chichester, from Pro Football Focus, noted that Nix paired his aggressiveness with strong ball security, posting a 5.8% big-time throw rate that ranked sixth at the position, and a 1.9% turnover-worthy play rate that tied Josh Allen for 11th.
Nix's ability to perform under pressure will be crucial for the Broncos' success in the upcoming season. If he can improve in this area, Denver is in a great position moving forward.
The Broncos asked Nix to pass the ball a lot more after running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury in Week 10. Nix ended up leading the NFL in passing attempts and tied Matthew Stafford with the third-most completions.
Nix's performance in the 2025 season was a mixed bag, with some impressive statistics, but also some areas that need improvement. His ability to perform under pressure will be key to the Broncos' success in the future.
The Broncos' loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship was a tough one, and Nix's absence was felt. However, the team is confident that they can build on their success from the 2025 season and make a deep run in the playoffs next year.
Nix's footwork issues in the pocket were a concern at times, but he showed maturity in a critical area, and his ability to perform under pressure will be key to the Broncos' success in the future.