Denver Broncos rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, stood up for his former college teammate and current Broncos center, Alex Forsyth, following a disappointing 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10.
Nix led the Broncos down the field in the final moments, setting up a potential game-winning 35-yard field goal for kicker Will Lutz. But the Chiefs’ linebacker Leo Chenal broke through and blocked the kick, sealing a victory for Kansas City, who remain undefeated at 9-0, and leaving the Broncos stunned.
Film review showed Forsyth being overpowered by Chenal before the crucial block. However, Nix, along with other Broncos players, defended Forsyth post-game.
“There’s a lot of negativity when someone makes a mistake, but people need to understand how much Forsyth means to this team and how respected he is in the locker room,” Nix told reporters on November 13. “It really bothers me that people are quick to criticize without seeing how hard he works, how he plays, or how he responds to situations. I have no doubt Alex will bounce back better than anyone. He’s committed to this team, and everyone in our locker room believes in him.”
Nix added, “He’s faced tougher moments in life than most of us. He knows how to handle adversity. I hate that he’s going through this, but it’s part of the game we signed up for. I’m proud to be his teammate.”
The loss dropped the Broncos to a 5-5 record, setting up a crucial three-game stretch before their bye in Week 14, with home games against the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns and a road matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Nix and Forsyth’s Connection Runs Deep
Nix and Forsyth were teammates at Oregon, where Forsyth earned All-Pac-12 honors in 2021 and 2022 before being drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round in 2023.
Nix’s mention of Forsyth’s “tougher life moments” is a reference to the tragedy Forsyth experienced in 2012, when his father, Steven Forsyth, was one of two victims in the Clackamas Town Center shooting in Portland, Oregon.
Nix wasn’t alone in defending Forsyth. Broncos offensive guard Quinn Meinerz also voiced his support, saying, “The criticism is absurd. Playing that position is one of the toughest roles in sports.”
Payton, Coaching Staff Take Responsibility
Head coach Sean Payton was another key figure who came to Forsyth’s defense. “It was tough to watch,” Payton said. “We as coaches need to make sure we’re setting the players up to succeed, and that starts with evaluating the technique and the assignments we’re asking them to execute. Watching it back, we all felt that as coaches, we let the players down. That’s hard to accept, but it’s our job to fix it.”