Bo Nix will not be available for the Denver Broncos during the AFC Championship game due to a broken ankle suffered during the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. The organization claims it happened on the second-to-last play of overtime but there are fake reports of a different timeline that created some confusion on the internet.
When did he actually break his ankle?
To be completely honest, I don’t love that I am giving any attention to these NFL parody accounts. I have seen too many people running with this incorrect theory not to set the record straight.
Bo Nix broke his ankle.
I thought I got got by a parody account on social media when the news first broke of Nix’s injury last weekend. He looked completely fine during the postgame interview.
I had to refresh my FYP until I finally saw the video of Sean Payton’s announcement.
The head coach of the Denver Broncos said his quarterback broke his ankle on the second-to-last play of overtime. That could refer to one of two plays.
Here is the first play, which was actually the third-to-last play of overtime:
The play Bo Nix supposedly broke his RIGHT ankle on. The defender didn’t make any contact with the right leg or ankle. Non-contact broken ankle? pic.twitter.com/w7JJ52TrmX
— Ethan Culver (@ethanlculver) January 18, 2026
It appeared as though Nix might’ve broken his ankle on the plant before he jumps. His right ankle is forced into eversion. There was a lot of compression. He might’ve crushed his navicular, talus or cuboid.
Here’s another look:
This is where Bo Nix broke his ankle wow pic.twitter.com/gNx96pMu5l
— Bones🦴 (@Boness305) January 18, 2026
The second play was the actual second-to-last play of overtime. Nix moved the ball to the middle of the field for his kicker. He was in visible pain as he walked off of the field.
This is the play Bo Nix broke his ankle on.
— Mark Valorian (@markvalorian) January 18, 2026
Given the circumstances, this is probably the dumbest injury in the history of the NFL.
According to Sean Payton, this happened on “the second to last play of overtime”—this kneel down at the 5 yard line to set up the chip shot FG: https://t.co/hFpEOIfeuV pic.twitter.com/hy2Fu4zEnC
Nix faces 3-4 months of recovery but the surgery revealed limited ligament damage and no joint surface damage, which is great news. The bad news is that he will not play during the AFC Championship and, potentially, the Super Bowl.
Did it happen during overtime or the postgame celebration?
There have been two different accounts on X that posted a false claim about Bo Nix’s ankle. They both implied that the Broncos were lying because the quarterback really got hurt after the game, not during.
That is not true. We know for a fact it is not true but people still choose to believe it!
Nix was in severe pain on the sideline as Wil Lutz lined up for the game-winning field goal.
Bo Nix grimacing in pain on the sideline as Wil Lutz was lining up for the game winning field goal pic.twitter.com/4FicESNwha
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) January 18, 2026
If he was in pain on the sideline before the game ended, he did not break his ankle during the postgame celebration. The fake reports are fake.