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Jul 23, 2025; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bo Nix Shares His Biggest Takeaway From Offseason Time With Drew Brees

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Keith Cummings | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 1:08 PM ET

Some players run away from obvious comparisons to esteemed contemporaries. But Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has actively embraced it.

Given the long and successful partnership Broncos head coach Sean Payton enjoyed with future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees in New Orleans, it was inevitable that a direct line would be drawn from the former Saints star to Nix. However, the Brees comparisons began for Nix well before he landed with Payton in Denver.

Rather than being afraid to stand in the shadow of Brees, the earnest desire of Nix to learn from the best has taken precedence over ego. What better place to learn the finer points of the Payton system than with the man who mastered it and won a Super Bowl?

When Broncos training camp kicked off, Payton was the one who broke the news that Nix had spent time with Brees during the offseason. In a sit-down with NFL quarterback turned podcaster Chase Daniel (also a former Payton acolyte), Nix was asked what his biggest takeaway was from his time with Brees.

"Well, he was so intentional. Like, okay, a guy like that, I go hang out with for a couple of hours, a few days. I would understand if you didn't take time and you wanted to, like, just get through it. Get over it, like, I get it," Nix told Daniels. "You got a family, you got a lot. But he had lists of things that, like, 'Hey, this is what I think we should do. Let's talk about this, and let's go through this operation. Let's talk about your routine, alright. This is what worked for me.'"

Bo Nix spent the offseason training with Drew Brees — and it shows.

One answer told me exactly why Sean Payton is obsessed with his rookie QB ⤵️
pic.twitter.com/0gRACN47zY
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) August 6, 2025

Thirst for Knowledge

Curious fans always maintain a thirst to find out what a retired elite athlete is like when he sits down with the next generation to follow him. It's especially intriguing when Brees is sitting down with his successor, of sorts, in the Payton offense.

It should come as no surprise to find that Brees was extremely generous with his time and vast wealth of knowledge. That deep bond that persists between Brees and Payton means there's a clear willingness to help nurture and polish Nix into becoming one of the game's elite signal-callers.

What's also emerged is that Nix is constructing a network of expertise, which also led him to seek out renowned throwing guru Tom House in addition to bending Brees' ear. Brees worked with House during his own storied career, and it's no stretch to suggest that the Saints legend opened the door to another extremely valuable teaching source.

While House addressed the more nuts-and-bolts aspects of arm mechanics and nutrition, Nix told Daniels that the most productive part of the time he spent with Brees was the more informal aspects they enjoyed together.

"It was great. Just sitting down and having a few meals with him was the best part because, I mean, you go out there and throw at some point, we all throw it. It's not—that's not why you go and hang out with a guy like that," Nix told Daniels. "It's just the mental side of the game that just—you can make strides in. And that's what speeds your growth up."

Delight in the Details

All true ballers tend to obsess over the forensic details of the game they love, and the pearls of wisdom a young guy like Nix can take away and apply to mastering his own craft can be force multipliers.