The Denver Broncos achieved a thrilling overtime win over the Buffalo Bills, 33-30, thanks to quarterback Bo Nix and a game-winning field goal.
Nix led the team all season, helping them earn the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, which led many to believe Denver was on a path to the Super Bowl. However, following the win over Buffalo, Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed that Nix had broken an ankle and would miss the rest of the playoffs.
That surprising revelation dropped Denver’s odds of defeating their next opponents, the New England Patriots, let alone winning the Super Bowl, as they’ll now play with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
Meanwhile, Nix recently underwent surgery to address his broken ankle and shared a message reflecting on the past season and the support he received after his season-ending injury.
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On Wednesday, Nix posted a carousel of images on Instagram featuring him during a game, celebrating with fans and teammates, playing on the field, and participating in an interview. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reshared a screenshot of Nix’s IG message on his injury,
In his heartfelt remarks, Nix indicated “The last few days have been hard to put into words” and referred to his game against the Bills, “one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been part of.”
Nix said that the game also brought “The most devastating football news I’ve ever received.”
“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,” he wrote.
“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 Jarrett. And I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next,” Nix also said.
He thanked everyone for sending support his way and also showed appreciation for the trainers who took care of him after his injury.
“We’re not finished, as a matter of fact, we’re just getting started. We’re just going to keep climbing higher,” Nix wrote, ending his message with “Go Broncos.”
The Broncos QB finished the AFC Divisional Round matchup with 279 yards and three touchdowns on 26-46 passing. He suffered the unfortunate injury on one of his team’s late plays before they ultimately won the game. Despite the season-ending injury and recent surgery that have him sidelined, Nix seems optimistic about his team’s chances.
He’s paid immediate dividends for the Broncos, leading them to back-to-back winning seasons and playoff appearances. This past season was his best in terms of passing attempts, completions, and yards, with Nix throwing 388-of-612 for 3,931 yards.
He also ran for 356 yards and five touchdowns. The results were quite evident as the team improved to 14-3 as Nix played through his second-straight fully healthy season.
They’ll host the No. 2 seed, the New England Patriots, in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, with Stidham attempting to lead this team to the Super Bowl. Nix’s inspiring message could be just what Stidham and the rest of the Broncos need to see to pull off the improbable win as underdogs to the visiting Patriots.
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