Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken right ankle late in overtime during a divisional-round victory over Buffalo, sidelining him for the remainder of the playoffs. Backup Jarrett Stidham will now lead the team in the AFC Championship game.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke his right ankle late in overtime of the team's divisional-round victory against Buffalo and will undergo surgery, effectively ending his playoff run. Coach Sean Payton delivered the surprising news, announcing that backup Jarrett Stidham will step in to start the AFC championship game next weekend. Nix sustained the injury on a 2-yard keeper but remarkably continued to play, even throwing a deep pass that drew a 30-yard pass-interference penalty and then taking a knee to set up the game-winning field goal. Despite the severity, Nix showed no outward signs of the injury during his post-game interview with CBS, expressing excitement for the next game. Payton praised Nix's toughness and faith, humorously noting he wouldn't have drafted him if he'd known about his history of ankle injuries. Nix, the 12th overall pick, had tied Russell Wilson's NFL record for wins in his first two seasons and led the Broncos to the AFC's top seed this season, marking Saturday's victory as his first in the playoffs. The team, Payton stated, is accustomed to losing key players and will 'rise up for the next challenge.'
