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.
