Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix just suffered a season-ending broken ankle during the team’s dramatic 33–30 overtime playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, so the Broncos QB situation has suddenly changed in a big way.

What happened to the Broncos QB?

  • Bo Nix, Denver’s young starting quarterback, broke his right ankle late in overtime of the Divisional Round win against Buffalo, on the second-to-last offensive play before the game-winning field goal.
  • The injury will keep him out for the rest of the 2025–26 NFL playoffs, ending what had been a breakout second season as he led Denver to the AFC Championship Game.

What it means right now

  • With Nix done for the postseason, backup Jarrett Stidham is now set to start in the AFC Championship Game, and coaches have publicly said he is “ready to go” and capable of starting for several teams.
  • Denver’s Super Bowl hopes are still alive, but analysts note that losing their starting quarterback this late in the year throws real doubt on how far the offense can carry them against top AFC contenders.

Quick timeline

  • Divisional Round: Broncos beat the Bills 33–30 in overtime, clinching a spot in the AFC Championship Game.
  • Late in OT: Nix suffers the broken ankle on a scramble/pressure play just before the game-winning field goal drive ends.
  • After the game: Sean Payton confirms the broken ankle, says Nix will have surgery and is out for the rest of the season, and names Stidham the starter going forward this postseason.

How fans and media are reacting

  • Local and national coverage is framing this as a brutal twist: Denver finally found a stable, promising QB in Nix, only to lose him right as the team hit its playoff peak.
  • Discussion is now split between optimism that Stidham can manage the offense in Payton’s system and concern that losing Nix’s playmaking will cap Denver’s ceiling against the remaining AFC powers.

Looking ahead

  • Short term: Expect the Broncos to lean more on their run game, defense, and quick-pass concepts to ease pressure on Stidham in the AFC Championship Game.
  • Long term: Doctors and team insiders expect Nix to recover from the ankle surgery, but there will be focus on how he looks in training camp and whether Denver tweaks its protection and playcalling to better protect its franchise QB next season.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.