‘I want to be able to prove Denver right’: OLB Nik Bonitto’s… read more
Nik Bonitto’s Pro Bowl Selection a Dream Come True
For outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, being selected to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games was a surreal moment. When he received the news via a phone call from General Manager George Paton, Bonitto couldn’t quite believe it. “I still didn’t kind of believe it,” he said. “I [was] like, [I’ve] got to see it officially for me to actually believe it.”
The NFL officially announced the 2025 Pro Bowl Games rosters on Thursday morning, and Bonitto was named an AFC starter alongside cornerback Pat Surtain II and return specialist Marvin Mims Jr. This honor is not only a testament to Bonitto’s hard work and dedication but also a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Growing up, Bonitto would watch the Pro Bowl and imagine himself playing alongside the best of the best. Now, that dream has become a reality. “Just being able to watch [the Pro Bowl] all the time as a kid, and trying to envision myself one day being there, for it to be a reality now, this is just a dream come true,” Bonitto said.
Bonitto’s confidence in his abilities has always been evident, but this season has seen him take his game to new heights. After being drafted 64th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Bonitto started just five games in his first two seasons. However, this season has been a breakout year for the third-year player, who has started every game for Denver since Week 3.
Bonitto’s impressive performance has earned him a spot among the league’s best at his position. He has recorded career highs in every category, including a team-leading 11.5 sacks. This achievement has made him the first Denver defender with at least 10 sacks in a season since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018.
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph has been impressed with Bonitto’s growth and development. “It’s fun to watch Nik be a Pro Bowler,” Joseph said. “He was a young guy last year with great talent who wasn’t this last year. So, he’s that now, and that’s even more fun for me to watch guys improve and become Pro Bowlers.”
Bonitto’s impact on the field has been significant, with two highlight-worthy defensive touchdowns this season. His 71-yard pick six in Week 13 against Cleveland marked the first interception and first defensive score of his career. Just 13 days later, he became the second defender in franchise history to record defensive touchdowns in back-to-back games.
Surtain has been impressed with Bonitto’s tenacity and work ethic. “He’s just tenacious,” Surtain said. “He made a huge jump from last year. So, a player with his pedigree, coming off the edge, creating sacks, creating strip-sacks, it just goes to show you the type of work ethic he has to get to the quarterback each and every play.”
Bonitto has played a significant role in Denver’s league-leading 58 sacks this season, a franchise record. However, he has been quick to credit the play of those around him for the unit’s success. “It’s really amazing just knowing the type of guys that we have, not only in the edge room but in the D-tackle room,” Bonitto said.
As the team looks to earn its 10th win in Week 18, Bonitto will aim to help bring the franchise its first postseason berth since 2015. “The way it worked out, and [Paton] having that confidence in me as a player, it means the world,” Bonitto said. “Hats off to him for bringing me here and giving me confidence to play here.”
