The Denver Broncos are headed to the AFC Championship game after an overtime win against the Buffalo Bills, but victory came with a cost.
At the very end of the game, the Broncos saw starting quarterback Bo Nix suffer an injury, and the latest update on his status is about as bad as the news could get for Denver. According to Broncos head coach Sean Payton, Nix fractured a bone in his ankle and will be unable to play the remainder of the season. He will also need to undergo surgery for the injury. Payton had already finished his post-game press conference and had to return to share the news.
“It’s not good news,” Payton said. “On the second-to-last play in overtime, Bo fractured a bone in his right ankle. He’s scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday of this week, which will put him out for the rest of the season…it is what it is, and we felt it would be best to tell everyone now,” Payton said.
BREAKING: Sean Payton announced that QB Bo Nix broke a bone in his ankle during the Broncos’ OT win and will be out for the season. pic.twitter.com/icpGMTngX4
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 18, 2026
Nix finished the game against the Bills 26-of-46 passing for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Nix finished the regular season eighth in the NFL with 3,931 passing yards and tied for ninth in the league with 25 touchdown passes.
The Broncos’ backup is Jarrett Stidham, a seventh-year NFL veteran who has played in just one game this season and seven total games since joining the franchise in 2023. He is 1-3 as a starter in the NFL (1-1 with the Broncos), with 1,422 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions to his name. After disclosing Nix’s injury, Payton said Stidham would be “ready to go” in the AFC Championship game.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Bo Nix out for season after injuring ankle in Divisional Round win
