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The Denver Broncos just pulled off one of the gutsiest playoff wins in franchise history, but the celebration in the locker room was short-lived. Following a thrilling 33–30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills, head coach Sean Payton delivered a soul-crushing update: rookie sensation Bo Nix is out for the season.
The injury occurred on the second-to-last play of overtime. Despite the pain, Nix stayed in to watch Wil Lutz nail the game-winning field goal. However, the post-game diagnosis was grim. Payton confirmed Nix suffered a fractured bone in his right ankle and will undergo surgery this Tuesday.
“Not good news,” a somber Payton told reporters. “Out for the rest of the season.”
Here is #Broncos HC Sean Payton delivering one of the most stunning, jaw-dropping announcements I’ve seen in a while: Bo Nix is out for the year.
"Not good news…" https://t.co/mBkCI758lW pic.twitter.com/27190k7btB
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 18, 2026
It is a devastating blow for a Denver team that finally looked like a Super Bowl contender. Nix was the engine behind the victory, dicing up the Bills’ secondary for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He showed veteran poise late in regulation, leading a scoring drive that erased a late Buffalo lead.
With Nix sidelined, the Broncos must now pivot to Jarrett Stidham for the AFC Championship game. Stidham has experience in Payton’s system, but he lacks the dual-threat playmaking ability that Nix used to keep the Bills’ defense off balance all afternoon.
The Broncos’ defense did its part in the Divisional Round, forcing four turnovers from Josh Allen, including a massive interception in the extra period that set up the winning drive. They will need to be even more dominant next week to support Stidham.
Denver fans went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in a matter of minutes. The Broncos are moving on, but they’ll have to finish this “Mile High” miracle run without the rookie quarterback who got them here.
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