© Ron Chenoy/Imagn
In a shocking turn of events, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will miss the rest of the team’s playoff after suffering a broken ankle in Saturday’s win over the Buffalo Bills.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed after the game that Nix suffered the injury on the second-to-last play of the 33-30 overtime victory.
There’s no way Bo Nix broke his ankle on this play pic.twitter.com/CxubxNdXuO
— evin (@EvinKnowsBall) January 18, 2026
It’s unclear if Payton meant the scramble on which Nix lost two yards late in the game, which was technically the fourth-to-last play of the game or the kneel down before Will Lutz’s game-winning goal.
Nix was tackled awkwardly by safety Cole Bishop on the scramble. However, he remained in the game for two more plays and video does show Nix hobbling off following the kneel down, during which is was contacted by a Buffalo defensive lineman.
Bo Nix’s season ended on a kneel down 😢
Just brutal pic.twitter.com/IIgwpks7ey
— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) January 18, 2026
Payton also announced that Nix would have surgery to repair the ankle, ruling him out of Denver’s first appearance in the AFC Championship Game since 2016.
The NFL world was stunned by the news of Nix’s injury.
“When did Bo Nix get hurt? What a complete beast to be able to not show how much it hurt,” one fan posted on X.
“Genuinely gutted for the Broncos and Bo Nix with the news on the broken ankle. Nobody deserves that,” wrote another.
Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will now start in the AFC Championship Game against either the Houston Texans or New England Patriots.