NFL training camps are in full swing. Though, now that Denver Broncos players have had a chance to actually hit and tackle opponents rather than go half-speed in practice, there’s more friendly competition in the air. Bo Nix got a taste of that on Tuesday at Broncos camp.
Bo Nix on Broncos Fight: ‘I Love It’
Usually, there are strict rules against defenders making contact with quarterbacks in practice. That’s no different with Sean Payton in Denver.
Yet, somehow the Broncos’ franchise QB found himself in the middle of a fight with two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Nik Bonitto on Tuesday.
Yet, afterward, Nix made it known that there was no bad blood between the two when he spoke with the Denver media. In fact, when asked about the fight, Nix said, “I love it, it’s football.”
“It’s getting me ready for the games coming up,” Nix added. “It’s a physical practice out there played by physical people. It got intense. We were just really enjoying it. Sometimes in the dog days of summer, practices get long, and the intensity runs high.”
Bo Nix was pushed down on a sack after the pocket collapsed from Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Malcolm Roach.
He got up and threw the ball in anger.
A few plays later, he yanked Bonitto off a pile of players fighting by his leg then both had to be held back by teammates.
“I… pic.twitter.com/Y1v7gIkJnr
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) August 18, 2026
While Nix shared his mindset, chances are coach Payton doesn’t “love” the idea of his first-round quarterback going toe-to-toe with his prized Pro Bowl edge rusher.
Both are franchise cornerstones and arguably two of the very best players on the team.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
Any sort of injury setback, especially if it came as the result of a practice fight against one another, would surely be viewed as a colossal, avoidable mistake.
Thankfully, the Broncos seemed to have escaped this scrum without injury, but that doesn’t mean the coaching staff will want to see more incidents involving their star players.
Bonitto is projected to carry a cap hit of roughly $14.62 million in 2027. Meanwhile, the Broncos already saw what life was like without Nix in their AFC Conference Championship playoff loss last postseason.
That game resulted in a 10-7 loss, with backup QB Jarrett Stidham thrust into a starting role and completing 17-of-31 passes for 133 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Surely, the Broncos want to avoid being forced into a similar scenario to kick off the season. Avoiding practice scrums is a good start.
