2024: Bonitto earned Associated Press second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career after appearing in 17 games (15 starts)... Tallied career highs with 48 tackles (33 solo) and 13.5 sacks (88.5 yds.) along with 24 quarterback hits, one interception (71 yds., 1 TD), four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery (50 yds., 1 TD)... Became the sixth Broncos edge rusher to be named All-Pro by the Associated Press and the first since OLB Von Miller in 2018... Made his first start of the season and logged two solo tackles and one pass defensed, including sacking Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield to force a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter at T.B. (9/22)... Recorded a sack for the second straight week when he dropped Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (10 yards) to force a punt at NYJ (9/29)... Tallied at least one sack in his third consecutive week when sacking Raiders QB Gardner Minshew for six yards to force a Las Vegas punt vs. L.V. (10/6)... Sacked Chargers QB Justin Herbert (8 yds) vs. LAC (10/13), his fourth consecutive game with a sack... Recorded fifth consecutive game with a sack, totaling three tackles (1 solo) and one sack (9 yds.) of Saints QB Spencer Rattler at N.O. (10/17)... Tallied three tackles (1 solo) and one sack (6 yds.) of Panthers QB Bryce Young vs. Car. (10/27), marking his sixth consecutive game with at least one sack... Became the first Bronco since OLB Von Miller to record at least one sack in six consecutive games, tying for the third-longest streak in franchise history (since at least 1982)... Tallied three solo tackles and three quarterback hits, including a sack of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (9 yds.) at K.C. (11/10)... Registered seven tackles (4 solo) and his first multi-sack game of the season, dropping Falcons QB Kirk Cousins twice for seven yds. vs. Atl. (11/17)... Recorded a new career high in single season sacks (9) after the Falcons game... Tallied three tackles (3 solo) and a strip sack (8 yds.) of Raiders QB Desmond Ridder at L.V. (11/25), bringing his season total to 10.0 quarterback takedowns... Became the first Bronco since OLB Bradley Chubb and OLB Von Miller in 2018 to record double-digit sacks in a season... Recorded one sack of Browns QB Jameis Winston (14 yds.) along with his first-career interception and interception return touchdown, taking a pick-six back 71 yards vs. Cle. (12/2)... The pick-six marked the third longest interception return touchdown by a Broncos linebacker since Pro Football Hall of Fame LB Randy Gradishar (93 yds. at Cle., 10/5)... Tallied five tackles (3 solo) and a half sack (2.5 yds.) while forcing one fumble on a backwards pass and returning it 50 yds. for a defensive touchdown vs. Ind. (12/15)... Became the second Bronco in team history--and first since Broncos Ring of Fame DB Billy Thompson in 1973--to record a defensive score in back-to-back games... Tallied three tackles (3 solo) and 2.0 sacks (9 yds.) vs. K.C. (1/5)... Became the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 13 sacks and two defensive touchdowns in a season (first since former NFL DE J.J. Watt in 2014)... Recorded the third-most sacks in the NFL in 2024... In first career postseason game, recorded four tackles (2 solo) and one quarterback hit at Buf. (1/12) in the AFC Wild Card Playoff.
2023: Bonitto made 15 appearances (4 starts), recording career highs in tackles (30), sacks (8), sack yards (57.5), passes defensed (2) and also forced one fumble... Recorded his first sack of the season vs. Was. (9/17), bringing down Commanders QB Sam Howell for an eight-yard loss... Made a career-high six tackles (4 solo) along with two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit at Mia. (9/24)... Set a career-high 2.5 sacks (25 yds.)—including a strip sack on Bears QB Justin Fields that was recovered by OLB Jonathon Cooper for a game-tying score—and made four tackles (3 solo) in the 21-point comeback win at Chi. (10/1)... His strip sack caused the first Broncos' scoop-and-score since S Kareem Jackson's score at Hou. (12/8) in 2019... Totaled 2.0 sacks (10 yds.) along with two solo tackles vs. NYJ (10/8)... Became the first Bronco since OLB Malik Reed in 2020 to record at least 2.0 sacks in back-to-back games... Picked up his first career pass defensed while also registering four quarterback hurries in the win vs. K.C. (10/29)... Batted down one pass, notched 1.5 sacks (6.5 yds.) and also helped DE Zach Allen record a safety in the win vs. Cle. (11/26)... Sacked Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell for an eight-yard loss at L.V. (1/7).
2022: Bonitto appeared in 15 games (1 start) with the Broncos after being drafted in the second round (64th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, recording 13 tackles (5 solo), 1.5 sacks (13.5 yds.) and one forced fumble... Made his first career tackle in his NFL debut vs. S.F. (9/25)... Tallied his first career sack vs. NYJ (10/23), bringing down Jets QB Zach Wilson with the help of DL Mike Purcell... Tallied his first strip sack on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence and added two solo tackles at Jac. (10/30)... Made his first career start at K.C. (1/1).
COLLEGE: Bonitto totaled 117 tackles (68 solo), 18.5 sacks (119 yds.), one interception, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries during his career at Oklahoma... Awarded All-Big 12 second team honors after starting all 12 games played in 2021, recording 39 tackles (23 solo) seven sacks (39 yds.), one pass defensed, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries... Was a PFF first team selection and was a second-team Associated Press All American as a junior when he registered 32 tackles (18 solo), eight sacks (44 yds.), and two passes defensed in 10 games played (all starts)... Appeared in all 14 games as a sophomore, starting the final eight... Totaled 43 tackles (25 solo), 3.5 sacks (36 yds.), one interception and four passes defensed.
PERSONAL: Bonitto attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he recorded over 140 tackles during his high school career to go along with 17 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries... Touted as ESPN's No. 197 overall recruit in the country and the seventh ranked outside linebacker... Named an Under Armour All-American... Majored in communication at Oklahoma... Nik Bonitto (pronounced: bo-NEE-toe) was born on Sept. 26, 1999, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 5/12/22.
