One of the biggest news stories this week surrounding the Denver Broncos has been the sideline spat between quarterback Bo Nix and head coach Sean Payton after a potential touchdown pass on Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
On ESPN’s First Take, former Bronco and current Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe reacted to the sideline shouting match between the two on Monday.
“Here’s the thing… my therapist used to say if you’re speaking Mandarin Chinese, and (your spouse) is speaking Spanish, y’all not on the same level, you’re not communicating,” said Sharpe. “You have to understand you can’t coach everybody, you gotta treat everybody fair, but you can’t treat everyone the same.
“When you’re in the NFL, Bo Nix is a grown man. He’s 24 years old,” said Sharpe. “Some men have wives, they have kids, they’re not going to let you talk to them less than.”
Sharpe then gave some advice for the 61-year old Payton: “Sean, just be careful. I understand that you’re a fiery coach, you just want to get your point across, but everybody’s not going to be receptive to your style of coaching and you just need to understand that.”
After the game, Nix and Payton seemed to bury the hatchet, with each man explaining their passion. Earlier this week, Nix even embraced the Ferris Bueller moniker that Payton had dubbed him with.
You can watch the four-minute First Take interview with Shannon Sharpe below, or on ESPN’s official YouTube page.
For what it’s worth, Nix’s reaction was exactly the kind of reaction that future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees has recommended:
Drew Brees appeared on @TheHerd last week and gave some advice to Bo Nix. It played out exactly as Drew said in the #Broncos win over the #Raiders. #BroncosCountry @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/HhtpTk6mdH
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) October 8, 2024
And Payton has said he loved Nix’s reaction on the sideline. So there’s no lingering beef between the coach and QB. In fact, that exchange and the resulting teasing might have drawn them even closer. So take Sharpe’s take with a grain of salt.
