Troy Renck: Last year was Bo Nix's time. Now, the Broncos are his team. And it shows, on and off field.

DENVER — Last summer, it was Bo Nix’s time. This summer, it is Bo Nix’s team.

For a Broncos quarterback to navigate this responsibility, he must understand the magnitude of the position on and off the field.

No job in the state of Colorado has a higher profile. Every Sunday is a referendum, a job performance review from 75,000 bosses — and those are just the ones crammed into Empower Field at Mile High.

Nix demonstrates all the traits of a leader. He is one of the first in the building. He calls players when they get drafted. He organized an offseason passing camp for teammates in Idaho. But what happened during the spring revealed why Nix is so equipped for this role.

After spending his rookie season in the equivalent of a spider cave with endless film and study sessions, Nix took a break. He sought out ways to connect to the community, not for social media clicks, but because it was important to him to expand his reach, deepen his roots.

So in early March, Nix found himself seated on stage with former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese speaking to the largest donors for Judi’s House, which provides the highest quality care to grieving children and families. Griese founded the non-profit in his mother’s memory in 2002, and countless players and coaches have since spoken to this group.

Nix aced it, showing passion and thoughtfulness usually only visible to family and teammates.

“He knocked it out of the park,” Griese told The Post. “He was engaging, inspiring. To a person, the supporters said nothing but good things. I think he approached his rookie season the right way, putting his head down. There is just so much on your shoulders. Being the (Broncos quarterback) is an important role. Everybody on the team knows it. And your outcomes are public. There’s a lot of pressure. But with that pressure comes an opportunity to have a platform. He understands that.”

Nix is 25 going on 50, mature, married, focused. He loves playing quarterback. But as a man of strong faith, his life is not defined by football. He wants to make a difference beyond wins and losses.

Griese was not surprised at how well Nix resonated with the audience while talking football and life. As the 49ers quarterbacks coach, Griese interviewed Nix leading up to the 2024 draft. He saw similarities to San Francisco’s Brock Purdy with his intelligence and makeup.

“I knew how good he was not only as a player, but in his communication and approach,” Griese said.

Talk to folks inside the Broncos building, and they will tell you it is impossible to succeed as the starting quarterback here without understanding the gravity of the position. It is not life and death. But it feels as important as oxygen to breath.

The 13 who followed Peyton Manning before Nix struggled with what it means. Some just were not good enough. Others were injured. And, of course, there was the impostor Case Keenum, a miscast backup, and the high-maintenance Russell Wilson, who hit the right notes off the field, especially in visits to hospitals, but never found his fit in coach Sean Payton’s offense or the locker room.

Despite being the sixth quarterback taken in the 2024 draft, Nix is established. There are no concerns about his arm strength or his knowledge of the offense. He commands respect.

He earned it. And Jake Plummer loves that.

Few Broncos quarterbacks have inspired teammates on and off the field like the former Arizona State star. Hearing stories about Nix makes him believe his upside is boundless.

“You have to remember the main thing is to play ball. If you are not living up to expectations, everyone will let you know it. It is a lot to handle. I am excited to see how he does this season,” Plummer said. “It’s good to be ‘The Man.’ But if you have success as the Broncos quarterback, and you aren’t in the public, people will say, ‘Why doesn’t he care about the community?’

“I enjoyed the limelight. But I wasn’t pulling up with an entourage. I was coming in the back door, having a little fun and then gone before people realized I was there. It seems like he is doing stuff that fits his personality.”

The longer Nix is here, the more he is one of us. Like Colorado was the place he was meant to be.

With a nudge from quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, he became more visible in the spring, attending Nuggets and Avs games. Who he brought said a lot about him. Wife, Izzy, was always by his side, but so were backup linemen and workout partners Frank Crum and Nick Gargiulo, who found themselves in more memorable photos and scenes than Forrest Gump.

“We finally had time this offseason. It’s a great city. My wife and I love being here. Love to call it home. That’s what it feels like. It’s starting to feel more and more like home. And we are making this our place,” Nix said. “With that, I didn’t want to sit at the house all day. I wanted to get out and about and enjoy what Denver has to offer.”

Playing quarterback for the Broncos is not for the meek. It requires immense talent and elephant’s skin. And it helps, explained Plummer, if you are authentic. That’s what humanizes Nix even as his practices remain business-like and serious.

Talking with Griese that night in March showed his sincerity, the type of passion that will continue to endear him to our city.

“He is genuine and humble,” Griese said. “That goes a long way with people.”