Bo Nix Out for Season with Broken Ankle, Fans Frustrated by FOX's Broadcast Delay
The Denver Broncos are moving on to the AFC Championship, but they’ll be doing it without the quarterback who helped get them there. Bo Nix, the rookie signal-caller who led Denver to the No. 1 seed, suffered a broken right ankle late in the team’s thrilling 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. Head coach Sean Payton confirmed after the game that Nix is done for the season.
The injury occurred on a critical scramble in overtime, as Nix was doing what he’s done all year-extending plays and putting his team in position to win. That run helped set up Wil Lutz’s game-winning field goal, but it came at a steep price. Denver got the victory, but lost its franchise quarterback in the process.
While the Broncos and their fans were processing the emotional high of a dramatic playoff win and the gut punch of losing their QB1, many viewers were left scratching their heads during FOX’s NFC broadcast later that evening. As the 49ers and Seahawks battled it out, fans waited for a significant news update-but it didn’t come.
FOX chose not to break into programming with a studio update or even run an on-screen crawl about Nix’s injury. Instead, the broadcast rolled through highlights and commercials, only acknowledging the news during halftime. By then, social media and phone alerts had already done the heavy lifting, and fans were quick to express their frustration.
One viewer summed up the sentiment on social media: “How has FOX not run the Bo Nix news on their NFC broadcast through either an on-screen crawl or cut to their studio? Clearly the biggest NFL news at the moment.”
Another fan echoed the confusion: “The fact that @NFLonFOX continued to tease Bo Nix’s injury even though EVERY SINGLE PERSON had gotten the notification on their phone twenty minutes ago is ABSURD.”
A third chimed in on the timing: “It took until 10pm ET for the @NFLonFOX crew to share the Bo Nix news. That’s insane.”
The criticism wasn’t just about speed-it was about priorities. As one fan put it: “Am I crazy or should Fox Halftime have led with Nix injury?”
Despite the broadcast delay, there’s no denying the magnitude of the moment. Nix just wrapped up a breakout sophomore season that put him firmly on the map as one of the league’s rising stars.
The former Oregon standout threw for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 63.4% of his passes. He also chipped in 356 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, showing off the dual-threat ability that made him such a weapon in Sean Payton’s offense.
And he didn’t slow down in the playoffs. Against Buffalo, Nix completed 26 of 46 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 29 yards, a testament to how much the Broncos leaned on him in the biggest moments.
Now, that responsibility shifts to Jarrett Stidham. The veteran backup has made four career starts and holds a 1-3 record.
He’ll lead the Broncos into the AFC Championship Game, where they’ll face the winner of Sunday’s Texans vs. Patriots matchup.
That game is set for 3 p.m. ET on January 25 and will be broadcast on CBS.
As for FOX, the network has yet to respond to the criticism. But the delay in reporting one of the weekend’s biggest NFL stories didn’t go unnoticed-and fans are still looking for answers.
Denver, meanwhile, is left to prepare for the next round without the quarterback who helped spark their playoff run. It’s a brutal twist in what’s been a magical season for the Broncos.