Bo Nix will officially do something no Broncos QB has done since John Elway

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has officially named rookie Bo Nix his starting quarterback for the 2024 season. Broncos Country has been elated with the initial returns on the investment of Nix, a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Nix was the 12th overall pick in the draft, but the sixth quarterback selected in the class.

It's safe to say Nix was a polarizing prospect coming out of Oregon with critics and pundits disliking his NFL projection for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he'll be 24 as a rookie, the offense he played at Oregon, and his overall arm talent.

So far, Nix has passed every test with flying colors. The Broncos went on a journey from Point A to Point B in terms of selecting Nix in round one and eventually naming him the starter, but they stuck to their process and haven't exactly hidden their excitement in between.

Denver Broncos name Bo Nix starting quarterback for 2024

To say the Broncos don't have the richest history of drafting quarterbacks could be considered an understatement. Because the Broncos didn't technically draft John Elway, Bo Nix has a chance to accomplish a lot of "firsts" in Broncos history. But we now know he will undoubtedly be doing at least one thing for the very first time since Elway in 1983.

Nix will be the first rookie quarterback to make a Week 1 start for the Broncos in over 40 years. Jay Cutler didn't start Week 1. Tim Tebow didn't start Week 1. Paxton Lynch certainly didn't start Week 1. Drew Lock didn't do it. Brock Osweiler obviously didn't do it.

Even though this statistic may not seem all that crazy, it certainly feels like a good omen for Nix, if nothing else. The fact that there hasn't been a single Week 1 rookie starter for the Broncos at the quarterback position since 1983 is really something. Some NFL teams might even just accidentally have that happen over time.

But not the Denver Broncos. This team's history at the quarterback position has been defined by John Elway and a host of "retread" quarterbacks which includes guys like Craig Morton, Jake Plummer, and the great Peyton Manning.

Most Broncos fans have no clue what it's like to see a franchise quarterback develop from the ground up. Some of you reading this were there for Elway's origin story, but these are uncharted waters for many in the fan base. And even if it's based on a technicality, Nix is the first first-round quarterback in team history to start Week 1 after being drafted by the team.

History is already being made by Nix, and hopefully it's just a sign of things to come.