Struggling Broncos QB Told To Stop Trying ‘Patrick Mahomes Plays’
If you have watched Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix play this season and wondered what happened to the player we all saw at the end of last season, you’re not alone.
Nix has been terrible through the first 2 games of the 2025 regular season as the Broncos have barely kept their heads above water with a 1-1 start and getting ready for a marquee showdown on the road against the unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3.
The Chargers aren’t just unbeaten, either. Beating the Broncos wouldn’t just represent a 3-0 start to the season but a 3-0 start in the AFC West Division with their first 2 wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders.
Through his first 2 games, Nix is 47-of-70 passing (.671) for 380 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and has a putrid 44.3 QB rating.
According to Pro Football Focus, he’s been the worst quarterback in the league with an overall grade of 40.4 — putting him 40th out of a possible 40 eligible NFL quarterbacks.
The pressure is on Nix, on a very basic level, to just not be as bad as he’s been. And part of that means being himself and not trying to be someone else.
“I think it’s on Bo Nix to kind of just like take the plays that are there because you know … there’s just too much dip on that chip,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on September 18. “I feel like he went to Costco and bought like a family style dip this offseason and Bo Nix is just out there, like trying to make these Patrick Mahomes plays and the time and it’s just a little too much.”
Nix Seems Like He’s Forcing Everything
Kimes’ comparison to Nix is funy, sure, but also speaks to something everyone has seen in Nix’s game so far this year. He’s trying to force the ball into windows where it just doesn’t fit for a player with his skill level — throws Mahomes could make but are not even in Nix’s universe as a football player. And may never be.
To that end, the Broncos stumbled and bumbled their way to a win over the lowly Tennessee Titans in the regular season opener at home followed by a “what just happened” road loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.
Against the Titans, Nix was 25-of-40 passing for 176 yards, 2 interceptions and 1 lost fumble — bad enough that he was one of just a handful of quarterbacks to be given an “F’ grade from Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski in Week 1.
One Specific Area Nix Could Focus On Improving
If we are going to pick Nix’s game apart, then the one area he could improve on the quickest would be knowing when to use his feet.
Through 2 games, Nix has 11 carries for 38 yards and zero rushing touchdowns. As a rookie in 2024, the former No. 12 overall pick had 18 carries for 157 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns through the first 3 games.
“He was an ideal fit for Sean Payton’s offense and a mature prospect, which led to an easier transition compared to most,” Sobleski wrote on September 9. “At the start of Year 2, though, Nix didn’t look nearly as comfortable .. three turnovers, while averaging 4.4 yards per attempt, won’t be enough against much better opponents.”
Major Decision Made in 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall Shooting Case
On Friday morning, a major ruling came down in the shooting case of San Francisco 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall. A judge ruled that the teen accused of committing the shooting will be tried as a juvenile, not an adult. On September 24, there will be a status hearing to set the next date in the case.
The defendant in question was 17 when the shooting occurred on August 31, 2024. He has since turned 18. Allegedly, the teen was attempting to steal Pearsall’s watch, and both the receiver and the defendant were shot in the altercation. Pearsall was admitted to the hospital and released the next day, despite suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. He was on the sidelines during the 49ers’ opening game of the 2024 season on September 9.
Amazingly, Pearsall was able to fully recover and get back into game shape fast enough to make his San Francisco debut on October 20, 2024. The No. 31 pick out of Florida in the 2024 draft was a welcome addition to the 49ers offense.
Statements From Relevant Parties on the Ruling
San Francisco public defender Bob Dunlap said the ruling brought, “Enormous relief and joy. He was looking at life in prison as an adult. This was a radical different outcome.”
“This wasn’t guilt or innocence, this was – is the boy amenable to juvenile services such that we can rehabilitate in the time remaining which is until he turns 25, or conversely is he so far gone? Is he so irredeemable that state prison is the only response?” Dunlap asked. He reminded the court that while the defendant has been in prison since the altercation, he’s graduated high school and begun taking community college classes online. Dunlap also asked the judge to consider the defendant’s childhood filled with “abuse, trauma, and neglect” when making the ruling.
Assistant District Attorney David Mitchell expressed his disappointment with the ruling, saying, “I firmly believe that in most cases, Juvenile Court is appropriate for minors. Nevertheless, when I have concerns that the Juvenile Justice system is not suitable to rehabilitate the minor before juvenile jurisdiction terminates, it is my duty to seek a transfer hearing so that a judicial officer can review all the evidence and decide if a minor is suitable for juvenile treatment. …I respect the court’s decision and hope that rehabilitation is successful and public safety is preserved in this case.”
Ricky Pearsall is the San Francisco 49ers’ Top Receiver This Season
With the injuries to WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, as well as TE George Kittle, a lot has been asked of Pearsall. Through two games, he has eight catches for 164 yards, but expect those numbers to grow — and quickly.
This is Pearsall’s first real season of action after returning midway through his rookie year and playing a role in a crowded offense. Now, he’s one of San Francisco’s top playmakers, and more will be asked of him as the 49ers attempt to get back to the playoffs.
