FOOTBALL: Broncos QB Bo Nix to be sidelined for 12 weeks

If you were one of those eternal optimists who thought Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix might somehow recover in time to play in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, you can forget about it.

Nix is expected to be sidelined for a full 12 weeks after undergoing surgery last week on his broken right ankle, ESPN reported Sunday.

During Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots in Denver, Nix is expected to watch from a luxury box alongside his other injured Broncos teammates. Doctors have ordered him not to put any weight on his ankle for at least four weeks, sources told ESPN.

While Nix should be well enough to participate in the Broncos’ off-season program, that is still a long way off.

In the meantime, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start Sunday for the Broncos.

“I’m not worried about Stiddy in this game,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “I’m worried about everyone else and how we play. That’s the truth.”

Payton believes Stidham will perform well against the Patriots. In fact, the coach said Stidham is capable of “ripping it” in the game and even called him a starting-level quarterback.

“I feel like our two [QBs] were inside the best 32,” Payton told the Denver Post this week. And yes, Payton is talking about a career backup who has not thrown a pass since the 2023 season.

Stidham, for his part, has been confident and composed all week.

“I’m not treating it any differently,” Stidham said about being thrown into the AFC Championship pressure cooker. “I’m not treating my preparation any differently. I’m just gonna go out there and play and be myself.”

—Field Level Media/Reuters