Broncos QB Bo Nix should quit the tough-guy act after practice scuffle with Nik Bonitto

You know who won't love it? Your doctor. Nix fractured his right ankle near the end of a 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round last season and underwent two operations to address the issue. 

You don't have to be a medical professional to know starting a fight months after suffering that injury is a terrible idea, especially one in which you'd likely be outmatched. Nix is listed at 6-foot-2, 217 pounds, while Bonitto is listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. 

Sure, QBs are often accused of being soft, and in some cases, rightfully so. Throwing hands, however, isn't the only way to earn the respect of your teammates. More importantly, it's asinine when your team's Super Bowl hopes hinge on you staying healthy. 

Nix went 14-3 and tied for ninth in the league in touchdown passes (25 in 17 games) during the regular season in 2025. He tossed three more TD passes in the postseason upset over the Bills. Denver's offense stalled when backup QB Jarrett Stidham replaced him in a 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots, averaging an abysmal 3.1 yards per play. Stidham finished 17-of-31 passing for 133 yards, one TD pass and one interception. 

Stidham (1-3 starting record in the regular season) is now competing with Sam Ehlinger for QB2, but Denver doesn't know if it can trust him, either. The former Texas Longhorns star went 0-3 as a starter for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. 

To cut Nix slack, the defense should've steered clear of him. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph reminded the unit of that following practice. 

"We don't want anyone near, Bo," Joseph said.

Nix, though, often antagonizes defenders. Remember when he jawed with former Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (now with the New Orleans Saints) in 2024, which made him a meme on social media. 

Playing with a chip on the shoulder can be a positive for QBs. Nix, however, should cut the tough-guy stuff after Tuesday's practice. Tangling with defenders again could put him at risk of suffering another severe injury, and no one in Broncos Country wants that.