Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Bo Nix sends Broncos encouraging message before AFC Championship vs. Patriots

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 7:26 PM ET

Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix is crushed that he can't play in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots after breaking his right ankle. However, he doesn't want his team to crumble without him.

Nix underwent surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, on Tuesday after injuring his ankle in overtime of a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round. In his first statement since suffering the injury, he sent a message to the Broncos

Bo Nix rallies the troops

"What started as one of the most exciting games I've ever been a part of ended with some of the most devastating football news I've ever received," wrote Nix, who threw for 28 TD passes this season (including playoffs), on Instagram on Wednesday. "This is not how I imagined my season would come to an end, but our season has been defined by overcoming adversity and responding to it.

"I can't express how much this team and organization mean to me and how much I believe in them. I couldn't be more proud of our guys. I couldn't be more confident in [backup QB Jarrett Stidham]. And I couldn't be more excited for what's next."

Bo Nix’s message on IG:

Called his injury “some of the most devastating football news I’ve ever received”

“I couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett” pic.twitter.com/EDctysMNCQ
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 21, 2026

Stidham is set to make his first start since the 2023 season against the Patriots on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+). Despite the potential rust, Denver head coach Sean Payton expressed confidence in the 29-year-old passer.

"He's going to rip it," the coach told the media on Wednesday. "That's his personality."

Oddsmakers view the Broncos as underdogs heading into Sunday's matchup. As of Wednesday, DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Patriots as 5.5-point favorites.

Denver has defied the odds throughout the season. The Broncos won 11 one-possession games during the regular season, tying an NFL record. That included erasing a 19-0 fourth-quarter deficit in a 33-32 Week 7 win over the New York Giants.

Without Nix, though, Denver will need even more "Mile-High Magic" to pull off an upset against the Patriots. The 25-year-old QB hopes his words of encouragement help the team find it.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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