Broncos' Nix says injury not a concern, will return in 4-6 weeks

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said Wednesday that he felt "terrible, very helpless" watching his team lose Sunday's AFC championship game just days after he had surgery to repair his fractured right ankle, but that he will dive into a recovery he said will have him back on the field in time for the team's offseason program.

Nix, making his first public comments since he was injured in the final minutes of the divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills, outlined the emotions he felt upon learning of his injury as well as the days that followed. He said being sidelined while watching the Broncos' loss to the Patriots was "the worst part."

"It was a bummer," Nix said on a conference call. "It was a tough week. It was not necessarily the most fun I've ever had playing football. But life teaches you lessons. You know this adversity is good. ... For me it's just going to make playing in one of these games all that much more special. I can't go back and play in that one, but, man, I can do something to ... see how many I can play in in the future. That drives me."

Nix, who had surgery last week to repair the fracture, suffered his injury on a 2-yard run with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in overtime in the win over the Bills. He had led the game-winning drive and threw for three touchdowns, only to be told in the locker room afterward that he would miss the remainder of the playoffs.

Nix was at Sunday's loss to the Patriots and was one of the first to meet with quarterback Jarrett Stidham following the game.

"There was not much I could do about it," Nix said. "Just to watch the team out there, man, it's tough to see. You go down, the show just keeps right on going. That's the toughest part. You feel like you've got a little FOMO. You just miss being out there."

Nix said his doctor told him his recovery would be four to six weeks and then Nix could start training again. He also said the injury would not impact him moving forward.

Contrary to public comments Tuesday from Broncos coach Sean Payton, Nix said he did not have a pre-existing condition in his right ankle that would have required surgery in the future had he not suffered the fracture.

Nix had suffered a fractured ankle in high school as well as when he was at Auburn. He also had ankle surgery after the 2024 season, his rookie year with the Broncos.

"[But] nothing predisposed, nothing that was there originally," Nix said of the current injury. "That might have gotten confused. Just a simple step with my foot up in the air, my body weight came down on it, sort of got twisted up. ... It could have been a worse landing, but I think all that force went into the only place it could."

Nix added: "I don't think he really should share how many surgeries I've had in the past, to be honest with you -- he doesn't even really know that. But it's going to be good to get back, get back to work. ... Nothing really that concerns me, nothing that scares me moving forward."

The Broncos went 11-2 in one-score games during the regular season, an NFL record, and Nix led five comeback wins along the way. He had 25 passing touchdowns this season and led the NFL with 612 pass attempts.