Bo Nix won’t be suiting up for the AFC Championship Game, and for the Denver Broncos, that’s a gut punch. After a breakout season that saw the rookie quarterback throw 28 touchdown passes-including the playoffs-his run came to a sudden halt with a broken right ankle suffered in overtime of Denver’s thrilling 33-30 win over Buffalo in the divisional round. Nix underwent surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, on Tuesday, and while he’s sidelined physically, he’s still very much in the fight emotionally.
In his first public comments since the injury, Nix took to Instagram with a heartfelt message that was part rallying cry, part reflection.
“What started as one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been a part of ended with some of the most devastating football news I’ve ever received,” Nix wrote. “This is not how I imagined my season would come to an end, but our season has been defined by overcoming adversity and responding to it.”
That’s been the Broncos’ identity all year long-resilience, grit, and a knack for the dramatic. And Nix, even from the sidelines, is still leaning into that identity.
“I can’t express how much this team and organization mean to me and how much I believe in them,” he continued. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys.
I couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett Stidham. And I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next.”
Now the baton passes to Stidham, who’s set to make his first start since the 2023 season. It’s a big spot for the 29-year-old, stepping into the AFC title game against a battle-tested Patriots squad. But Broncos head coach Sean Payton isn’t blinking.
“He’s going to rip it,” Payton said Wednesday. “That’s his personality.”
That’s classic Payton-direct, confident, and ready to roll. And while the oddsmakers don’t exactly share that confidence-DraftKings has the Patriots favored by 5.5 points-this Broncos team has made a habit of proving people wrong.
Just look at the numbers: Denver tied an NFL record by winning 11 one-possession games during the regular season. They erased a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit in Week 7 against the Giants. They’ve been living on the edge all year, and more often than not, they’ve come out on top.
Of course, doing it without Nix is a different kind of challenge. The rookie wasn’t just a game manager-he was a playmaker, a leader, and the emotional heartbeat of the offense.
Losing him at this stage is a massive blow. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this Broncos squad, it’s that they don’t fold when the pressure mounts.
They’ll need every ounce of that Mile High Magic on Sunday. The Patriots are no strangers to this stage, and they’ll come in prepared. But Denver’s got a locker room full of believers-and a quarterback on crutches who’s still doing everything he can to lead.
The road just got tougher. But don’t count this team out.
They’ve made a season out of defying expectations. One more upset?
That wouldn’t be out of character.