The Denver Broncos‘ stellar run knew no bounds before their star quarterback, Bo Nix, suffered a massive blow. After getting his ankle injured during their divisional round clash (against the Buffalo Bills), the chances of him showing up for the upcoming clash are now dead. Amid the troublesome situation, backup QB Jarrett Stidham stepped forward to reassure fans of his readiness, making it clear that he always prepares himself as a starter. Above all, he also gave fans what they were waiting for: a psychological rundown of the locker room following the QB’s injury.

“My thoughts and prayers have been with Bo since Saturday night,” Stidham told Troy Rench. “I mean, it’s crushing because he’s one of my best friends. And Sam and I were talking about this exam, and I probably spend more time with him than his wife does right now.”

The injury happened after a penalty moved the ball to the 8-yard line. On the next play, Nix took a knee to stop the clock. During the kneel-down, his right ankle twisted in an awkward way. He immediately showed pain and was seen limping as he walked back to the Denver Broncos sideline. After the game, Nix had X-rays done on his ankle. Head coach Sean Payton said many players had already left when the injury was announced.

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Amid the ongoing treatment, Nix underwent surgery, and the update turned out to be satisfying. Sean Payton confirmed that the surgery “went well”. The pre-injury season saw him throw for 279 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The Denver Broncos did not give a return date, but he is expected to be ready for the 2026 season.

Nix will miss the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, and Backup Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t started a game since 2023, now has the opportunity to get things done.

“I think every week I’ve always going back to when I was backing up Russ,” Stidham responded. “I’ve prepared the same every single week like I am the starter. Just hasn’t obviously been that way. Mine is two weeks. So my preparation hasn’t changed one bit. And yeah, that’s just kind of what I view.”

However, despite the readiness, it is quite likely that Bo Nix wouldn’t lie in his bed without disappointment.

Bo Nix shares emotional message following his knee injury

The Denver Broncos won the AFC West 16 times, along with earning wild-card spots eight times in history. While the numbers stand strong for the franchise, it was only the second time Bo Nix appeared in a playoff game. The injury stole his chance to experience glory, and the emotions were clearly visible in a message that he shared ahead of the upcoming game.

“The last few days have been hard to put into words,” Nix wrote on Instagram. “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. 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.”

However, despite the disappointment, the QB expressed pride over the team while also thanking everyone for the warm wishes and support.

“I can’t express how much this team and organization mean to me and how much I believe in them,” he added. “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.”

Per Jarrett, all he’s doing right now is practicing and sitting beside Nix as he rests following the surgery. Now that the team has a major challenge lined up, still remains to be seen if Nix’s faith in Jarrett turns out to be worthy.