Denver Broncos have named rookie Bo Nix as their starting quarter-back into the regular season.
Head coach Sean Payton announced Nix as QB on Wednesday after speaking in glowing terms about the 24-year-old since making him the No12 overall pick.
“Bo Nix is gonna be our starting quarterback,” Payton said. “I felt like, and I said this to you guys two weeks ago, you know, that room has been outstanding. (Jarrett) Stidham, certainly with his experience, and then being able to work with Zach Wilson, all three of those guys. We’ve got some tough decisions as we get into the roster.”
Nix will make history in becoming the first Denver rookie to start the season since John Elway in 1983.
“Obviously, that’s great to share with such a great player like John Elway,” Nix told reporters. “Doesn’t matter when your first start is.
“Doesn’t matter if you have to wait or you go right now, you just want to go out there and get the win, and ultimately compete at a high level. … So that’s what my goal is at the beginning is just to give our team the best chance to win games.”
Payton announced the decision with little fanfare, telling Nix and Jarrett Stidham before Wednesday’s practice, insisting: “We didn’t have cake and candles”.
HC Sean Payton really did break the starting QB news to the service members first 😅
An inside 👀 at our 2024 @USAA #SaluteToService bootcamp: pic.twitter.com/dQEERe5Ms1
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 22, 2024
Payton also added he had not formally told the rest of the team, including in the post-practice huddle.
“We’re not in a hurry to arrive at those type of decisions, we want to see it,” Payton said. “… He’s been outstanding. Obviously there’s a ton of room for growth, a lot of things he needs to work on … but there is a maturity level with him.”
