Denver Broncos fans were ecstatic after the 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills, but those feelings are now tempered after receiving devastating news.
QB Bo Nix, who had a breakout season in his second season under HC and quarterback guru, Sean Payton, broke a bone in his right ankle and will undergo season-ending surgery this week.
Nix, with the help of a stifling defense, led the Broncos to the top seed in the AFC, and fans had Super Bowl aspirations for the first time since 2013.
Now, they will have to wait and see if they have enough at quarterback to win two more games: the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.
An Ankle Breaker
Bo Nix suffered the injury three plays before Will Lutz’s game-winning field goal in overtime.
From the Buffalo 36-yard line after a long pass interference penalty on the Bills, Payton called a designed quarterback run to the left side of the formation.
Nix was tackled for a two-yard loss on the play, and had a slight limp as he jogged back to the huddle.
The next play was a deep incompletion to WR Marvin Mims, but a questionable pass interference call on CB Tre’Davious White moved the ball 30 yards to inside the Buffalo 10-yard line.
Nix kneeled the ball on the next play to set up Lutz’s field goal, and he rose from the kneel in obvious pain with a heavy limp.
Payton addressed the media after the game, and broke the news of the unfortunate injury and impending consequences of said injury.
The head coach had some choice words for the media and anyone else watching the post-game news conference.
Stiddy’s (Jarrett Stidham) is ready. He’s ready. I said this at the beginning of the season I’ve got a 2 (backup) that is capable of starting for a number of teams. And I know he feels the same way. So, watch out.
Jarrett Stidham entered the league in 2019 with the New England Patriots, and very well could face them next week in the AFC Championship Game.
He has appeared in 20 games in his six-year career, posting a 1-3 career record as a starter.
The New England Patriots and Houston Texans face off today (Sunday) for the rights to visit Denver for an epic showdown.
Payton had one final statement about Bo Nix.
He’s a tough cookie. And this team all year has lost key players and will rise up for the next challenge.
The Broncos will need someone to step up more than others, and that someone is Jarrett Stidham.
Appreciating Bo Nix
Denver fans might be heartbroken right now, but this should be a small bump in the road of a long and successful career for Bo Nix.
Nix tied QB Russell Wilson for an NFL-record 24 victories in his first two seasons as a starter.
Saturday was Nix’s first playoff victory, and it had a little more meaning by defeating the Buffalo Bills.
Last year, Nix and the Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs by Josh Allen and these same Buffalo Bills.
Nix and his teammates responded by coming out in 2025 and earning the conference’s top seed with a 14-3 record, including 8-1 at home.
Earning a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs was important, and it showed in the tight victory versus the Bills.
It was the Broncos’ first playoff victory in over a decade, and Bills fans will be screaming all offseason about bad calls by the officials.
Bills fans, trust me. Cowboys fans have been there before, too.
Dez caught it, but when decisions are corrected after the play clock hits all zeroes, there is nothing you can do.
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