Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix delivered one of his most revealing quotes of the season on December 17, crediting the fan base for giving him space to struggle early, and then respond.
Nix said Broncos Country “allowed me to fail and then get back to success,” framing his second NFL season as a “roller coaster” that’s now trending in the right direction as Denver heads into a huge Week 16 matchup vs. the
Jacksonville Jaguars on December 21 at Empower Field at Mile High.
Nix also described the moment as playoff-like, saying every game now “has a lot of importance,” which is exactly the kind of quote that lands when the Broncos are sitting at 12-2 and playing to lock down postseason positioning.
Bo Nix Explains Why “Failure” Can Be Tougher Than Success
Nix’s most poignant moment came when he contrasted the emotional grind of success with the public pressure that comes with being stuck in a slump.
He said success can come with proof. You’ve “already been able to do it.” Failure, he explained, comes with noise: people “saying things,” questioning you, and framing it like you’re “in a tough spot.”
And then he dropped the core line: it’s “tougher to be at the bottom and get back on track.”
For a young quarterback, it’s a clean window into how he’s viewing the season, not as a smooth rise, but as a series of highs and lows he’s learning to manage in real time.
What It Means for Denver Right Now vs. Jacksonville
Nix’s “allowed me to fail” quote also landed because he immediately tied it to home-field energy and the stakes of what Denver is chasing.
He called the environment “one of the best atmospheres in the entire country,” and said the Broncos are “starting to really play” like each week is a postseason game.
That matters heading into Week 16 against a Jaguars team that’s being framed locally as opportunistic and turnover-driven, exactly the kind of opponent that can flip a “playoff game” with one mistake.
The schedule sets the stage: Jaguars at Broncos on Dec. 21 at Empower Field at Mile High.
And even while Nix tried to keep the focus steady, the context is unavoidable: Denver’s run has turned this into one of the most consequential late-season games the franchise has played in years.
Broncos Country, the “Roller Coaster,” and Getting Back to Denver’s “Heyday”
Nix didn’t just praise the crowd, he described a relationship.
He said the fan base has been “extremely supportive,” and he framed that support as permission to grow: permission to fail, bounce back, and also learn how to handle success when it comes.
He even went bigger-picture, saying it feels like Denver is “getting it back to what it was… back in its heyday,” and that it’s returning to what it “should be.”
That’s the emotional hook Heavy readers click: a young quarterback basically telling the city, I know what this place is supposed to feel like, and we’re building it back.
With a game this big on deck, Nix’s quote is less about one press conference answer and more about a storyline: early turbulence, external doubt, and a quarterback saying the climb back is the hardest part, and they’re doing it together
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Wednesday night the Pittsburgh Steelers “are set to sign” edge rusher Jeremiah Moon off the Carolina Panthers practice squad.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted four edge rushers for visits Wednesday. The team then elected to sign an edge rusher already on an NFL practice squad — Carolina Panthers’ Jeremiah Moon.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported the Steelers “are set to sign” Moon from the Panthers practice squad. To do so, the Steelers must ink Moon directly to their active roster.
Doing that will bring Moon back to Pittsburgh for the first time since training camp. The edge rusher has also previously played for the Baltimore Ravens.
The #Steelers are set to sign linebacker Jeremiah Moon off of the #Panthers practice squad, sources tell @CBSSports.
Before making the move to Carolina, Moon spent time with both Pittsburgh and the Ravens. Played in 13 games for the Steelers last year.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac confirmed the report on social media Thursday morning.
The Steelers are signing OLB Jeremiah Moon from the Carolina Panthers practice squad and putting him on their active roster b/c of injuries to T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig.
This season, Moon played one game for the Panthers. He was a practice squad elevation during Week 9.
Moon didn’t receive a snap on defense in the contest, but he played six special teams snaps.
Steelers Signing LB Jeremiah Moon: Report
The Steelers were in the edge rusher market this week with questions surrounding both T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig.
Neither Watt nor Herbig practiced Wednesday. Watt remained sidelined after needing surgery last Thursday because of a partially collapsed lung. Herbig suffered a hamstring injury Monday night against the Miami Dolphins.
If Watt and Herbig both don’t play Sunday versus the Detroit Lions, the Steelers will be down to only Alex Highsmith and Jack Sawyer as their healthy edge rushers on the active roster.
With Moon, the Steelers are bringing back an edge rusher they are very familiar with from the past two years.
After going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, Moon signed with the Ravens. The 27-year-old made his NFL debut with Baltimore during the 2023 season.
Following the 2023 campaign, the Ravens waived Moon. A few weeks later, the Steelers claimed the edge rusher.
In 2024, Moon posted nine combined tackles during 13 games for Pittsburgh. Moon has played in more contests for the Steelers than any other NFL team combined.
The edge rusher returned on the Steelers offseason roster this past summer. The team waived him because of an injury before the first preseason game.
Steelers’ Other Edge Rushing Depth Options
Watt and Herbig have combined to post 13.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and 35 quarterback hits this season. Being without both in Week 16 will be a significant loss for the Steelers.
But it could be worse. The Steelers posted four sacks versus the Dolphins without Watt. Herbig also played only about half of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps in the contest because of his hamstring injury.
Highsmith is a high-quality edge rusher in his own right. In 10 games this season, he owns 6.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits.
Either Sawyer or Moon will likely start opposite Highsmith on Sunday if both Watt and Herbig can’t play.
The Steelers could also turn to former third-round pick DeMarvin Leal. As a Day 2 selection for Pittsburgh in 2022, Leal has been a disappointment in his career. But this season, he’s provided depth from the practice squad.
In Week 15, Leal played as a practice squad elevation. Over four games this season, Leal has two combined tackles while playing 20 defensive snaps and 10 snaps on special teams.
Outside linebacker Julius Welschof is another edge rusher available on the Steelers practice squad.
