ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the first time ever, one Denver Bronco swept the team awards granted by the Denver Chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association.
“It honestly, truly, is an honor to get recognized not just for my play, but for my character as a person,” Nik Bonitto said on Friday.
The PFWA gives out two awards to Broncos players each year.
The first is the Darrent Williams Good Guy Award, which has been given to the player that best exemplifies Williams’ enthusiasm, honesty, and cooperation with reporters.
The second is the Demaryius Thomas Team MVP Award.
Bonitto won both.
“First off, I want to appreciate you guys for voting for me for both awards,” he said. “Knowing the two guys before me that are named after the awards with Demaryius and Darrent being such high-character guys in the locker room and in Denver. They’ve held such a high standard and I’m just trying to live to that standard every day, just be here and being able to work with you guys and just being that type of guy for my teammates. It truly is a blessing, and I really do appreciate you guys.”
Members of the media in Denver submit ballots for the awards. A wide field of candidates split votes for both awards. Bonitto came out on top.
“I think the voting represented how good the team’s season has gone,” PFWA at-large member Jeff Legwold said. “They have a chance to tie the franchise record for wins in a season. So the voting reflected that. We had a lot of candidates for both awards, but this year’s winner was Nik Bonitto, for both.”
“I was kind of shocked I won the award,” Bonitto said. “I know I kind of do a good job with you guys and stuff, but I didn’t think I was even up for it or anything. That was pretty cool when they told me that.”
Bonitto joined the Broncos as a second-round draft pick before the 2022 season. After a slow start to his career, Bonitto has now earned back-to-back Pro Bowl invitations. He had 13.5 sacks in 2024. He has 12.5 sacks in 2025 with one week remaining in the regular season.
“I feel like it’s always been the same everywhere I’ve gone,” Bonitto said. “I’ve always had to work [at] every level. From high school, college, to NFL. I feel like those kind of things shape you as a person to where you always kind of want to get it out of the mud and you kind of want to do things the right way. Nothing’s ever just given to you. You always want to have to work for it and want to go out and take it. I’ve always kind of had that mentality, so I feel like it’s a reflection on just everybody in the locker room as well. Yes, I feel like that’s just how I am really.”
J.K. Dobbins may have made a run for the MVP Award, if not for his season-ending injury. A month away from the field may have hurt Pat Surtain II, too. The quarterback, Bo Nix, is almost always in the conversation for Team MVP when the team is good, but he wasn’t able to beat out Bonitto.
As for the Good Guy Award, any number of Broncos could have been worthy of winning.
“It’s one of the best locker rooms I’ve been around,” Bonitto said. “Like obviously, it’s easy on the field when we can love and play for each other the way we do defensively, but when we’re able to just hang out the way we do, have so many good guys in the locker room that just actually care for one another and are always there, I feel like it’s just a special thing. There’s not that many locker rooms like that around the league. I’m blessed to be a part of this for sure.”