Stephen A. Smith warns Chiefs to not sleep on Bo Nix-led Broncos as legit AFC contender

The Denver Broncos drafted quarterback Bo Nix last year with the 12th overall pick. He took over as the starting quarterback during his rookie campaign and led the team to a 10-7 record while qualifying for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, with Nix racking up 3,775 yards and 29 TDs.

The Broncos are looking to become a legit contender for the Super Bowl with Bo Nix this upcoming season. According to Stephen A.Smith, they have a chance of proving themselves in the AFC division.

On Thursday's episode of ESPN's 'First Take', Smith warned the Kansas City Chiefs not to take the Broncos lightly. He stated that they are a threat to emerge as the AFC Champions and dethrone Andy Reid's team in their division.

"I think that the Denver Broncos are a team to be reckoned with," Smith said. "I think their defense is formidable. I think Bo Nix is that kind of dude and as far as I am concerned, they could possibly, with Sean Payton coaching them, they could possibly make some noise.

"I just look at Bo Nix and got a lot of faith in that brother, and I certainly have faith in Sean Payton, and I would not dismiss the threat that the Denver Broncos could end up being." (TS-6:10)

The Broncos last won the AFC Championship in 2015. That was also the season they defeated the Panthers in Super Bowl L. Since then, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs, leading to several head coaching changes before Sean Payton took over in 2023.

After an 8-9 debut, Payton broke the team's playoff drought last season. He is now looking to build on this momentum and help the team become a legitimate Super Bowl contender once again.

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Sean Payton believes defensive revamp will help Bo Nix on the field

The Denver Broncos have made several offseason additions to revamp the team for the 2025 season. This included bringing in safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and tight end Evan Engram.

In the 2025 NFL draft, they utilized their first-round pick to acquire cornerback Jahdae Barron, focusing on strengthening their defense. According to Sean Payton, these decisions were taken to further help Bo Nix shine on the field.

"We're trying to put together the best team we can," Payton said according to ESPN. And I hear what's said, and I understand the questions, but there are a lot of ways to help a young quarterback- any quarterback- a good defense helps a quarterback."

Last season, the Broncos had the most sacks in the league (63 sacks) and had a top 10 defense. However, it looks like the team is focusing on having the overall best team on the field to further fortify their chances of winning a Lombardi Trophy.