Sean Payton had to make many tough decisions, some surely based on his gut, after his debut season in Denver ended with an 8-9 record. One of those decisions was parting ways with QB Russell Wilson, which caused a record dead cap hit of $85 million. This major financial deficit paralyzed the Broncos, but the head coach had a plan — a plan that led his team, with a rookie at the helm, to the playoffs this season. And Pat McAfee is very happy for him.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, McAfee reminisced about how confident Payton sounded after drafting Bo Nix 12th overall in the first round. It was a bold move, as it essentially had the head coach betting on a rookie to save the franchise while letting go of a Super Bowl-winning QB. But as McAfee recalls, Payton “knew immediately” that he had a gem in Nix.
And Payton was right. The Broncos have made it to the postseason with a rookie QB who wasn’t at the top of the list, and that too, “without $45,000,000 in cap space” — something McAfee made sure to highlight in his post.
Here’s us talking to @SeanPayton on Draft Night about 15 minutes after they drafted Bo Nix..
HE KNEW IMMEDIATELY
Congrats to both of them on making the playoffs in his rookie year AND a year where they were without $45,000,000 in cap space
BRAVO @Broncos pic.twitter.com/cv50XzF7f5
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 6, 2025
If one looks at Pat’s interview with Sean after Draft day, it’s evident how much effort the Broncos HC and scouting team put into securing Bo Nix. Payton revealed back then to McAfee that the Broncos had an extensive look at the prospect during Pro Day, which led them to invite him for private training.
Per Payton, this is where the Oregon alum truly showcased his class, as the QB threw over 80 passes with zero accuracy issues. The Broncos HC recalled being blown away by someone of Bo’s size doing the things he did during the private workout. By the end of the session, Sean knew exactly who his QB from the draft would be.
“Bo was so impressive… And I just remember that we got in the car afterwards and I just looked around and I said, ‘Are you kidding me’?”
Sean’s eye test definitely proved fruitful, as Bo has excelled week in and week out. Amassing 3,775 passing yards and 29 TDs is incredibly commendable in his first season, and Bo rightly finds himself in contention for the NFL Rookie of the Year award.
The post “Without $45,000,000 in Cap Space”: Pat McAfee Heaps Praise on Sean Payton for His Successful Season With Rookie Bo Nix appeared first on The SportsRush.
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