Broncos QB Bo Nix Sends Strong Message After Getting ‘Last Laugh’

One of the underlying storylines in the Denver Broncos’ opener was Bo Nix versus a Tennessee Titans defense led by lineman Jeffery Simmons. Despite Simmons doing the pre-game talking and winning some battles, Nix ultimately emerged the victor.

Simmons finished the contest with 4 total tackles, 1 stop for loss, 4 quarterback hits, and 1 strip sack on Nix.

Asked about that fumble, Nix spoke matter-of-factly while acknowledging Simmons’ talent.

Bo Nix Tips Cap to Titans’ Jonathan Simmons After Overcoming ‘Cardinal Sin’ in Broncos’ Win

Days before the game, Simmons told Titans beat reporters that he believed Nix was a one-read QB who would run if that was not there, and the Broncos’ youngster obliged early on as he was visibly frustrated amid the team’s slow start.

The game was tied at 3-3 midway through the second quarter, and the Broncos had possession near midfield, so Simmons’ sack-forced fumble on Nix set the Titans up in plus-territory.

To avoid making the same mistake in the future, Nix said, “Just don’t do it.”

“Well, I took two hands off the ball,” Nix told reporters on September 7. “That’s the cardinal sin as a quarterback, when you take two hands off the ball in the pocket against a good player who’s going to be taught and going to have knowledge to just rip at the ball. Just happened quick, and I just should have had two hands on the ball in the pocket. But just can work on it, can get back to the technical basics, and just don’t do it in the future.”

However, Simmons was also on the wrong side of his own aggressive playing style, picking up an unnecessary roughness penalty that extended a Broncos drive late in the fourth quarter. Nix and the Broncos ultimately turned the ball over on downs, but only after draining more clock.

Simmons came under fire on social media for his costly penalty, throwing the game for the Titans, while Nix and the Broncos got the “last laugh” on the three-time Pro Bowler.

Bo Nix Gets Candid About Turnover-Filled Day

The fumble was Nix’s third and final turnover of the day, with the Broncos’ QB completing 25 of 40 passes for 176 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions.

He was also sacked once during the contest.

“You don’t ever want to throw interceptions, but when you do, you just – as tough as it is – you just got to move on and respond with positive plays after that. And both times, I thought I had decent vision. Just was a 50/50 that didn’t go our way. Probably shouldn’t have thrown both of them,” Nix said. “You live and you learn.

“Sometimes you can be a little too aggressive, and I was too aggressive. But I just ultimately got to be smarter than that and take care of the football. Especially with our defense, as well as they’re going to play this year, I can’t put them in bad spots.”

Nix wanted to review the game film, but both he and Broncos head coach Sean Payton pushed back on the idea that the offense was “out of sync,” citing their opening field goal.

Nix criticizes himself more this season because “I know better,” and he hopes to “limit” his INTs.

Sean Payton Shuts Down Bo Nix ‘Growth Meter’

Payton emphasized the importance of the final result over how the Broncos got there and said he would not be providing weekly updates on Nix’s progress.

“We’re not going to have a ‘growth meter’ each week in Year 2, all right?” Payton told reporters postgame. “He’s in his second year. I love the player, all right? I get a chance to see him every day, all right? We can win. He can be a huge reason why we win games. And so, we’re not going to have that weekly meter. And so, that’s the first refused ‘growth meter’ in week one. That’s crazy.”

Payton defended Nix against Simmons’ pregame comments, too. However, the coach found himself under fire for his play calling just as much as the QB did for his missed opportunities, including one on fourth down in which his top wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, was wide open.

Nix, who was nearly pressured by Simmons on the snap, said the Broncos “had a good play” called. He said it causes difficulty against the type of coverage (Cover 0) that the Titans were in.

Nix said, “Next time, we’ll hit it” of the missed shot to the Broncos’ WR1, who caught a TD later.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ Awkward Online Interaction With The Athletics Is Turning Heads

In just a few short years, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Athletics are going to be neighbors once again. But instead of sharing the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California, they’re going to be on the Las Vegas strip together.

But as the NFL season gets started and MLB teams across the country wish their football counterparts who play in the same region the best (see: San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers) the currently homeless (Sacramento?) A’s don’t have anyone to wish the best of luck. 

So they tried to wish their future neighbors well in a post on X. And let’s just say it went over poorly. 

“Let’s go @Raiders, good luck this season!” the Athletics wrote on their X account. This repost was accompanied by a Raiders pregame hype video. 

Fans couldn’t respond in the replies, since the A’s, always on the run from public opinion, still have every comments section on every social media account they run turned off. 

But fans certainly took the opportunity to screenshot or repost the Athletics’ support for the Raiders and bash it. 

“The treasonous @Athletics & their pathetic social team (comments turned off) should be dragged for this. John “The Con” Fisher refused to redevelop the Coliseum, something Mark Davis wanted, which aided the Raiders in leaving Oakland,” popular sports media figure Damon Amendolara wrote on X. 

The treasonous @Athletics & their pathetic social team (comments turned off) should be dragged for this. John “The Con” Fisher refused to redevelop the Coliseum, something Mark Davis wanted, which aided the Raiders in leaving Oakland. pic.twitter.com/VMjgXqBcwD

— Damon Amendolara (@DamonAmendo) September 8, 2025

Interestingly enough, the NHL‘s Vegas Golden Knights also wished the Raiders well on X. The Raiders’ X team reposted the Knights’ well wishes, in a show of Vegas sports unity.  

But they wanted nothing to do with the Athletics’ post, which they did not repost. 

---

Do The Raiders and Athletics Still Have Beef? 

Back in 2023, Mark Davis made it publicly know that he did not support the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas. 

In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Davis called out the Athletics for their behavior both in Oakland when they shared the Oakland Coliseum and in their move to Las Vegas. 

“I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland,” Davis said. “They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium.” 

“They marketed the team as ‘Rooted in Oakland,’ that’s been their mantra through the whole thing. The slogans they’ve been using have been a slap to the face of the Raiders, and they were trying to win over that type of mentality in the Bay Area. Well all they did was f—- the Bay Area.”

Davis essentially blamed the Athletics not only for leaving Oakland, but for forcing the Raiders out as well. He said the Raiders only looked into moving to Las Vegas because the A’s wouldn’t let them make improvements to the Oakland Coliseum or build a football only stadium on the site. 

“For them to leave Oakland without anything is pretty (screwed) up,” Davis said. “Because that site that the stadium was on was a good site.”

The Athletics’ most recent attempt to cozy up to their former and future “friends” in the Raiders organization has instead reminded everyone that not even the Raiders want the A’s in Vegas. 

---

A Note on the Aces 

It’s also worth noting that the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces did not wish the Raiders well on social media ahead of the start of the NFL season on Sunday. 

The Raiders previously made a post wishing the Aces well back in May, when the WNBA season was starting. 

However, the Aces did have the Raiderettes in the house for the halftime show on Sunday. They performed during the Aces’ 80-66 win over the Chicago Sky. 

What do you think of all this, Raiders fans? Will the Raiders and the A’s get along when the A’s move to Vegas? Or will this unprecedented, awkward beef between two teams in the same city continue?

Continue reading