Patrick Mahomes’ Influence on Sean Payton’s Selection of Bo Nix for the Broncos…
It’s widely recognized that Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is one of the top offensive strategists in football.
Dating back to his tenure with the New Orleans Saints, Payton has shown a sharp eye for identifying quarterback talent. One of his most impactful decisions was taking a chance on an injured Drew Brees—a move that ultimately led the Saints to a Super Bowl title and became a defining moment in the team’s history.
Years later, as Brees neared retirement, Payton turned his attention to the 2017 NFL Draft and was reportedly very interested in Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes. However, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up and selected Mahomes before the Saints had a chance. That moment stuck with Payton.
Now leading the Broncos and seeking a fresh start at quarterback after the failed Russell Wilson experiment, Payton once again found himself enamored with a draft prospect—this time, Oregon’s Bo Nix. But unlike in 2017, he made sure he secured his guy.
ESPN’s Seth Wickersham shared on Up & Adams how missing out on Mahomes significantly impacted Payton’s approach.
“Missing Patrick Mahomes has really stuck with Sean Payton,” Wickersham said. “That moment has haunted his career because he had targeted Mahomes, and the Chiefs jumped ahead to grab him.”
That past disappointment shaped Payton’s future approach to scouting quarterbacks.
“I think those scars led him to develop a more structured evaluation system—one that ultimately pointed him to Bo Nix,” Wickersham explained.
With Mahomes now a twice-a-year opponent in the AFC West, Payton is hoping Nix, his personally selected quarterback, can finally give the Broncos a long-term answer under center.
