The Denver Broncos hope they found a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix, whom they drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. If his early production is any indication, it’s certainly possible that they discovered a long-term solution at the most important position.
While the No. 12 overall pick has been a pleasant surprise throughout the 2024 NFL season, he wouldn’t be in this position today without his support system, which includes his parents, Patrick and Krista, and his wife, Izzy Smoke. Here’s everything you need to know about Nix’s significant other.
Meet Izzy Smoke, Bo Nix’s Wife
Izzy Nix was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala. From a very young age, she competed in gymnastics and also played soccer and basketball in high school, winning the girls’ championship in 2017. She was a gymnast for 12 years.
Smoke attended Auburn University from 2019 to 2022, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and minors in Psychology and Sport Coaching.
This is where Bo and Izzy first met, as Nix was Auburn’s starting quarterback for three years prior to transferring to Oregon and Smoke was on the Tigers’ cheerleading team in 2020. She made the team despite having no experience as a cheerleader.
She has said that her favorite Auburn tradition is Rolling Toomer’s Corner, and her favorite band song is “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.
Izzy has always been passionate about sports and fitness, and she’s currently a fitness coach at F45 Training. Izzy has said that she and Bo bonded over their competitiveness.
“Bo and I are equally competitive and ambitious,” she explained. “We both grew up playing multiple sports and were taught to never back down from a challenge. We push each other towards our goals and to be better versions of ourselves daily.”
The couple announced their engagement on Instagram on July 30, 2021, with pictures of the ring overlooking Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Smoke wrote on Instagram, “Lifting my eyes up towards our Father – the One who not only answered my prayers, but exceeded them. Bo Chapman Nix, it is my greatest honor and joy that you have chosen me to be your WIFE. I cannot wait to run the rest of my race with Christ before me and beside you. HERE’S TO LOVING YOU FOREVER!!!!!!!”
Nix also shared his excitement on Instagram, writing, “God is so good! I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on you that you were special. I cannot wait to be your husband. Here’s to forever with you, Izzy Smoke!”
Nix and Smoke got married in a summer wedding in 2022 in Alpine, Ala.
“I can’t believe I get to call this man my HUSBAND!!! Bo Chapman Nix, you are my best friend and my greatest gift from God,” Smoke wrote on Instagram. “I love you more than words can say. Thank you for choosing me to be your wife and for loving me so well. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us as we start this new adventure together!”
The newlyweds honeymooned in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Meet the Family of Izzy Smoke
Izzy was born to Dawn Smith Smoke and Sammy Smoke. She is the second daughter in the Smoke family and has two sisters, an older sibling named Abbie Smoke-Horton and Millie Smoke.
Izzy also has a brother, Luke. Interestingly, Millie is also a cheerleader at Auburn University.
Izzy’s father, Sammy, is the treasurer, controller, and CFO of Strickland Trading Inc. in Alabama. He joined Strickland Trading in 2015 after working for 24 years at Crest Realty Inc. and serving as the CFO for Brigham Williams Commercial Properties.
He earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Auburn University in 1988, then joined Donaldson, Holman & West as a public accountant.
How Has Bo Nix Fared During His Rookie Season?
Nix has been a pleasant surprise this season, exceeding expectations for the Broncos.
This year, he has thrown for 2,972 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions on a 63.6% completion percentage while also rushing for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
However, he has struggled a bit as of late.
In PFN’s QB+ metric, Nix is currently ranked as the 25th-best quarterback in the NFL with a 69.5 (D+) grade.
What is PFN’s QB+ metric? We’ve created a formula for assigning a letter grade to every quarterback’s performance. It factors in a number of stats, including success rates when pressured, third-down conversion rate, and pocket production. The added wrinkle in this PFN Insight is quantifying “clutch.” Defining “clutch” performance is an imperfect science. In this case, we’ve used timeliness-based stats to account for score and situation.
While Nix has flashed at times and certainly has potential, we might need to pump the brakes on his Offensive Rookie of the Year hype train. The award is about the best performances over the season, not the most improved, and Nix has not been the best rookie quarterback consistently this season.
In Week 15, we saw another example of this, as Nix recorded his first D+ grade of the season but his fourth below a C- in 14 starts this season.
The most startling part of Nix’s play in Week 15 was his -0.29 EPA/DB from a clean pocket, which ranked bottom three on the week. He was better relative to the rest of the field when pressured but finished with a 29th-ranked overall EPA/DB of -0.31. His 130 passing yards and 3.7 nYPA were ranked 29th and 32nd on the week, respectively, while he also threw three interceptions.
No one is expecting Nix to be perfect, but at times this year, his performances have been overrated by some analysts and the Broncos fan base. He now ranks 23rd across the last four weeks, below both Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and New England Patriots QB Drake Maye over the same time span.
On the season, Nix ranks 29th from a clean pocket (0.12) and 25th when pressured (-0.43), while his nYPA of 6.0 is only 0.8 yards above his YAC/Cp number on the year (5.2).
Nix offers the Broncos a lot of promise, but he’s far from a polished quarterback yet, and his level of play this season remains somewhat under the body of work we’ve seen from Daniels.