Ex-Patriots QB Tabbed As Replacement For Bo Nix In AFC Championship

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will not be available for the 2026 AFC Championship.

No, seriously.

Nix, who led his club to an overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, was revealed to have suffered a fractured ankle and will have surgery to repair it — which will keep him out for the remainder of the postseason. Nix’s injury comes as something of a shock, as he didn’t miss any time during the divisional round. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport shared that it occured on the second-to-last play of overtime.

“We felt it was best to tell everyone now,” Payton said, adding that the sophomore signal-caller will have surgery in Alabama on Tuesday.

The Broncos will be forced to rely on backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who will make his fifth career start against either the New England Patriots or Houston Texans — who will face off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Stidham, who has not attempted a pass in the last two seasons, originally entered the league as a fourth-round pick by New England. Sam Ehlinger is the only other quarterback on the active roster.