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Broncos quarterback Bo Nix out for season with broken right ankle

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken bone in his right ankle late in Denver’s 33–30 overtime playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, an injury that will require surgery and sideline him for the remainder of the postseason, head coach Sean Payton announced Saturday night.

Payton initially met with the media following the dramatic win in Denver before returning to deliver the news on his starting quarterback. Nix is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama, and will miss the rest of the Broncos’ playoff run.

The injury occurred during Denver’s final possession in overtime. On first-and-10 from the Buffalo 36-yard line with 6:04 remaining, Nix was tackled for a two-yard loss on a designed run by Bills safety Cole Bishop. He quickly returned to the huddle but showed a noticeable limp. On the next play, Nix threw deep to Marvin Mims Jr., drawing a pass interference penalty on Tre’Davious White that moved the ball to the Bills’ 8-yard line. Nix then took the snap and kneeled to set up Wil Lutz’s game-winning 23-yard field goal, twisting his right ankle awkwardly in the process. He grimaced and limped off the field moments before Lutz sealed the win.

Nix finished 26 of 46 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, accounting for 308 total yards of offense. It marked the sixth time this season he led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, adding to his first postseason comeback.

Nix has led the Broncos to 24 regular-season wins over his first two seasons, tied for the most by any quarterback in NFL history over that span. This season, he led Denver to a 14-win season and the No. 1 seed in the AFC, matching a franchise record and solidifying himself as one of the league’s rising stars.

With Nix sidelined, the Broncos will turn to veteran Jarrett Stidham as their starting quarterback for the AFC Championship Game against either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans. Sam Ehlinger will serve as the backup.

Stidham, 29, has made four career starts but has never started a playoff game. A fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2019, he spent time backing up Tom Brady before later joining the Las Vegas Raiders and eventually signing with Denver in 2023. He competed with Nix for the starting job ahead of the 2024 season but ultimately lost the battle.

Stidham has appeared in just one game this season, playing four snaps in a Week 8 win over the Cowboys. His most extensive action came in 2023, when he started Denver’s final two games after Russell Wilson was benched, throwing two touchdowns and one interception, including a 16–9 win over the Chargers.

As Denver prepares for its biggest game in years, the Broncos will now lean on Stidham to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive while Nix begins the recovery process from a season-ending injury.

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