Bo Nix to be 1st Broncos rookie QB to start opener since Elway - ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Rookie Bo Nix was named the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback by coach Sean Payton on Wednesday.

When Nix lines up behind center for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener in Seattle against the Seahawks, Nix will be the first Denver rookie to start the regular-season opener since John Elway in 1983.

Nix and Jarrett Stidham met Wednesday before practice with Payton, who informed the two quarterbacks of the decision. Nix had taken most of the snaps with the starting offense last week, including during Friday's joint practice against the Green Bay Packers.

Bo Nix will be 24 years, 195 days old on Sept. 8, when the Broncos open the season against the Seahawks. That will make him the fifth-oldest rookie QB to start a season opener since 1950.

Nix then started Sunday's preseason game against the Packers, finishing 8-of-9 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos' 27-2 victory at Empower Field at Mile High. In two preseason appearances, Nix led the Broncos on scoring drives in six of the seven possessions he played.

The Broncos had multiple first downs in every one of Nix's drives, largely against defensive reserves for both the Indianapolis Colts and the Packers.

Nix, Stidham and Zach Wilson split the work evenly with the starting offense in the offseason program and the first week of training camp. Since the start of the second week of training camp, however, only Nix and Stidham worked with the starters, until Nix got most of the first-team snaps last week.

Nix — who was the No. 12 pick in April's draft and the sixth quarterback taken in the first round — is the highest Broncos quarterback draft pick since they selected Jay Cutler 11th overall in the 2006 draft. Nix is also now the first rookie