Bo Nix booed minutes after tying unique record that took Seattle to Super Bowl originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Denver reached the top of the AFC on Sunday, but the mood inside the stadium told a more complicated story.
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Quarterback Bo Nix secured his 24th regular-season win across his first two years as a starter, matching a benchmark set initially by Russell Wilson early in his career with the Seattle Seahawks.
The number matters because it has been reached by very few quarterbacks so quickly.
Context matters just as much. Nix arrived at 24 wins in the 17-game schedule era, while Wilson hit the exact total during two 16-game seasons in 2012 and 2013.
That distinction remains central to how fans frame the comparison, especially in Seattle, where Wilson’s first two years also included four postseason victories and a rapid ascent to championship contention.
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The timing added another layer. Nix reached the milestone as the Denver Broncos locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 19-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Despite the result, sections of the crowd voiced frustration as Denver’s offense stalled repeatedly, settling for four field goals against a short-handed opponent.
For Nix, the moment captured both achievement and expectation. The record tied him to a standard defined by winning at the highest level, while the reaction in the stands underscored how little patience exists once a team reaches contender status.
How Wilson’s Standard Shapes the Nix Debate
Wilson’s early run in Seattle remains the measuring stick because it paired regular-season success with immediate playoff impact.
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His rookie year produced a postseason breakthrough, followed by a dominant second season that ended with a Super Bowl title. That postseason validation is the dividing line defenders of Wilson’s legacy continue to emphasize.
Nix’s résumé is still being written. Denver posted records of 10-7 and 14-3 in his first two seasons, giving him the same 24 regular-season wins Wilson once delivered. What he cannot match yet is the January résumé, as Wilson collected four playoff victories across his first two postseason appearances.
After Sunday’s game, Nix addressed the boos directly.
“It’s funny,” he said. “It’s our job to give them a good quality experience. They show up to see us win.”
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He added that criticism comes with the territory, noting, “I’ve been booed before and I’ll be booed again. Nothing’s going to change out of me.”
The comparison also surfaces as Wilson makes news elsewhere. Now with the New York Giants, he has recently been in the headlines for mentoring rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and for revealing that he played through a grade two hamstring tear early in the 2025 season, a matter that the National Football League is expected to review.
For Denver, the takeaway is clear. The record ties history, but what follows in the postseason will determine how long the comparison lasts.
