The Denver Broncos won a playoff classic. They also lost their starting quarterback. Bo Nix fractured a bone in his right ankle late in overtime of Denver’s 33–30 win over the Buffalo Bills, a gut-punch injury that ends his season days before the AFC Championship Game. The Broncos will host next week, and Jarrett Stidham will start under center. It’s a stunning turn after a night where Nix played tough, made the key throw in overtime, and dragged Denver to its first postseason win in a decade.

How Bo Nix got hurt in the Broncos–Bills overtime

The play that changed Denver’s week was not a sack or a scramble gone wrong. It was a designed run. On a first-and-10 from the Bills’ 36-yard line with 6:04 left in overtime, Nix kept the ball and was pulled down by Buffalo safety Cole Bishop for a two-yard loss. He got up limping. He stayed in the game, took the next snap, and on a kneel-down his right ankle twisted awkwardly.

“On the second to last play in overtime, Bo fractured a bone in his right ankle. He’s scheduled to have surgery Tuesday of this week, which will put him out for the rest of the season,” head coach Sean Payton said. He added that the injury came “before he threw the pass to [Marvin] Mims.”

“Painful twist: Nix wins the game, but loses his season. Now it’s on Stidham.”

The clutch throw after the fracture and the game-winning kick

What came next will be part of Broncos lore. After the injury sequence, Nix took a shot downfield to rookie Marvin Mims Jr. The pass drew a defensive pass interference flag, flipping field position and setting up Wil Lutz to drill the game-winning field goal. Denver walked off the Bills, 33–30, and pushed into the AFC title game.

Nix’s stat line tells the story of a tough, resilient night: 26 of 46 passing for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He also led Denver in rushing with 29 yards on 12 carries. It wasn’t always clean, but it was winning football in January.

Season-ending surgery and the recovery timeline

Nix will have surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama. The recovery window, based on the initial diagnosis, is 10–12 weeks for bone healing and roughly 3–4 months to regain full function. That timeline should keep him on track for the 2026 season if there are no setbacks. It’s a hard reality for a quarterback who just powered Denver to its biggest win in years.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter underlined the news: “Broncos QB Bo Nix suffered a season-ending broken bone in his ankle during today’s overtime victory over Buffalo.” The phrasing says it all— a win with a real cost.

Jarrett Stidham steps in: what the AFC Championship Game looks like now

Payton’s plan is already set: “[Stidham’s] ready to go.” The seventh-year pro from Auburn has waited for a stage like this, and it’s finally here. Stidham has started two games for Denver since 2023, going 1–1. He has never started a playoff game.

For his NFL career, Stidham has completed 59.4% of his passes for 1,422 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions across stops with the Patriots, Raiders, and Broncos. With Denver over the last three seasons, he’s at 60.6% for 496 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and an 87.7 passer rating. He is steady, smart with the ball, and familiar with Payton’s system.

Denver will host either the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans in the AFC Championship Game. Behind Stidham on the depth chart is Sam Ehlinger, the former Colt who is winless in three career starts. The Broncos will lean into a plan that suits their new starter’s strengths: quick reads, play-action, and a balanced run game.

“This defense plus a clean Stidham game might be enough at Mile High.”

Defense sets the stage: four takeaways vs. Josh Allen

Denver’s defense has been the backbone of its late-season surge, and it showed up again. The Broncos forced four turnovers from Josh Allen, flipping possessions and keeping Buffalo off balance. That is the kind of formula that travels and wins in January: pressure, opportunism, and short fields for the offense.

In the title game, expect more of the same. The Broncos do not need fireworks if they steal possessions and protect the football. Special teams matter too. Wil Lutz’s game-winner capped a composed night from the operation, and in tight playoff games, that edge is huge.

“Lean on Lutz, field position, and turnovers—that’s Denver’s path now.”

What Nix’s injury means for Denver’s identity

Nix’s mobility and timing have been a big part of Denver’s offensive rhythm. He extended plays, moved the pocket, and forced defenses to respect designed QB runs. Without him, the Broncos may dial back those calls and live more under center with play-action and quick-game throws. The onus shifts to the offensive line and backs to find steady gains on early downs.

Still, the core idea remains: avoid negative plays, trust the defense, and win the fourth quarter. With Stidham at the helm, that approach is not just realistic; it is sound playoff football.

Final word: heartbreak and hope in the same night

There is no sugarcoating it. Losing Bo Nix this late hurts. He just authored a gutsy playoff win and then exited the season in the cruelest way. But Denver also showed the kind of team resilience that keeps seasons alive. The defense took the ball away. The kicker hit the big one. The head coach stayed calm and clear.

Now it’s on Jarrett Stidham and a veteran locker room to carry that standard one more week, at home, with a Super Bowl berth on the line. If Denver keeps taking the ball away and stays clean on offense, the path is there.