Six games into the 2026 NFL season, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix ranks 32nd in the NFL with an average of 5.6 yards per passing attempt.

Nix's struggles and inability (or unwillingness) to throw the ball downfield have been well-documented this season, and the QB was asked about it following the team's 17-14 win over the Seattle Seahawks last Thursday.

“I don’t understand why we can’t really push the ball vertically right now," Nix said. "Defenses are just sitting back there hanging out. We’re just going to keep running the football. Hopefully you have to find ways to get more out of it.”

Some fans and pundits have speculated that Nix's struggles are related to the ankle injury Nix suffered during the NFL playoffs last season. Not so much the physical fallout, but Nix's ability to get over the injury mentally.

When asked if Nix is struggling to mentally move past his injury during his Monday conference call, Broncos coach Sean Payton essentially sidestepped the question, saying the QB has done a good job overcoming adversity in his career.

"All the other things relative to the mental toughness, the mental fortitude — this is a tough league," Payton said. "We hit every aspect, and I think that’s one of the things that attracted us to Bo in the beginning is we had seen his ability to climb through adversity. It’s not just Bo that feels that. Right now, offensively, I feel that, our players feel that and we’ll improve.”

Publicly, Payton didn't suggest Nix is struggling to get over his injury mentally. Meanwhile, somebody (presumably within the organization) has leaked to James Palmer of NFL on Prime Video that the club believes Nix is playing "a bit gun shy."

"[T]here is a difference with Nix in 2026, where Nix is focused on not losing the game more than winning the game," Palmer tweeted on Monday. "Don't turn the ball over. Don't be the reason why we lose the game. That's kind of manifested in his mind to the point that the conservative approach has become an issue on the field."

Palmer's lengthy tweet also included this:

Nix is healthy, and the ankle is fine. But returning from an injury is also not cut and dry and takes time. The Broncos want Nix to run it more and they're seeing a player that is a bit gun shy right now. If you look at the runs that Denver has dialed up, a lot of them he's looking for the sidelines and he's looking for a way to get down as soon as possible. He's not looking for the extra yards or the needed yards in key situations. It's been frustrating.

Palmer later suggested that Nix is "seeing ghosts at times," and the team is "obviously concerned with the funk he's currently stuck in." And this is perhaps the most notable part of the report: "They'd love to see him take a couple of big hits and realize he's not going to get hurt, the ankle is good, remember you're a tough football player."

Assuming Palmer's information came straight from the team, that seems to be an admission that the club believes Nix is in his head about coming back from last season's ankle injury. That's not surprising, given that many fans and pundits came to the same conclusion.

This week, Nix will face an Arizona Cardinals defense that allows 8.6 yards per passing attempt, most in the NFL. Palmer noted that "one big game" could get Nix going again. Fans in Denver can only hope that Nix gets back on track and regains his confidence in Arizona this week.