And Nix is determined, as he pointed out Thursday, to not “get stuck” in Year 2 and beyond. He and a friend on the Broncos, the quarterback said, talk about it constantly. You’re still a nobody.

Bo Nix hugs his father after leading Auburn to a win over Alabama in the 2019 Iron Bowl. (Mickey Welsh / USA Today) Nix’s appreciation for the game was a foundation for the work he put into it.