National Football League

Broncos tab rookie QB Bo Nix as starter ahead of 2024 opener

Updated Aug. 21, 2024 3:22 p.m. ET

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday that Bo Nix, whom the club selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is the starting quarterback to begin the 2024 season. Nix beat out veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the job, making him the first Broncos rookie QB to get the Week 1 nod since John Elway in 1983.

Nix was the last of a record six quarterbacks drafted in the first round of this year's draft. He becomes the third, along with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders, to be named his team's starting QB to open the regular season.

The Broncos are coming off two disastrous seasons following a blockbuster trade for Russell Wilson in early 2022. Wilson had made nine Pro Bowls in his first 10 NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks but regressed sharply in his two seasons in Denver. The Broncos went 11-19 in his 30 starts, as Wilson recorded a 42:19 touchdown-to-interception ratio and was sacked 100 times.

Wilson was benched late last season by Payton in the latter's first year at the helm in Denver and was later released. The Broncos have not had a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning's retirement following Denver's Super Bowl win to conclude the 2015 season.

Nix is coming off a five-year college football career capped off by two seasons at Oregon, where he set a new college football single-season record with a 77.4% completion rate last year. He recorded 74 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 8,101 passing yards over his two years with the Ducks.

The Broncos open the season Sept. 8 at the Seahawks.

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