John Elway discusses Denver Broncos naming Bo Nix their starting QB

Travis Wakeman

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John Elway discusses Denver Broncos naming Bo Nix their starting QB image

When Bo Nix opens the season as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, he will be the first rookie to do so since 1983. The quarterback that year was none other than John Elway. 

So who better to ask about the news that broke Wednesday than Elway himself, who just happened to be a short drive away from the Broncos' training facility competing in the BMW Championship pro-am at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado. 

Elway, playing in a pairing that includes country musician Luke Bryan, had these thoughts on Nix being named the starter:

Elway was of course the No. 1 overall pick of the 1983 draft, traded to the Broncos after refusing to play for the team that selected him, the Baltimore Colts. Elway saw his ups and downs as a rookie but finished his career as one of the best to ever play the game. 

John Elway feels experience will be a key factor for Bo Nix

The amount of NCAA starts that Nix made, 61, a record, cannot be overlooked. It was a key factor in the team drafting him and is a big part of why he is ready to take the starting job in Week 1. 

Tommy Maddox, Jay Cutler, Tim Tebow and Paxton Lynch were quarterbacks all drafted by the Broncos in the first round after Elway. None of them started in Week 1 of their rookie seasons; frankly, none were in line to do so. 

This decision can potentially be the moment the Broncos completely turned the franchise around. Nix has been given the keys to make that move happen and several key figures, including Elway, seem to have a lot of confidence that the move is the right one. 

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Travis Wakeman

Travis Wakeman Photo

Travis Wakeman has been covering the NFL since 2012 when he started with Bleacher Report. After reporting about the Broncos there until 2016, he joined the FanSided network as a site expert covering the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers while simultaneously covering the Broncos at Broncos Wire when that site launched. He then took over the Broncos site at FanSided in March 2020 and covered the team there until spring of 2024. A lifelong Broncos fan and fan of the game, Travis is filled with sometimes useless NFL knowledge, but it always serves him well in any trivia contest. You can follow him on Twitter/X @traviswakeman10.