The season may not have ended the way that the Denver Broncos wanted, but the future is bright with former Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix leading the way.

Denver’s 2024 season came to an end on Sunday in the wild-card round against the Buffalo Bills, losing 31-7 when all was said and done. After going up 7-0 early in the first quarter, it was all Buffalo from then on.

That first score, though, was special for the Broncos, with a pair of former Ducks combining to make NFL history. Nix found Troy Franklin for a 48-yard touchdown in the opening minutes of the game, and the two became the first rookie-to-rookie touchdown ever in the playoffs.

While it was a great start for Nix offensively, he struggled after that, finishing with 13 completions on 22 attempts for 144 yards and that one touchdown. Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Bills were able to take advantage of the Broncos’ stout defense, amassing 471 yards of total offense on the day.

It may have been a frustrating end to the season for Denver, but fans enter the offseason with a lot of confidence and hope as they carry forward with what appears to be a franchise QB in Nix. With his first offseason in the NFL, a big jump is expected to take place going into 2025 for the young passer.