Updated Aug. 18, 2026, 1:28 p.m. MT
The Denver Broncos had their first notable fight of training camp on Tuesday. A few plays after quarterback Bo Nix was taken to the ground, he threw an interception, and a “melee” started after the play. Reporters at practice tweeted that Nix pulled outside linebacker Nik Bonitto by his leg to drag him off a pile, and teammates held the QB back. Offensive lineman Calvin Trockmorton left practice with a bloody face after the fight. Sean Payton, Denver’s head coach, was not scheduled to speak to the media after Tuesday’s practice.
Instead, the team’s coordinators spoke, starting with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. “You can’t cross the line, that’s against the rules,” Joseph said after practice.
“So, [in] practice, games, when we’re playing our style of football, it’s aggressive, it’s downhill, but we can’t ever cross the line and hurt our team.”
Joseph was asked about Nix being taken to the ground, and the coordinator emphasized that defenders are not supposed to make contact with the QB during practice. “Coach Payton talks about how to practice from Day 1,” Joseph said. “We all know on defense to avoid the quarterback, right? It gets competitive, obviously, and guys are rushing to win the down, and sometimes they get too close.
We simply remind them: Bo’s our quarterback, and we don’t want anyone near Bo.”
When asked about the incident after practice, Nix had a somewhat unexpected response. “I love it,” Nix said. “It’s football.
It’s getting me ready for the games coming up.”
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Nix is set to make his 2026 preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers on Friday evening. Hitting the QB will be allowed on Friday, a night that will mark Nix’s first live-game action since he broke his ankle in January.
Broncos fans will hope to see him bounce right back up as he did at Tuesday’s practice. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
