In the world of American football, the spotlight was on the three teams that took a leap of faith and started rookies at quarterback in Week One. And boy, did it pay off for them.
Leading the charge was Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, who notched his fourth win as a starter on Thursday night. Nix’s impressive record of 4-3 now puts him in the same league as Caleb Williams of the Bears and Jayden Daniels of the Commanders, both boasting a solid 4-2 record as rookies.
The success of these young guns serves as a powerful reminder that the narrative around rookie quarterbacks has shifted. No longer is it a given that a rookie QB needs time to adjust to the NFL. Gone are the days of letting them develop on the sidelines or endure a season of losses. In today’s NFL, teams are placing their trust in rookie quarterbacks to step up and deliver wins right out of the gate.
However, not everyone has enjoyed the same level of success. Take Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, for example. Selected as the first overall pick in the draft a year prior to Nix, Williams, and Daniels, Young has yet to secure even four wins in his career. With a meager record of 2-16 as a starter, Young has struggled to find his footing in the league.
The contrasting fates of these young quarterbacks highlight the growing impatience in today’s NFL. Gone are the days when players like Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman could afford to rack up losses early in their careers before ultimately clinching multiple Super Bowl victories. In the cutthroat world of modern football, rookie quarterbacks are expected to hit the ground running and deliver results from day one.
