The Denver Broncos defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-18, on Sunday afternoon. However, an animated exchange between Broncos head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix was the talk of social media following the game.
Sean Payton and Bo Nix Have a Heated Discussion
After nearly scoring a touchdown against the Raiders, Nix and Payton had a heated discussion on the sidelines about the misfire.
Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, didn’t hold back during this fiery exchange with Payton.
Bo Nix and Sean Payton exchanging some fiery words on the sideline. pic.twitter.com/84C3gSjrA8
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 6, 2024
Toward the end of the exchange, a Broncos assistant coach seemed to join in and start yelling at Payton as well.
Payton is no stranger to animated discussions with his quarterbacks. This kind of thing happened at times when he coached Drew Brees on the New Orleans Saints and last year when Russell Wilson was under center for Denver.
Former NFL player and current analyst Daryl Johnston brought this up on the broadcast, saying that Brees offered advice to Nix about this exact situation.
“Words of advice from Drew Brees: Sean Payton is gonna be very demanding of you, and you have to be demanding right back,” Johnston said as they showed the replay of the argument.
“That’s part of the relationship. And you have to have respect. You’re gonna have these things happen during the course of a game when you step between the white lines and you’re competitive.
“Sometimes, you’re gonna have tempers flare a little bit. But these two will be in lockstep moving forward. I think that’s a great example of what Drew Brees was talking about. You need to be demanding back because he’s going to be demanding of you.”
After the game, Payton was asked about the argument with Nix.
“It’s part of the deal. There’s still a little bit of Ferris Bueller in this player that we gotta get rid of, talking about Bo,” Payton said. “And I love him to death. Sometimes, it’s my love language.”
Sean Payton addresses the spirited conversation with his QB Bo Nix in the second half 🗣️ “There’s still a little bit of Ferris Bueller in this player that we gotta get rid of.”#KOAGameDay | @AuroraMHRorg pic.twitter.com/dP6sFQZKLj
— KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (@KOAColorado) October 6, 2024
When asked if he would share what their exchange was about, Payton said, “No. Absolutely not.”
Nix also discussed the moment during his postgame press conference.
“That, literally, I think, explains the situation — that we’re just out there with great competitive intensity and fire, and we can have those conversations and move right back along and score another few touchdowns, and it doesn’t bother us,” Nix explained.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” came out in 1986, and Nix is just 24 years old. Is the rookie QB familiar with the film?
“I’ve watched the movie. It’s funny,” Nix said. “I think it’s a great movie. I’ve only seen it a handful of times because it’s kind of old, but I think it’s good.”
Bo Nix = Ferris Bueller in that situation? 🤔 He seems to agree 🗣️ “That literally, I think, explains the situation.”#KOAGameDay | @AuroraMHRorg https://t.co/8DoDsn0P9Z pic.twitter.com/eIoFrM29Rx
— KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (@KOAColorado) October 7, 2024
Both downplayed the argument, so this likely isn’t something to worry about going forward.
Nix finished the game 19-of-27 for 206 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while adding a touchdown on the ground.
On the season, Nix has thrown for 866 yards, three passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Nix is currently the fifth-youngest starting quarterback in the NFL, while Payton is tied for the 21st-most wins of any head coach in NFL history.
The Broncos have now won three consecutive games, improving to 3-2 on the season. Next Sunday, Denver will face the Los Angeles Chargers at home.