Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix once again had the voice of coach Sean Payton in his helmet on Sunday after four weeks of having offensive coordinator Davis Webb call the plays to begin the 2026 season.
Payton retook playcalling duties after the Broncos' Week 4 loss against the San Francisco 49ers, after a discussion with Webb and telling the team about the decision last Monday. Nix spoke about the change and having Payton back behind the headset after their Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday
"Well, one, I thought (Payton) handled it really well," Nix said of the discussion and decision to retake the play sheet. "It wasn’t easy, especially in today’s day and age with social media and everything. Everybody hears about it or knows
about it. I thought he did a really good job. He put his head down and put the plan together as a head coach. He has a really important job being the head coach.
"I think people sometimes just picture him on the play call, but he’s got a lot of things to do on a weekly basis. I think Sean has always relied heavily on whoever his OC is to help him put the plan together. And so, I think he did a really good job of building it and piecing together the things. There’s always scenarios — regular downs, third downs, red zone — and obviously he relies heavily on his staff, and they help him build it together. They do a great job."
Although Payton once again retook playcalling duties, Nix had another rough outing. Nix finished the game 16-of-27 for 123 yards with one passing touchdown, and he lost a fumble. It was also the third time this season Nix has not eclipsed 200 passing yards. Although his performance wasn't the best, Nix said having Payton call the plays wasn't that different.
"I don’t expect anything different out of him, because this is serious to him," Nix said. "When it comes to who’s calling plays, I can’t really worry about it too much, because then it would get me distracted, and I can’t really control it. It’s completely out of my control. As long as I know the plan, study the plan and feel good about the plan, no matter who’s calling it in my ear, it’s going to be similar plays.”
Nix and the Broncos offense will meet the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks defense on Thursday, a difficult task for any team. With Denver already struggling to move the ball, the offense will need a bounce-back performance to get the win and close out their most difficult stretch of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Bo Nix reacts to Sean Payton taking play-calling from Davis Webb
