Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season saw Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos secure a hard-fought 17-14 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. The win improved Denver’s record to 4-2, but Nix’s struggles continued to draw criticism from fans and analysts.
Amid the backlash, Ed McCaffrey, who played for the Broncos from 1995 to 2003, decided to defend Nix, triggering reactions from fans.
Ed McCaffrey Draws Mixed Reactions After Defending Bo Nix Amid Broncos’ Offensive Woes
Nix struggled to make an impact against Seattle, completing 17 of 27 pass attempts for just 107 yards. He also recorded two rushing yards on four attempts. His performance left the Broncos relying heavily on their defense to secure the victory.
Nix is currently ranked at No. 29 in the PFN QB Impact rankings with a grade of 66.5.
Former NFL quarterback and Amazon analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick later described Nix’s performance as “almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he’s playing football.”
Fitzpatrick’s fellow analyst and Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez even suggested that Denver might need to consider benching Nix.
Though criticism of Nix has become common, McCaffrey stepped in to defend both Nix and the Broncos amid the growing scrutiny.
“Stop, just stop. Enough already.Apparently winning isn’t enough anymore. Bo Nix and the Broncos weren’t perfect, but they still won the game. Winning in the NFL is hard. Enjoy it. #BroncosCountry,” McCaffrey tweeted.
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One fan pushed back against McCaffrey’s take, arguing that supporters should not be expected to overlook the offense’s obvious problems simply because Denver had improved to 4-2. The fan also said that celebrating the team’s success was reasonable, but so was criticizing its offensive struggles.
However, McCaffrey had his own justification.
“Absolutely fair. Criticize the throws, the decisions, the offense. All fair game. But questioning Bo’s heart and desire to win? That’s a different story. And since when did celebrating a win become controversial? We can do both. #BroncosCountry,” McCaffrey wrote.
Several fans agreed with McCaffrey’s defense of the Broncos.
“Facts. Just shows how well coached and talented the team is. Thats what wins in the post season,” one said.
“No one is satisfied with anything anymore, a win is a win,” a fan said.
“This is the only take worth listening to! thanks Ed! Go Broncos!” another said.
However, plenty of Broncos fans remained unconvinced by McCaffrey’s defense, given the offense’s struggles against Seattle. Denver finished the game with just 168 total yards, marking the fifth time overall this season that the team had been held below 300 yards of total offense.
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“Calm down Ed. We’re all looking at the big picture here. Don’t pretend everything is all fine and dandy,” a fan said.
“The running game. Bo looks lost. But there’s no running game,” a person said.
“Nobody is asking for perfect, Ed. But 24 yards in the 2nd half? And how it happened? It has to not just be better. It has to be a lot better. Even my 9 year old commented on how hard it was to watch,” one said.
The Broncos have won four of their first six games, with their opportunistic defense playing a significant role in their success. However, relying heavily on the defense could become increasingly difficult as the schedule gets tougher.
Denver is scheduled to face the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals on October 25 before hosting the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on November 1.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.