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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