Broncos Survive Thriller, But Celebration Turns Quiet as Bo Nix Suffers Late Injury

Denver: The stadium was still buzzing from a dramatic overtime victory when the reality began to sink in.

The Denver Broncos had just escaped with a 33–30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night, a victory that pushed them one step closer to the Super Bowl. But beneath the cheers and relief was a sobering truth: their starting quarterback would not be walking into the next game.

Three plays before the winning field goal, Bo Nix fractured a bone in his right ankle, an injury that went unnoticed by most in the moment but would soon overshadow the triumph.

The damage came on a designed quarterback run. Nix cut left, was swallowed up by the defense, and went down for a short loss. He got back to his feet and stayed in the game, hiding the pain. On the very next snap, he delivered a deep throw to Marvin Mims, drawing a defensive pass interference call that pushed Denver into scoring range. One play later, Nix took a knee to center the ball.

Only then did the discomfort show.

Nix grimaced after the kneel-down, but by that point, the outcome was sealed. Moments later, the Broncos’ kick sailed through the uprights, ending the game and sending Denver into the AFC Championship.

Afterward, head coach Sean Payton confirmed the injury and revealed that Nix will undergo surgery Tuesday in Alabama. Payton said the quarterback took the news with calm resolve, telling his coach that “God’s got a plan.”

Before the full extent of the injury became public, Nix addressed the moment with optimism during a postgame interview.

“This is why you play the game,” he said. “You get to playoff football, and good things happen.”

Now, the path forward looks very different.

With Nix sidelined, Jarrett Stidham will step in as Denver’s starting quarterback for the AFC Championship game. Stidham, a veteran backup, has limited starting experience and will be making his first career postseason start. Sam Ehlinger moves up to serve as the backup.

The Broncos will host the AFC Championship next weekend, but the storyline has shifted. What began as a night of resilience and survival has turned into a test of depth, belief, and adaptability.

Denver is still alive.
But the cost of getting there was steep—and the next chapter will be written without the player who led them this far.