The Denver Broncos are headed to the AFC Championship - but they'll be doing it without the quarterback who got them there.
Bo Nix, the rookie signal-caller who helped engineer an overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, is officially out for the rest of the postseason after suffering a fractured ankle. The injury, which occurred on the second-to-last play of overtime, will require surgery. Head coach Sean Payton confirmed the news and said Nix will undergo the procedure Tuesday in Alabama.
This is a gut punch for a Denver team that’s been riding the momentum of Nix’s steady play down the stretch. He didn’t just manage games - he made plays when it mattered, showing poise beyond his years in his first playoff run.
That included some clutch throws late against Buffalo, helping the Broncos punch their ticket to the conference title game. And yet, despite finishing the game, the injury was severe enough to end his postseason - a tough blow for a team that had started to believe it could make a deep run.
Now, the pressure shifts to backup Jarrett Stidham, who will make just his fifth career start in the AFC Championship against either the Patriots or Texans. Stidham hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season game in the last two years, and while he’s been in the league since 2019 - originally drafted by New England in the fourth round - this is a different kind of spotlight.
Stidham has starting experience, but never in a moment like this. The stakes are massive, and he’ll be asked to lead a team that’s already dealt with its share of adversity this season. The only other quarterback on the active roster is Sam Ehlinger, meaning Denver’s QB room just got a lot thinner at the worst possible time.
The Broncos have leaned on a strong defense and a resurgent run game to complement Nix’s development this season. Now, they’ll need every bit of that support - and maybe a little magic - as they prepare for the AFC title game without their starting quarterback.