Denver Broncos head coach Sean McVay have named rookie quarterback Bo Nix one of their six team captains for the upcoming 2024 season. Nix was named a captain alongside wide receiver Courtland Sutton, offensive guard Quinn Meinerz, cornerback Pat Surtain II, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, and kicker Will Lutz.
The captains were voted on by their Broncos teammates, and only Sutton is a returning captain.
Nix becomes the first Broncos rookie to be named a team captain since halfback Floyd Little in 1967. Nicknamed “the Franchise,” Little was the Broncos’ No. 6 overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft after he was a three-time All-American at Syracuse. Little went on to become a first-team All-Pro, the NFL‘s leading rusher in 1971, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Broncos have made Nix a captain after officially tabbing him as their starting quarterback prior to their third preseason game.
The No. 12 overall pick out of Oregon was named the starter over Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson following an impressive performance in his first two preseason games.
Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos throws against the Green Bay Packers during a preseason game at Empower Field At Mile High on August 18, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Nix was chosen a team captain prior to his rookie season.
Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images
From his first preseason game, Nix showed his accuracy in the Sean Payton offense as he went 15-for-21 for 125 yards and a touchdown. Nix followed that game up by going 8-for-9 for 80 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.
Nix will also become the first Broncos rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since franchise legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway.
“It will be a special moment,” Nix said when he was named the starter on Aug. 21, via the team’s website. “Obviously, that’s great to share with such a great player like John Elway, but [I] definitely want to [go] out there and [do] whatever I can do ultimately for the team.
Nix enters the NFL with extensive experience after he spent three seasons with Auburn and two with Oregon. No quarterback in NCAA history has started more games than Nix, who started 61 over five seasons.
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Nix established himself as a clear first-round pick during his fifth season of college, when he completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. He finished first in the FBS in passing touchdowns, and second in passing yards as Oregon went 12-2.
Among the historic 2024 rookie quarterback class, only Nix and Chicago Bears quarterback (and No. 1 overall pick) Caleb Williams have been named team captains.
