The Denver Broncos are 1 win away from an appearance in Super Bowl LX.
A kneel-down from quarterback Bo Nix to set up a game-winning field goal in overtime on Saturday night helped to lift the Broncos over the Buffalo Bills and into the AFC Championship Game. It also served as Nix’s final play of the 2025-26 season.
After Denver defeated Buffalo 33-30, head coach Sean Payton revealed that Nix fractured a bone in his right ankle that will require surgery and end his season.
Payton said that Nix suffered the injury on a first-down run with less than 6 minutes remaining in overtime. Nix was dropped in the backfield for a 2-yard loss. He dropped back to pass on the very next play, throwing deep to Marvin Mims Jr. on a play that drew a pass interference penalty and moved the Broncos to the Buffalo 8.
Nix ran a kneel-down play on the ensuing snap to center the ball for Wil Lutz’s game-winning kick.
According to The Athletic’s James Palmer, Denver players did not know about Nix’s injury situation until Payton delivered the news at the podium during his postgame press conference.
Nix, a former Auburn and Oregon star at the college level, completed 26 of his 46 pass attempts for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception. Nix threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Mims with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter that briefly pushed Denver into a 30-27 lead. Buffalo kicked a field goal on the final play of regulation to force the extra period.
Former Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start for Denver in the AFC Championship Game against either New England or Houston. Stidham has not thrown a pass since the 2023 season. He has appeared in only 4 games for Denver over the last 2 years.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
