Bo Chapman Nix Biography
Bo Chapman Nix is an American professional football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn University from 2019 to 2021 and the University of Oregon from 2022 to 2023. Nix won SEC Freshman of the Year honors at Auburn in 2019 and earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and the William V. Campbell Trophy at Oregon in 2023. The Denver Broncos selected Nix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick. He became the Broncos starting quarterback as a rookie and led the franchise to its first playoff appearance since 2015. Nix currently resides in Castle Rock, Colorado, with his wife Izzy Smoke and their daughter Riley.
Early Life and Background
Bo Chapman Nix was born on February 25, 2000, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He is the son of Patrick Nix, a former Auburn quarterback and current football coach. His grandfather, Conrad Nix, was a longtime high school football coach in Alabama. Nix grew up in Alabama and initially attended Scottsboro High School in Scottsboro, Alabama, where he passed for 3,463 yards and threw 40 touchdown passes during his time there.
Nix transferred to Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, where he played under his father Patrick Nix. At Pinson Valley, Nix accumulated over 12,000 total offensive yards and 161 touchdowns during his high school career. As a senior in 2018, he won Alabama’s Mr. Football Award and was rated the top dual-threat quarterback in his recruiting class. Nix committed to play college football at Auburn University following his high school graduation.
Path to Professional Football
Nix enrolled at Auburn University in 2019 as a true freshman and was immediately named the starting quarterback for the season. His first collegiate game was a memorable one, as he led Auburn to a 27-21 comeback victory against the Oregon Ducks at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on August 31, 2019. Nix continued his strong freshman campaign by leading Auburn to a 9-4 record, including a 48-45 Iron Bowl victory over rival Alabama. He was voted the SEC Freshman of the Year after throwing for 16 touchdowns and six interceptions during the 2019 season.
Following an injury-shortened 2021 season at Auburn in which he threw for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, Nix entered the transfer portal in December 2021. He transferred to the University of Oregon for his final two seasons of college football eligibility, benefiting from the NCAA’s COVID-19 eligibility waiver for the 2020 season. At Oregon, Nix developed into one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football history, setting multiple records and establishing himself as a Heisman Trophy contender.
Bo Chapman Nix College Career
Auburn Tigers (2019-2021)
During his sophomore season at Auburn in 2020, Nix threw for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games during the pandemic-shortened campaign. The 2021 season brought inconsistent results for Nix and Auburn. Highlights included leading Auburn to their first win at LSU since 1999 and a victory over number 10 Ole Miss. However, Nix also struggled in certain games and was benched during a fourth-quarter loss to Georgia State. He suffered a season-ending injury against Mississippi State that year. Nix started 33 games for the Auburn Tigers across three seasons.
Oregon Ducks (2022-2023)
In his first season at Oregon in 2022, Nix led the Ducks to a 10-3 record and a Holiday Bowl victory over North Carolina. The season featured ranked wins over BYU, UCLA, and Utah. Nix finished the 2022 campaign with 3,593 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while also adding 510 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
The 2023 season became Nix’s breakout year. He led Oregon to a strong regular season performance that kept the Ducks in contention for the College Football Playoff. Despite falling to Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game for the second time that season, Nix put up exceptional numbers. He passed for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just three interceptions while adding six rushing touchdowns. Nix finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. He led the NCAA in pass completions, completion percentage, and passing touchdowns in 2023, setting the NCAA single-season completion percentage record at 77.45 percent. His career start total of 61 games between Auburn and Oregon stands as the most in NCAA history for a quarterback.
Bo Chapman Nix Professional Career
Denver Broncos (2024-Present)
The Denver Broncos selected Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the last of six quarterbacks taken in the first round, tying the 1983 draft for the most quarterback first-round selections in NFL history. Nix drew interest from Broncos head coach Sean Payton due to his high completion rate and low negative play differential in college. On May 11, 2024, he signed his four-year rookie contract worth $18.6 million fully guaranteed.
Nix was named the Broncos starting quarterback on August 22, 2024, becoming the first Broncos rookie to start at quarterback since John Elway in 1983. In his NFL debut against the Seattle Seahawks, Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards, two interceptions, and a rushing touchdown during a 26-20 loss. He earned his first career win in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing for 216 yards with no interceptions in a 26-7 victory.
Nix had a standout October that earned him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors. He recorded three-touchdown performances against the Las Vegas Raiders and followed with 216 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Chargers. A dominant 33-10 win over the New Orleans Saints tied the franchise record for rookie quarterback wins. He capped the month with 284 passing yards and four total touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers, setting a new franchise record with five wins as a rookie. In Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons, Nix went 28 of 33 for a career-high 307 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to complete over 80 percent of his passes while throwing for at least four touchdowns and 300 yards. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week following that performance.
Needing a win in the final regular season game to clinch the playoffs, Nix went 26 of 29 for a career-high 321 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The win clinched the Broncos’ first playoff berth since 2015. Nix finished his rookie season with 29 total passing touchdowns, the second-most ever by a rookie quarterback. In the Wild Card round against the Buffalo Bills, his 43-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin became the first rookie-to-rookie touchdown pass in NFL playoff history. Nix revealed after the season that he had played with transverse process fractures in his back since Week 12. He was a finalist for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, placing third in the voting.
2025 Season
During the 2025 offseason, Nix worked with former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and throwing mechanics specialist Tom House to refine his skills. In Week 7 against the New York Giants, Nix made NFL history by becoming the first player ever to have at least two passing and two rushing touchdowns in a single quarter during a comeback victory. The Broncos were down 19-0 entering the fourth quarter but scored 33 points to win 33-32, the most points scored in a game by any team held scoreless through three quarters in league history.
Nix continued his strong play throughout the season with a career game in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers, going 23 of 34 for 302 yards and four touchdowns with a passer rating of 134.7 in a playoff-clinching 34-26 victory. In Week 18, the Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 19-3 to secure the top seed in the AFC. Despite modest statistics, Nix set the franchise record for the most wins by a quarterback in a single regular season with 14 while tying the NFL record for the most regular season wins by a quarterback through two seasons with 24.
In the Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, Nix completed 26 of 46 attempts for 279 yards and three touchdowns with one interception as the Broncos won in overtime 33-30. The victory marked the Broncos’ first playoff win since Super Bowl 50 at the end of the 2015 season. With the win, Nix holds the record for the most game-winning drives in a season by a quarterback age 25 or younger with eight. However, he suffered a broken ankle during the third-to-last play of the game and was placed on injured reserve on January 24, 2026.
Bo Chapman Nix Career Statistics
Across his first two NFL seasons, Nix has established himself as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in Broncos history. His career passing statistics include a completion percentage of 64.8 percent with 54 touchdowns against 23 interceptions through the 2025 season.
College Career Highlights
Nix finished his college career with exceptional numbers across two programs. At Oregon, he led the NCAA in completion percentage and passing touchdowns during his record-setting 2023 season. His 77.45 percent completion rate set the NCAA single-season record. He started 61 career games between Auburn and Oregon, the most in NCAA history for a quarterback. Nix’s 2023 season at Oregon featured 4,508 passing yards and 45 touchdowns with just three interceptions. His career college totals span over 14,000 passing yards and 114 touchdowns.
Bo Chapman Nix Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Bo Chapman Nix comes from a distinguished football family. His father, Patrick Nix, was a quarterback at Auburn University and later became a football coach. His grandfather, Conrad Nix, was a longtime high school football coach in Alabama. Nix’s younger brother Caleb Nix plays safety for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. His adopted brother Tez Johnson plays wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Personal Life
Nix married Izzy Smoke, a former Auburn cheerleader. On October 10, 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Their first daughter, Riley, was born on February 25, 2026, Nix’s 26th birthday. The family resides near Castle Rock, Colorado. Nix is a Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith. He purchased his Colorado home from former NFL running back Shane Vereen.