Tag: John Elway

Bo Nix made Broncos history on ‘Thursday Night Football’

Bo Nix has tied John Elway and Drew Lock for the most wins by a Broncos rookie QB, and he now holds the team’s rookie completion record.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a historic night against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7.

After going 16-of-26 passing for 164 yards in a 33-10 win, Nix has now set the record for most completions (137) by a rookie quarterback in franchise history, breaking a record that was previously held by John Elway (123).

Nix’s four wins this season are also tied with Elway and Drew Lock for the most victories by a rookie QB in franchise history.

“It means a lot,” Nix said after the game. “You’re talking about one of the greats to ever do it at our organization. It means a lot. You’re in great company. I am not finished; we have a lot in front of us, so I definitely don’t want to stop there. We are going to continue to get better as a team. I am going to continue to grow and learn as a player. Hopefully, we will continue to have wins like this.”

Nix also rushed for 75 yards against the Saints, the sixth-most by a quarterback in a single game in Broncos history. Through seven games, Nix has 255 yards on the ground, the second-most by a rookie quarterback in franchise history and seventh-most overall by a QB in Denver’s history.

Nix has plenty of room for improvement, but there’s reason for optimism in Broncos Country after the rookie QB’s first seven games in the NFL.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix rocked a John Elway jersey after beating Raiders

“It was a great day to kind of pay tribute to those that came before you,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said of wearing a throwback John Elway jersey.

The Denver Broncos wore their 1977-inspired throwback jerseys against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and welcomed more than 120 former players back to Empower Field at Mile as part of their Alumni Weekend.

Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix got into the throwback spirit by reporting to the game wearing a throwback John Elway jersey. He also rocked the jersey during his post-game press conference following a 34-18 win.

“Growing up, he was my dad’s favorite quarterback,” Nix said of Elway after the game. “Being a Bronco now with everything that he’s done to lay this foundation for the guys that come after him and can play quarterback at a high level. With my dad, that history with him being my dad’s favorite player. It’s just two guys that have put me in a situation to go out there and succeed. It was a great day to kind of pay tribute to those that came before you. [I] had it in the closet and wanted to put it to use.”

Denver’s throwback gear is wildly popular among fans and Elway’s throwback jersey is always a top seller. It seems that Nix and his father, Patrick Nix, are also big fans of the Hall of Fame quarterback. Nix is a perfect fit in Broncos Country.

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Bo Nix reports to Broncos game wearing a throwback John Elway jersey

Bo Nix arrived for the Broncos’ game wearing a throwback John Elway jersey.

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos are ready to throwback to 1977 when they host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.

The Broncos will wear their 1977-inspired throwback uniform against the Raiders on Sunday. Nix reported to Empower Field at Mile High wearing a throwback No. 7 John Elway jersey.

Technically, Craig Morton was the No. 7 quarterback who helped Denver reach its first Super Bowl in 1977, but Nix has the right idea with the throwback.

“I think they’re awesome,” Nix said when asked about the throwback uniform last week. “I think any time you can pay a little tribute to former teams that have come before you and have kind of laid the foundation for the opportunity that you have, I think that’s really important.

It’s fun to wear throwbacks. I think that’s always a neat thing that teams are able to do, and ours are pretty cool.”

Broncos safety Brandon Jones wore a throwback Steve Atwater jersey:

Star cornerback Pat Surtain wore a throwback jacket:

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox and in-market fans can stream the game on fuboTV (try it free). The Broncos are considered favorites at home this week.

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WATCH: Bills’ HOF quarterback Jim Kelly ranks ’90s QBs

WATCH: Bills’ HOF quarterback Jim Kelly ranks ’90s QBs

Buffalo Bills legend and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly joined the ‘Centered on Buffalo’ podcast recently to discuss quarterbacks in the 1990s.

Former Bills Pro Bowl center Eric Wood, the podcast host, asked Kelly to rank four ’90s QBs in order: Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Steve Young, and John Elway.

It’s difficult to answer, but who better to pose the question to than Kelly? We’re talking about the conductor of the “K-Gun” no-huddle offense which led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances in the early ’90s.

Kelly knows these quarterbacks well, especially Marino. Kelly’s Bills went head-to-head with Marino’s Miami Dolphins in 18 regular-season games and three playoff games.

See Kelly’s full response below:

Broncos legend John Elway appears on ‘The Masked Singer’

It’s John Elway!

The television show, The Masked Singer has been a hit since 2019. The concept of the show is to have a panelist guess who is singing behind a mask, with often it being a complete surprise.

Denver Broncos legend John Elway decided to help kick off season 12 of the show with a bang, appearing as Leaf Sheep while singing “I Like It, I Love It” by Tim McGraw. While Elway was a masked singer, it took the panel a while to catch on.

“Everyone but Ora guessed a former NFL star: Robin Thicke picked Troy Aikman, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Tom Brady, and Jeong chose John Elway,” Lauren Huff wrote on Entertainment Weekly. “Ora had the distinct honor of having the worst guess of the night — she chose Billy Bob Thornton — but given that she’s British and therefore doesn’t have American football, perhaps she gets a pass.”

Check out Elway singing his heart out below!

Elway is not the first former Broncos to appear on the show. Super Bowl 50 champion DeMarcus Ware has also performed on The Masked Singer.

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Comparing Bo Nix’s first-game stats to other NFL quarterbacks

Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut. So did John Elway, Peyton Manning and Caleb Williams. Let’s give him time to develop.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut last week, as rookie often do.

It’s rare for a rookie quarterback to have instant success in the NFL, but it does happen on occasion. C. J. Stroud had a brilliant rookie campaign last fall, and that has skewed expectations for rookie QBs in this year’s class, including Nix.

Nix was not alone in his Week 1 struggles, though. Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in April, had a worse completion rate and did not score a touchdown in his pro debut. Jayden Daniels posted better numbers than Nix and Williams in most categories, but he only attempted three passes beyond 10 yards on Sunday.

And as Broncos fans might recall, John Elway also struggled in his NFL debut. Peyton Manning threw three interceptions in his first NFL start, and his rookie interceptions record (28) still stands in 2024.

Here’s a quick look at Nix’s stats from his first start compared to a few other notable quarterbacks:

QB Completion Rate Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards Rush TDs
Bo Nix 61.9% 138 0 2 35 1
John Elway 12.50% 14 0 1 2 0
Peyton Manning 56.76% 302 1 3 0 0
Josh Allen 54.55% 245 1 2 32 0
Caleb Williams 48.3% 93 0 0 15 0
Jayden Daniels 70.8% 183 0 0 88 2

These stats obviously don’t guarantee Nix will go on to have success. Plenty of rookies struggle early and never develop into a franchise QB. But there are also many cases of QBs who struggled early who went on to have success in the NFL. Bottom line: Nix’s debut is a starting point, not an end point.

We don’t know if Nix is going to develop into the quarterback the Broncos have been seeking since Manning’s retirement, but a one-game sample size is too early to write him off completely. Nobody is ready to give up on Caleb Williams after his underwhelming debut.

Nix needs time to develop. Let’s give him a chance to do just that.

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LeBron James says Elway or Manning get final spot on QB Mount Rushmore

LeBron James has Brady, Mahomes, and Montana as his top three QBs. The final two spots are between Peyton Manning and John Elway.

Current NBA star and future Hall of Famer Lebron James isn’t shy about his sports affiliations in terms of fandom. He is a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes in college football and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. When he makes a sports take, people usually listen.

Most recently, James shared his Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks, listing Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Montana as his top three quarterbacks. He has either Denver Broncos legends Peyton Manning or John Elway to fill out the fourth spot.

Another Broncos legend gave his take, Shannon Sharpe, in which he supports why Lebron is indecisive between Manning and Elway.

“It gets a little tricky when it gets to that fourth spot,” Sharpe said, via Susanna Weir of DenverBroncos.com. “You got Peyton Manning, five MVPs, two Super Bowls. You got John, who I played with for a decade, and he wins two [Super Bowls] [and] goes to five [Super Bowls].”

Either way, you must respect James for making his own opinions based on his eye test, not anyone else’s.

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CBS reminds Broncos fans that John Elway also struggled in his NFL debut

John Elway was benched at halftime of his NFL debut. Rookie quarterbacks need time to grow.

Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut on Sunday, and he’s in good company.

Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels — the top two quarterbacks picked in this year’s NFL draft — also turned in underwhelming performances on Sunday.

And perhaps more notably to Denver Broncos fans, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway had a terrible performance in his first NFL start, as CBS Sports reminded fans on Sunday night:

https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1832918746773528953

“I thought he competed his butt off today,” offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey said after a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. “It’s not an easy place to come in and play, especially for your first NFL start.

“Certainly there were things that happened with cadence and silent count and all that kind of stuff to make it harder on him. But I thought he handled it well. I thought he was composed. I thought he did a great job commanding the huddle and showing he can be a leader. I know he’s going to attack film and get better, just like all of us.”

Elway was yanked at halftime in his first NFL start in 1983, but he went on to become the best quarterback in franchise history. There’s no guarantee Nix will become a franchise legend, but Sunday also doesn’t mean that he’ll be a bust. Nix needs time to improve, just like Elway did.

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For the first time since John Elway, Broncos are starting a rookie QB in Week 1

Bo Nix is the first rookie quarterback to start for the Broncos in Week 1 since John Elway (1983).

When the Denver Broncos face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon, Bo Nix will become the team’s first rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since John Elway started against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1983.

Elway went on to win two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame career, but he struggled in his debut. After going 1-of-8 passing for 14 yards with one interception and four sacks, Elway was benched at halftime. Steve DeBerg replaced him in the second half and Denver went on to defeat the Steelers 14-10 on the road.

Nix will aim to avoid being replaced by veteran Jarrett Stidham against the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

“It will be a special moment,” Nix said after being named the team’s starter in August. “Obviously, that’s great to share with such a great player like John Elway, but definitely want to consider going out there and doing whatever I can do ultimately for the team.

“It doesn’t matter when your first start is and doesn’t matter if you have to wait or go right now. You just want to get out there, get the first win, ultimately compete at a high level and give your team the best chance possible. That is what my goal is at the beginning. Just give our team the best chance to go out there and win games every week.”

Nix will also become the team’s 14th starting quarterback since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 season. After releasing Russell Wilson in March and taking on the largest dead money salary cap hit in NFL history, the Broncos have found their replacement in Nix. It’s Bo Time.

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Peyton Manning endorses Bo Nix as Broncos’ new QB1

“He’ll be ready, and [I’m] pulling hard for him,” Peyton Manning said of Bo Nix getting ready to start for the Broncos in Week 1.

Sean Payton named rookie Bo Nix the team’s new starting quarterback on Wednesday and Denver Broncos royalty has been swift to endorse the move.

Former Broncos quarterbacks John Elway and Peyton Manning, who helped the team win three Super Bowls, competed in the BMW Championship pro-am in Castle Pines and they were both made available to media members after the Nix news broke on Wednesday.

Following an endorsement from Elway, Manning also gave the decision a thumbs up.

Manning said he met up with Nix and Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles at a Luke Bryan concert ahead of the pro-am on Tuesday night. The former quarterback also watched Nix in a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers at Denver’s facility last Friday.

“Hey, he’s had a great camp,” Manning said of Nix. “He’s had a great offseason. He’s used the time [well]. You knew his experience [and] his maturity would be an advantage for him and he’s picked up the system quickly, you can tell.

“I saw Sean [Payton] on Monday and he shared some things, too, just that Bo has really kind of answered his challenge and answered the bell. So, [I’m] happy for him. What a great opportunity. I know what that’s like, starting as a rookie in your first NFL game, but he’ll be ready. And [I’m] pulling hard for him.”

Nix is set to become the team’s first rookie quarterback since Elway to start in Week 1. Manning believes that is the right decision.

“I’m in favor — I’m a fan — of playing right away,” Manning said. “Getting the experience is only going to make him better.”

Manning retired from the NFL after winning Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos following the 2015 season. Nix is now set to become Denver’s 14th starting quarterback in the post-Manning era.

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