After the Denver Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills to reach the AFC Championship Game, the shocking news came that quarterback Bo Nix would undergo season-ending ankle surgery. Enter: Back up Jarrett Stidham. The quarterback who began his college career with the Baylor Bears joins Roger Staubach as the last quarterback to make his first start of the season in the conference championship game, according to NFL research.
Unfortunately for Dallas, they lost the game to Washington, 26-3. The Broncos will host either New England or Houston next Sunday.
Bo Nix’s Injury
Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed the injury after the game, saying it occurred on the second-to-last play of overtime.
“On the second to last play in overtime, Bo fractured a bone in his right ankle,” Payton said. “He’s scheduled to have surgery Tuesday of this week, which will put him out for the rest of the season. [Stidham’s] ready to go. Yeah it was the second to last play before he threw the pass to [Marvin] Mims.”
Nix finished Saturday completing 26-of-46 passes for 279 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He was also the Broncos’ leading rusher with 29 yards on 12 carries.
Jarrett Stidham has not thrown a pass in either of the last two regular seasons for the Broncos, as Nix took all of the snaps for the Broncos at quarterback in every game in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
