A former Denver Broncos player is coming to Bo Nix's defense.
The Brocos quarterback has been widely criticized after his Oct. 15 performance in a 17-14 overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on "Thursday Night Football," including a scathing take from former NFL quarterback and current Prime Video analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick on the postgame show.
"It was really frustrating to watch," Fitzpatrick said. "Bo Nix is not playing competitively, it's almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he's playing football."
Ed McCaffrey, who played for the Broncos from 1995 to 2003 and won three Super Bowls during his NFL career, took to social media on Friday to defend Nix.
"Stop, just stop," McCaffrey wrote of the Nix criticism
on X. "Enough already. Apparently winning isn't enough anymore."
Stop, just stop. Enough already.
— Ed McCaffrey (@87ed) October 16, 2026
Apparently winning isn’t enough anymore.
Bo Nix and the @Broncos weren’t perfect but they still won the game.
Winning in the NFL is hard. Enjoy it.#BroncosCountry
Nix, in his sixth game back after fracturing his ankle in a January playoff game, completed 17 of 27 passes for 107 yards and ran four times for 2 yards in the win over the Seahawks on Thursday. The Broncos finished with just 168 total yards.
Fitzpatrick went so far as to question Nix's effort and competitiveness after the game and even said Broncos head coach Sean Payton has "no trust" in him.
"I can only imagine how Sean Payton feels," Fitzpatrick said. "I mean, Sean Payton, (offensive coordinator) Davis Webb, everybody that blocks for (Nix). He's not competing right now, and that's something that he's hung his hat on for the last two years. I don't know if he's still injured, I don't know what's going on. But it's not good enough. It's effort."
McCaffrey objected to that criticism. In reply to a fan who said it was fair to criticize Nix, the former wide receiver and father of superstar 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said it's "fair game" to "criticize the throws, the decisions, the offense."
"But questioning Bo's heart and desire to win? That's a different story," McCaffrey wrote.
Absolutely fair. Criticize the throws, the decisions, the offense. All fair game. But questioning Bo’s heart and desire to win? That’s a different story.
— Ed McCaffrey (@87ed) October 16, 2026
And since when did celebrating a win become controversial? 😂
We can do both. #BroncosCountry
The Broncos are 4-2 this season after facing a daunting start to the schedule that has included wins over the Jaguars, Rams, Chargers and Seahawks along with losses to the undefeated Chiefs and 49ers.
"The grass isn't always greener," McCaffrey told another commenter. "And 4-2 ain't bad."
Fair point. Bo’s play is absolutely fair game for criticism. But there are teams with Super Bowl-winning and All-Pro QBs wondering the same thing.
— Ed McCaffrey (@87ed) October 16, 2026
The grass isn’t always greener. 😂
And 4-2 ain’t bad.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Enough already.' Former Bronco defends QB Bo Nix after scathing criticism
