Broncos QB Bo NIx isn't going to let injury change the way he plays

The Denver Broncos' 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in last year's divisional round was the very definition of a costly win.

The good news was the fact they won their first playoff game in a decade and advanced to the AFC Championship game.

The bad news was starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a devastating ankle injury that ended his season. It was an injury that played a pivotal role in the following week's AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, and one that very likely cost Denver a trip to the Super Bowl. 

Nix is back healthy for the start of the 2026 season, and he seems determined to not let the injury, or his recovery, keep him from playing the way he has over the first two years of his career.

Bo Nix is not going to change the way he plays

Nix talked about his approach on Saturday, telling Jeff Legwold of ESPN that he is not going to be afraid to run on his surgically repaired ankle, and that his mobility is a key part of his game.

"Absolutely not," Nix said. "I'm going to roll (out), I'm going to be as athletic as I can be. ... It's a strength of ours and so we've got to use our strengths. For me that's when I feel at my best, that's when I feel free. When I'm playing like that, when I'm moving around, it's a good thing."

The Broncos selected Nix in the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Oregon, and made him the immediate replacement for Russell Wilson after that experiment failed. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, and has rapidly become a very good NFL quarterback.

He has helped lead the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons as a starter, throwing for 7,706 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He has also added 786 yards rushing and nine rushing touchdowns, including 356 yards and five touchdowns during the 2025 season. 

If Nix is fully healthy and able to play to his top ability, there is no reason why the Broncos should not be one of the best teams in the NFL this season.

Nix is going to be entering the third year of his career and the third year under head coach Sean Payton, and there is always the potential that he could take another big step forward with that experience. He has already seen his career get off to a strong start, and he should now be entering his peak years in the league. Add that to a Broncos defense that should again be one of the best in the NFL and a return trip to the AFC Championship game, if not a trip to the Super Bowl, should be within reach.