What Could Have Been: How Bo Nix’s Injury Shifted the AFC-and the Super Bowl
Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury in the Divisional Round win over Buffalo wasn’t just a tough blow for the Denver Broncos-it was a turning point that reshaped the AFC Championship and, arguably, the Super Bowl itself. While the Broncos still managed to push the Patriots to the brink in a gritty 10-7 loss, it’s hard to ignore the ripple effect of losing their starting quarterback at the most critical time of the season.
Let’s be clear: Drake Maye had a phenomenal 2025 campaign, nearly snagging the MVP award in just his second year. But team for team, Denver was the more complete squad. And that was evident in the AFC title game, where the Broncos’ defense held strong and the Patriots’ offense struggled to generate momentum.
The turning point? A costly mistake from backup QB Jarrett Stidham, whose miscue set up New England’s lone touchdown.
It was the kind of swing play that defines playoff football. Without it, Denver might’ve punched its ticket to the Super Bowl-even without Nix under center.
But with Nix? That’s where things get interesting.
We’re not talking about Denver steamrolling New England the way Seattle did in the Super Bowl-pounding the rock and controlling the game wire to wire. But with Nix, the Broncos would’ve done what the Patriots couldn’t: move the ball, sustain drives, and put more than seven points on the board. And against a Patriots team that couldn’t get anything going offensively, that might’ve been enough.
Even Denver’s offensive tackle Garett Bolles didn’t mince words. “They can say what they want - whatever they want - but we lost by three points,” Bolles told NFL.com.
“It wasn’t the snowstorm, it wasn’t anything. Stiddy did everything he can.
Love that dude. I’m so grateful he came in and handled the business he did.
But it would be a different ball game if we had our quarterback.”
It’s hard to argue with him.
The Patriots’ offense was stagnant in the Super Bowl. Maye threw a critical interception late in the game, and New England managed just one sack in a 29-13 loss to Seattle.
Meanwhile, Sam Darnold wasn’t exactly lighting it up-he went 19-for-38 for 202 yards and looked uncomfortable for stretches. And that was against a Patriots defense that couldn’t generate consistent pressure.
Now imagine Darnold facing Denver’s front. That’s a different story.
The Broncos’ defense was built to disrupt. They would’ve gotten home more often, made Darnold uncomfortable, and potentially forced more mistakes.
And while Denver’s offense might’ve had its own challenges moving the ball against Seattle, the game likely would’ve stayed tighter, longer. Instead of a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter, we might’ve been looking at a one-score game deep into the second half.
That’s where Nix could’ve made the difference.
Denver’s offensive line was elite-the best in football, according to Pro Football Focus. For the second year in a row, they led the league in pass-blocking efficiency, allowing just six sacks all season. That kind of protection gives a quarterback time to work, and Nix had shown all year he could capitalize on it.
Even if Denver didn’t have the same firepower as the Rams-who handled Seattle’s defense earlier in the season-they had enough to move the ball and keep the Seahawks honest. And with a defense capable of limiting Darnold and company, the Broncos wouldn’t have needed a shootout to win. A few sustained drives, a couple of red zone conversions, and we might’ve had a very different Super Bowl.
Instead, what we got was a game that never really got off the ground. A conservative Patriots offense, a Seahawks team that didn’t need to do much more than play clean football, and a final score that left fans wanting more.
We’ll never know how it would’ve played out with Bo Nix healthy. But based on what we saw from the Broncos all season-the elite O-line, the top-tier defense, and a young quarterback who had command of the offense-it’s hard not to think they could’ve made it a game. Maybe even more than that.
For now, it’s another offseason of what-ifs in Denver. But if this team stays healthy and keeps building around its core, don’t be surprised if they’re right back in the mix next year-with Nix leading the charge this time.