Broncos’ Bo Nix addresses ‘devastating’ season-ending ankle injury in emotional message

Days after Bo Nix’s season came to a shocking and painful end, the Broncos quarterback is speaking out.

Nix led Denver to a thrilling 33-30 overtime win over the Bills in the AFC divisional round on Saturday afternoon, but it was revealed after the victory that he fractured a bone in his right ankle on the final drive of the game. The injury would mean surgery and end his season before the Broncos play for the AFC title against the Patriots on Sunday.

One day after Nix was slated to undergo surgery in Alabama, the second-year QB took to Instagram to open up about the injury.

Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop, back, tackles Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix after a short gain in overtime of an NFL divisional football game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. AP

“The last few days have been hard to put into words,” he wrote in the caption of his photo slideshow post. “What started as one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been a part of ended with some of the most devastating football news I’ve ever received. This is not how I imagined my season would come to an end, but our season has been defined by overcoming adversity and responding to it.”

Nix, according to the Broncos, injured his ankle on a scramble that lost two yards three plays before the team kicked a game-winning field goal. He finished the game going 26-for-46 on his passes with 279 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Head coach Sean Payton revealed after the game that Nix told him about two previous ankle fractures he suffered during his amateur career.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts after winning an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“He’s such a strong, faith-based guy,” Payton told reporters. “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.”

In Nix’s place, career backup and Jarrett Stidham will get the start after not attempting a pass in a game that counted since the 2023 regular season. He now gets his chance at trying to send Denver to the Super Bowl against the Patriots, the team that drafted him in 2019.

Nix said he’s excited and confident in what Stidham can do for Denver in the biggest game of the season.

“I can’t express how much this team and organization mean to me and how much I believe in them,” Nix wrote. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys. I couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett. And I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next.”