The Denver Broncos are heading into the AFC Championship Game with a major shift at the most important position on the field - and Bo Nix, the rookie quarterback who helped spark their playoff run, won’t be part of it.
Four days before Denver is set to face the New England Patriots with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Nix broke his silence following a season-ending ankle injury that has rocked the Broncos’ locker room and fan base. The injury - a broken bone in his right ankle - occurred on the second-to-last play of Denver’s dramatic overtime win over the Buffalo Bills. Just moments after leading his team to one of the most thrilling victories of the season, Nix’s year was suddenly over.
The second-year quarterback took to Instagram to share his thoughts and emotions, calling the injury “some of the most devastating football news I’ve ever received.” But even in disappointment, Nix struck a tone of resilience and belief - not just in the team, but in the man now tasked with leading it.
“I couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett,” Nix wrote, referring to veteran backup Jarrett Stidham, who will now step into the starting role. “Our season has been defined by overcoming adversity and responding to it.
I couldn’t be more proud of our guys… We’re not finished. As a matter of fact, we’re just getting started.”
It’s a gut punch for Denver, no doubt. Nix had been playing some of his best football of the year, and his performance against Buffalo was nothing short of gutsy.
He completed 26 passes for 279 yards, threw three touchdowns, and added 29 rushing yards on 12 carries - all against the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense. That kind of poise and production in a playoff atmosphere is rare for a young quarterback, and it’s exactly why the Broncos had so much faith in him.
Now, the torch is passed to Stidham - a former Patriot who brings experience, a strong arm, and a deep understanding of Sean Payton’s system. And while losing Nix is a major blow, history tells us not to count out a Payton-led team just because the starting QB goes down.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the veteran head coach. Back in 2019, Payton went 5-0 with Teddy Bridgewater while Drew Brees recovered from a thumb injury.
A year later, when Brees missed more time, Taysom Hill stepped in and went 3-1. And in 2021, Payton managed to guide the Saints to a 9-8 finish despite cycling through multiple backups after Jameis Winston’s season-ending injury - including a 4-0 stretch with Hill that featured a shutout win over Tom Brady’s Buccaneers.
So while the loss of Nix stings - and there’s no sugarcoating that - Denver isn’t exactly flying blind. They’ve got a defense that’s playing lights-out, a coach who knows how to win with Plan B, and a quarterback in Stidham who’s already earned the trust of his teammates.
Nix’s message made it clear: the Broncos aren’t done. Not even close. And if there’s one thing this team has shown all season, it’s that they know how to respond when the chips are down.