Broncos RT Mike McGlinchey: 'This is Bo Nix's Team'

On the heels of his historic rookie campaign, the Denver Broncos are Bo Nix's team. That is, according to his right tackle, Mike McGlinchey.

We've seen evidence to support McGlinchey's claim, including that scene on the sideline in Week 5 of last season, when Nix could be seen firing back at Broncos head coach Sean Payton in a 34-18 victory that snapped the team's previous eight-game losing streak to the Las Vegas Raiders. McGlinchey shared his insight and observations on how Nix has taken command of the Broncos entering the 2025 season with The Denver Post's Troy Renck.

“The confidence, the competitiveness, the willingness to get after Sean at times, this is Bo’s team. He knows that. Everybody knows that,” McGlinchey said via Renck. “And it’s really cool to see him manage expectations. He doesn’t give a (bleep). He has such a talent of blocking out anything that doesn’t matter to him. I think that’s what separates the great ones: simplifying your life to make sure that everything is going towards one goal. The way he has looked the last two weeks, this kid is on his way to really taking off.”

The early returns on Nix were spectacular. After a rocky start to the season, he found his footing in October, finishing as the Offensive Rookie of the Month, and never looked back.

Nix led the Broncos to a 10-win season, snapping the team's heretofore eight-year playoff drought. That Wildcard loss to the Buffalo Bills was brutal, and while it fell short of the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl, it illustrated just how far the Broncos have come.

Nix would finish the season with 3,775 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both Broncos rookie records. His 29 touchdown passes led all rookie quarterbacks and were the second-most by a rookie in NFL history.

Entering Year 2, the national perspective has floated one theory after another about whether Nix will fall prey to the dreaded sophomore slump, but on top the 18 games of experience he's compiled, the Broncos added multiple weapons to his arsenal on offense, and bolstered a team strength — the defense — by signing safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and drafting cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round.

Perhaps the greatest predictor of what the future holds for Nix in Year 2, is the continuity at Broncos HQ. Not only are all five of Denver's offensive line starters returning, but so are most of the skill-position players.

The cherry on top? The coaching continuity, and McGlinchey has never experienced anything like it as a pro. That's saying something, considering he's entering his eighth NFL season as a former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers.

“I have never been in a situation like this with this much continuity,” McGlinchey told Renck. “We have the right guys. And everybody is here to do the right things.”

When Payton arrived as head coach in 2023, he inherited a mess. There were bright spots on the roster, but he quickly prioritized the offensive line, signing McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers.

By the end of the year, Payton had ended the Russell Wilson experiment, releasing him the following March. The Broncos started over with Nix in the first round of the 2024 draft, while Payton and GM George Paton continued to plug away at realizing their vision from a personnel standpoint.

It's quite a marvel how far the Broncos have come in two short years with Payton at the helm, and how fast the team was able to accelerate the turnaround, thanks to the arrival of Nix.

“To go from where we were two years ago to where we are now, we all take pride in that, and in making sure our program never steps back to that again. It is so much fun. We are ready to be on the big stage of the NFL,” McGlinchey told Renck. “We are on the right track. Guys are believing. Being able to consistently execute in the biggest moments is the next part of it.”

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Nix has everything he needs to succeed and build on his impressive first year. It's going to be a gas watching it all unfold.