Feb. 1, 2026, 5:02 a.m. MT
There was plenty of hubbub in Broncos Country last week after quarterback Bo Nix contradicted coach Sean Payton’s remarks about the quarterback’s season-ending ankle injury.
The situation was likely blown out of proportion as Nix was seemingly being semantic about the specific language Payton used to describe the state of the QB’s ankle before it broke. It’s in the past now, and Nix says he’ll have a 4-6 week recovery.
Aside from the controversial “predisposed” comment, Payton’s overall report on Nix’s recovery was positive.
“He’s doing well,” Payton said during his end-of-season press conference last week. “He literally was just above us here. I asked him, ‘What were you doing, trying to get your scooter laps in?’ So he’s got ‘X’ amount of time on the scooter, then it goes to the crutches, then it goes to the walking boot, then it… So there’s a process.
“You have to know him. He’s fidgety to begin with. He might have been just getting his scooter laps in, but he was up there in an area where he never would be in department-wise. I think he’s handling it like a pro. … I think it’s difficult to get as far as he brought us, and then maybe to see also one of his contemporaries, like someone in his draft class that he would have loved to have competed against advance. It can be a tough game.”
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With Nix unavailable, the Broncos fell to the New England Patriots and quarterback Drake Maye, 10-7, in the AFC Championship game. Denver’s scheduled to have a rematch in New England in 2026, and Nix will be recovered well before that regular-season showdown. If all goes well, the QB will be ready for the team’s offseason program this spring.
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