Denver Broncos’ rookie QB will make his highly anticipated regular season debut

The Denver Broncos hope Bo Nix is ready for the moment.

The rookie quarterback and the Broncos will face the Seattle Seahawks in their regular season opener at Lumen Field, one of the most intimidating stadiums in the NFL. The fans can be loud, making it difficult for the opposing team to communicate, resulting in penalties, particularly false starts by the offensive line.

Nix could be rattled by the noise and the pressure of playing in his first regular season game. However, Denver wide receiver Josh Reynolds isn’t worried. He said Nix has played in tough environments in college and possesses the poise to handle the crowd noise.

“Seattle is definitely a tough environment. But I think Bo, he’s played in big games. He’s played with crowds that kind of compare to this Seattle fan base,” Reynolds told reporters Monday. “I think he’ll adjust perfectly.”

Reynolds not only praised Nix for his mental toughness, he has been impressed by the rookie on the field.

Reynolds, 29, is playing in his ninth season. He previously played for the Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams. He has caught 220 passes for 2,933 yards and 19 touchdowns in his career, with most of passes coming from Jared Goff and a few from Ryan Tannehill.

Reynolds said Nix’s throws compares favorably to Goff and Tannehill.

“Bo Nix compared to anybody else I played with, he’s got a beautiful ball, man,’’ Reynolds told reporters. “He can place it wherever he wants to. He can put it on a line, he can have some touch with it. He’s got an amazing arm.”

The Broncos used their first-round pick (No. 12) to select Nix in the 2024 NFL draft. Denver coach Sean Payton named Nix as the Week 1 starter over veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson. Nix will be the first rookie to start at quarterback for Denver in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983.

Payton’s decision to name the rookie as the starter didn’t come as a much of a surprise. Payton had been connected to Nix since he saw the quarterback during a pre-draft workout in March. Nix is being compared to Drew Brees, a future Hall of Fame inductee after spending 14 seasons with Payton in New Orleans.

“I’m excited to see how he progresses and continues to take charge of this offense,” Reynolds said.