The Denver Broncos are set to participate in the AFC Championship on Sunday, a first for the team since 2015. However, the player instrumental in their advancement will not be available for the game. Bo Nix has been declared out for the remainder of the season, having suffered an ankle fracture on one of the concluding plays of their divisional round victory against the Buffalo Bills.
Shortly after the win, the 25-year-old Nix was declared unavailable, as confirmed by head coach Sean Payton, who stated the quarterback sustained the injury on the penultimate play of the team’s overtime triumph. Nix was scheduled for season-ending surgery just days later, though specifics regarding his recovery period were not disclosed until Sunday.
Following the surgical procedure, the signal-caller is anticipated to be sidelined for a duration of 12 weeks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Reports indicate that Nix will be advised to keep all weight off his ankle for a month. Should his recovery progress favorably, he could potentially resume light activities around the end of the three-month period.
Despite the extended recuperation period, Schefter notes that Nix is projected to have “largely recovered” enough to participate in the upcoming offseason training sessions.
It has been reported that Nix has fractured his ankle on three previous occasions throughout his time in football; however, this particular injury is in an unrelated spot and is not anticipated to have lasting consequences for the quarterback. Nix’s professional career has begun impressively, as he recorded 3,931 passing yards, 25 scoring passes, and 11 turnovers in his sophomore NFL season. His contributions, coupled with the Broncos’ formidable defensive unit, culminated in Denver securing the top seed in the AFC.
With Nix unavailable, substitute player Jarrett Stidham is slated to start on Sunday against the New England Patriots. This game will mark Stidham’s fifth career start. Across 20 appearances in the NFL, the 29-year-old Stidham has accumulated eight touchdown passes compared to eight interceptions.
