A strong regular season followed by an efficient Divisional Round performance pushed the Denver Broncos into the AFC Championship, where they’ll host the New England Patriots. But the run comes with a major complication. Denver will be without its starting quarterback, Bo Nix, leaving backup Jarrett Stidham to run the offense. And ahead of the matchup, Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II spoke candidly about Nix’s injury and the team’s confidence in Stidham.

“I ain’t gonna lie,” Surtain said, “after the game, you feel all the emotions running. We just came off a big victory, we feeling good, energy’s good, then I heard the news about Bo (Nix), and my heart just dropped…We were in a perfect situation, perfect spot. Then that news happened. It’s unfortunate for sure. But I got all the trust, we got all the trust in Stiddy (Stidham) to make things work.”

That emotional swing came after Denver edged past the Buffalo Bills 33–30 in overtime, a win that didn’t come easily, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The celebration was short-lived, though. Not long after, the locker room learned Nix had been ruled out for the rest of the season. That reality shifts everything and now puts the spotlight squarely on Stidham.

For the backup QB, though, there’s also a layer of symbolism attached to this matchup. The Patriots drafted him in 2019 as a potential successor to Tom Brady. But he never carved out that role, instead serving mostly as a backup. When Brady left in 2020, Cam Newton arrived, and Stidham once again slid into the background. Six years later, he now faces his former team with a Super Bowl berth on the line.

And for head coach Sean Payton, the decision is clear. Stidham is the guy, and the belief inside the building hasn’t wavered. “Stiddy’s ready to go. I said this at the beginning of the season: I feel like I’ve got two (backup quarterbacks) that are capable of starting for a number of teams. I know he feels the same way,” Coach Payton said. “So, watch out. Just watch.”

Payton’s confidence isn’t just talk. It’s why Denver signed Stidham to a two-year, $12 million extension in March 2025. Still, the challenge ahead is undeniable. Stidham is one of only two quarterbacks who haven’t thrown a single pass this season (the other being Jimmy Garoppolo). In fact, he didn’t attempt a pass in 2024 either.

Now, all of that changes. This is the biggest start of his career. Play well, guide the offense, win, and Denver is headed to the Super Bowl. Anything else isn’t part of the conversation inside the locker room. Meanwhile, as Surtain spoke, Nik Bonitto also joined the discussion, addressing Nix’s surgery and reinforcing the team’s next-man-up mindset as Denver prepares for its biggest game of the season.

Nik Bonitto addressed Bo Nix’s surgery

“[Nix] is a tough cookie,” Sean Payton said after Bo Nix went down with an injury. “I said, ‘Listen I believe you’re the second quarterback in his second year to take his team to the [conference] championship game and the first is [Patrick] Mahomes.’ … We’ll rise up for the next challenge.”

Payton’s words carry real weight for the second-year quarterback. Nix engineered multiple comebacks this season, including the Divisional Round win that made him just the second quarterback in his second year to lead a team to the conference championship. Now, though, the comeback in front of him is different. This one starts with recovery.

Nix underwent surgery on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama, to repair his broken ankle. As that process began, Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto shared his support.

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“Prayers up to my boy, Bo. He’s finally having surgery the other day. So, just wishing him well on that,” Bonitto said.

The injury itself came late in the game. With 6:04 remaining in overtime, Nix was tackled for a two-yard loss on a designed run from the Bills’ 36-yard line. He popped back up and returned to the huddle, though a slight limp was noticeable. On the very next play, he threw a deep incompletion intended for Marvin Mims Jr.

That play drew a pass-interference flag on Tre’Davious White, moving the ball to the Bills’ eight-yard line. Nix took the next snap and kneeled to stop the clock. But his right ankle twisted awkwardly. He grimaced, clearly in pain, and limped off toward the sideline. Now, Nix’s focus shifts to a healthy return in 2026. As for the Broncos, the mission continues. Jarrett Stidham will step in and try to finish what Nix started.