Denver Broncos quarterback has sung this tune before; slow starts and mediocre games have followed him since he was first named a starter after being drafted 12th overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

In 2024, Nix and the Broncos started 0-2, and Nix didn't even throw a touchdown until Week 4. After a career-low 60 yard passing performance in Week 4 against the New York Jets in the Meadowlands, Nix responded with eight games throwing for at least 215 yards passing out of the next nine contests, en route to leading the Broncos to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed.

Last fall, Denver lost two games back-to-back on last-second field goals, to start 1-2 before the Broncos ripped off 11 straight wins to propel them to the top of the AFC. As the season progressed, Nix played the hot hand. Between Weeks 11-16, Nix threw for at least 295 yards in four of the five games, going 4-1 in that span.

To start 2026, Nix hasn't looked like himself, taking checkdowns and struggling in the wake of his ankle injury suffered in January in the Broncos' divisional round playoff win. Since that time, Nix has only thrown for 200+ yards twice, and is posting a career-low completion percentage in Year 3.

Because of his late-start history, Nix isn't worried about what is to come. In fact, his confidence is brimming because of that history.

"I think that’s what’s playing the biggest factor in it right now is I’ve seen what it is like to be very concise, be very crisp and to be very good on a competitive Sunday," Nix said on Wednesday. "I just am working to get back to that. At the same time, they’re so many things that go into it… I know the things that I can control. I’m working to maximize those. I just feel strong where I’m at. I’m good mentally. I had a good practice today. I feel good physically. I think it’s going to be there.

"It’s just in football, you have to get that one (game) that just gets you going. I think we’ve been playing some really good teams thus far and haven’t gotten that one, but we’re searching for that one game that sort of just puts us right back where we were.”

Nix feels like his big game of 2026 is coming, and it's very possible it could come in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona has one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL at this moment, which Nix could take advantage of.

Nix and coach Sean Payton have every reason to believe things will turn around. The $1 million question for fans remains: "When?"