The Broncos pulled off an extra time win on Saturday to advance to the AFC title game. They can be without their quarterback for the rest of the postseason, nonetheless.
During his post-game press conference, head coach Sean Payton announced (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero) Bo Nix broke a bone in his ankle during Denver’s win over Buffalo. Surgery can be required in consequence. Nix is not going to find a way to return in time for next week’s contest or (if applicable) the Super Bowl.
Payton specified Nix’s injury occurred on the second-to-last play in extra time. It was during that sequence that a Tre’Davious White pass interference penalty set the Broncos up deep in Bills territory. Nix took a knee on the following first right down to help line up Wil Lutz‘s game-winning field goal. Denver is ready to host the AFC championship game next week in consequence of the win, however the team will now be forced to play that contest without its QB1 of the past two seasons.
Nix will undergo surgery on Tuesday. Within the meantime, Denver will prepare for an unexpected quarterback situation within the wake of today’s stunning development. Per Payton, Jarrett Stidham will start next week while Sam Ehlinger will serve because the backup. Stidham logged a grand total of 1 snap throughout the 2025 season (a kneeldown in October). He’ll now be tasked with leading the Broncos’ offense as a part of their bid to return to the Super Bowl.
Denver managed to win a back-and-forth affair throughout the team’s playoff debut. The Bills committed five turnovers but still managed to force extra time because of a last-minute field goal drive at the top of regulation. The Bronco’s offense was cold and hot throughout the day, but prior to Buffalo’s final fourth quarter possession Nix led a powerful go-ahead touchdown drive. The second-year passer was in fact a vital figure in Denver’s ability to clinch the No. 1 seed within the AFC and his absence can be a significant storyline leading as much as next week.
Coming out of faculty, Nix faced questions on his ceiling on the NFL level. The Auburn/Oregon product drew strong reviews early and sometimes within the pre-draft process from Payton, nonetheless. Nix ultimately got here off the board twelfth overall within the 2024 draft, making him one in every of a record six quarterbacks taken in the primary round of the event. Denver’s playoff drought got here to an end last season, due largely to Nix’s play as a full-time starter.
The 2025 campaign saw Nix, 25, produce similar numbers to his rookie season. Nevertheless, Denver managed to post a 14-3 record while having fun with strong defensive showings. Vance Joseph‘s unit didn’t deliver a powerful performance (takeaways aside) today, but it should be heavily leaned on within the AFC title game. Stidham has been with the Broncos since Payton’s arrival in 2023, but he has made just two starts since then. His next will come at a critical time to say the least, with the Broncos looking for their first Super Bowl appearance since winning it 10 years ago.
The Patriots will host the Texans tomorrow within the AFC’s other divisional round matchup. The winner can be on the road regardless of what, but either Recent England or Houston will spend next week preparing to face Stidham quite than Nix. This can create a highly unusual setup with the conference championship on the road.