Following is a list of Broncos starting quarterbacks that started at least one game at some point or another after the Peyton Manning ERA. Manning threw his final pass on February 7th, 2016 in Super Bowl 50 at age 39 in a 24-10 victory. Don’t be alarmed by the list you’re about to see with their record in parentheses.

Bo Nix was a QB worth watching as an Oregon Ducks fan. Now, I remember watching him play at the college level and saw how he carried himself on and off the field with so much poise and maturity. I would just hope that one day Nix could be the Broncos franchise QB.

The Broncos always needed a QB that commanded not just a huddle on the field, but a locker room as well. I always got the sense that he was exactly that type of player by the way he conducted himself. Nix dealt with adversity considering he transferred from Auburn to Oregon due to some inconsistency. The Auburn Tigers were also headed in a different trajectory compared to where the Oregon Ducks were headed at the time Nix decided to make the transfer.

Bo Nix left Auburn and transferred to Oregon, joining forces with, at the time, new head coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, where he felt he had the coaching to succeed and build a connection. The transfer to Oregon really paid off in terms of improving his draft stock and refining his skills to play the quarterback position in the NFL.

There were questions leading up to the NFL draft of his ability to make the NFL throws, because of a good portion of Nix throws at the college level were behind the line of scrimmage, which had to do more with how Oregon operated their offensive scheme. In his last season with Oregon, Bo set the single season NCAAF record for completion percentage at 77.45 %, which was previously held by former Alabama QB Mac Jones, who is now the Niners backup QB. Bo’s stats in his final season before entering the draft were 4,508 passing yards, 45 TDs, and 3 INTs.

Bo Nix carried all the intangibles that Sean Payton looks for in a QB. From having the high football IQ, the quick processor, to being an accurate passer, not taking many sacks or turning the ball over, but, most importantly, his leadership qualities and passion for the game. Due to having these intangibles Nix quickly received comparisons to future Hall of Famer and Saints former QB Drew Brees. Nix was deemed a perfect fit for Sean Payton and this Broncos offense which wasn’t much of a “secret” that Sean was hoping to be kept throughout the NFL league.

After hearing NFL analysts make these comparisons and watching Kay Adams on her show “Up & Adams” speaking her thoughts on how Denver would be a good spot for Bo, all this had me feeling like Lloyd Christmas in the movie “Dumb and Dumber” in the scene where he says, “So you’re telling me there is a chance.” My hopes were sky high leading up to the draft and I felt as though it was destiny.

On April 25th, 2024, the NFL Draft is where it all began for the Denver Broncos in what I like to call a “New Era.” Hearing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell make the announcement, “With the 12th pick in the NFL Draft the Denver Broncos select QB Bo Nix, Oregon” felt so surreal as a Broncos fan. Some may have felt the Broncos reached on drafting Bo, but the Broncos organization couldn’t have cared less because they got their QB they had targeted throughout the whole process. On top of Nix getting drafted to the Broncos on draft night, Sean Payton managed to finesse the Vikings into trading up to draft JJ McCarthy. Sean Payton stated in a press conference shortly after day 1 of the draft, “I was actively involved in trying to pretend we were moving forward,” which added some humor to what was a special night for Broncos Country.

Throughout minicamp and training camp Nix wasn’t just handed the keys to the franchise as Caleb Williams was for the Chicago Bears. Nix earned every snap in practice, continuously progressing and turning heads on the practice field with some of the veterans and earning the locker room’s respect. Nix started off in a QB competition between the 3 quarterbacks of Zach Wilson, incumbent starter Jarrett Stidham, and Nix himself. During the preseason Nix commanded the offense and led 6 scoring drives, which, if you look back to previous seasons to how QBs performed preseason, was rather impressive, especially for a rookie QB.

On August 21st, 2024, Sean Payton finally named Nix the starter, essentially giving Nix the keys to the franchise. This marked the 1st time a rookie was named the week one starter since Hall of Famer John Elway was a rookie in 1983. Along with being named the starter, Bo as a rookie received the honor of being voted team captain, which hadn’t been accomplished since Hall of Famer Floyd Little held the title as a rookie in 1967.

To start his rookie campaign Nix didn’t necessarily get off to the start he hoped for, starting out the season with 4 INTs in his first two starts. He didn’t record his 1st touchdown pass until week 4 on the road against the New York Jets in a game where he faced inclement weather. As the quarterback of this organization his confidence never wavered, and as the season progressed he would settle in showing growth at the position.

Bo is definitely a “lead by example” type of leader. During losses he demonstrated confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back and would take accountability for his mistakes made during games. Teammates gravitated toward Bo with the way he would carry himself with such maturity, but also the amount of effort he put into his preparation for games. Players will respect and follow someone who leads by example.

Bo had a competitive edge to him that showed up during games. A video surfaced with Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson jawing at Bo while he jawed right back. I mean, Bo Nix and Sean Payton had gotten into a heated exchange on the sideline in week 5 during the Raiders game due to a sequence of events the Broncos coach wasn’t pleased with. After that game the two made light of the situation and moved forward. It was actually a positive for Bo, because coach Payton previously had stated that he wants a quarterback that has a competitive edge to them.

I know many people doubted the arm talent and were also unaware of Bo’s mobility. Bo managed to show he was capable of making the big time NFL throws like the 93-yard touchdown pass that was timed just right getting the pass over the defensive back in the Monday Night Football game vs Cleveland. According to statemuse.com, Bo ranked 6th amongst all quarterbacks in throwing passes 20+ yards or more. As for his mobility, he rushed for 430 yards and scored 4 rushing touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

Bo definitely elevated that Broncos offense and the players around him. He didn’t have the privilege of having the number of playmakers some of the rookie quarterbacks had at their disposal. The tight end and running back room definitely left a lot to be desired with the lack of talent production on the season. The Broncos during the season averaged 112 ypg, ranking 16th—in some of those games Bo was the leading rusher. As for the wide receiver room, it was fairly young with rookies Troy Franklin and Devaugh Vele being drafted along with Bo. Courtland Sutton proved to be Bo’s security blanket, while Marvin Mims Jr. came on strong the second half, being another weapon at Bo’s disposal. The Broncos did have the second-best offensive line according to PFF’s rankings after previously being ranked 7th in 2023 on their website.

One thing I should point out is that sacks are a quarterback stat because it has to do with the quarterback maneuvering in the pocket to avoid pressure, the ability to go through the progressions and make their reads and release the football quickly. All of these are skills in which Bo Nix thrives as a quarterback and will only continue to get better at. Bo managed to only be sacked 24 times the whole season, which is amazing for a rookie quarterback. The previous season, former Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked 45 times because he would hold too long and take unnecessary sacks instead of getting rid of the football, which was in large part why coach Payton moved on from Wilson.

Bo’s growth as the season progressed reflected in the stat sheet, to the point he was involved in Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY) discussions. At the end of the season, Jayden Daniels would earn OROY honors, but despite Daniels winning the award, Bo earned a few accolades of his own. He won Offensive Rookie of the Week 3x, and in week 18 won both Offensive Player of the Week and Fed Ex Air Player of the game. Along with the stats and awards to show his growth, improvements on his footwork, ability to read defenses, and commanding the offense were noticeable.

There were definitely key moments Bo had during the season that showed he could be a factor in big games, my favorite being—despite the end result—his ability to lead the Broncos offense down the field in what could be a potential game winning drive in Arrowhead, one of the loudest NFL stadiums. Another key moment was Bo Nix going toe-to-toe with Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ high-powered offense, in which he forced overtime by throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass between two defenders. Eventually the Broncos went on to lose that game 31-24. As a rookie quarterback in those key moments, regardless of the end result, he demonstrated so much poise and confidence, proving to have that “It Factor.”

Bo Nix was a major upgrade over the previous quarterbacks the Broncos held at the position throughout the years prior. Bo was one of two rookie quarterbacks to lead their respective teams into the postseason, the other being Jayden Daniels. It was nice to play meaningful football late into the season and get into the postseason. He led the Broncos to a (10-7) record, the organization’s first winning season since 2016 and their first playoff berth since 2015. The Broncos were able to see how their team measured up in the Wild Card game against the Bills. They are obviously a contender, and that allowed them to see where they could really improve on to take that next step forward.

Bo finished the season with 34 total touchdowns, placing him 3rd all-time on the single season record for rookie quarterbacks in history.

Bo Nix’s 2024 Season Stats– 3,775 YDs, 29 TDs, 12 INTs, 66.3 CMP %

Bo has already made Denver a destination again for players around the league to come. The Broncos have already made waves in the off-season with their new additions in TE Evan Engram, ILB Dre Greenlaw and Safety Talanoa Hufanga. With the draft on the horizon, I think GM George Paton and HC Sean Payton will also have Bo’s best interest in mind by surrounding him with talent to thrive going into year two.

Final Thoughts: The Broncos organization gave Bo Nix a vote of confidence at season’s end. For the first time going into an offseason the quarterback position won’t be the topic of discussion. Bo Nix has arrived, breaking the QB carousel. It is a new era in Denver. GO BRONCOS!

Stats & Information provided by: ESPN.com, statmuse.com, NFL.com, PFF.com

Photo Credit; Newsday, The 33rd Team, Broncos Wire, NFL.com, Predominantly Orange, Ducks Wire