DENVER — Bo Nix suffered a broken right ankle late in overtime of the Denver Broncos’ divisional-round victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday and will have surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs.
Coach Sean Payton delivered the stunning news about his second-year quarterback in the aftermath of the Broncos’ biggest win in a decade. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start the AFC championship game next weekend.
“Stiddy’s ready,” Payton said after returning to the postgame lectern to discuss the injury after the 33-30 victory.
Payton said Nix got hurt on a keeper on which he lost 2 yards and was tackled by safety Cole Bishop. Nix was limping after the play, but there was no indication that he suffered such a serious injury.
On the next play, Nix threw a deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. that drew a 30-yard pass-interference flag and got the Broncos well into field-goal range. Nix then took a knee to center the ball for Wil Lutz’s game-winning 23-yard field goal.
Payton said Nix will have surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala.
“He’s such a strong, faith-based guy,” Payton said. “He’s sitting in the hallway with his family and coming over and we’re all talking to him. He knows that God’s got a plan for him and he said he had (a broken ankle) in high school and then he said he had one at Auburn.
“And I said I didn’t realize that. I said if I had known that I wouldn’t have drafted you,” Payton cracked.
The locker room had cleared out and reporters were waiting in an interview room for Nix when Payton returned and delivered the news.
Nix, the No. 12 pick out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL draft, tied Russell Wilson’s NFL record with two dozen victories in his first two seasons. Saturday’s win was his first in the playoffs. The Broncos lost last year at Buffalo, but Nix led them to the AFC’s top seed this season.
“He’s a tough cookie,” Payton said. “And this team all year has lost key players and will rise up for the next challenge.”
