A fracture in Bo Nix’s ankle has apparently created a fracture in the relationship between the Denver Broncos‘ star quarterback and his head coach. For the Broncos, the drama didn’t end with their Divisional Round loss. A public disagreement between quarterback Bo Nix and coach Sean Payton over the nature of Nix’s ankle injury has created a new offseason storyline.

“[But] nothing predisposed, nothing that was there originally,” Bo Nix said on a conference call with reporters on January 28, per ESPN. “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.”

Payton argues that a preexisting condition led to Nix’s injury, but the QB certainly thinks that his injury came from a freak play, not a chronic issue. He told reporters that the HC may have misunderstood the situation and made it clear that he doesn’t believe the injury is part of any long-term problem. That stance directly contradicts what Payton said just one day earlier. 

“What was found (during surgery) was a condition that was predisposed – they always find a little more when they go in,” Payton said during his season-ending press conference on January 27. “It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when. When you look at the play, and you’re trying to evaluate it, the operating surgeon said that this was going to happen sooner than later. Now, you go about the rehab, proper orthotics, all those things.”

In the 33-30 Divisional Round win over the Bills, Bo Nix’s injury came on a designed run with 6:04 remaining in overtime. On a first-and-10 from Buffalo’s 36-yard line, Nix took a tackle from Buffalo safety Cole Bishop for a two-yard loss and came down awkwardly. Yet somehow, Nix stayed in the game and drew a crucial pass interference call on a deep throw to his receiver Marvin Mims Jr. 

That penalty eventually moved Denver into field goal range and set up the team for a game-winning kick. The Broncos QB then finished the game throwing for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Bo Nix also led his team in rushing with 29 yards on 12 carries. But only after the game did X-rays confirm that Nix had sustained a fracture in his ankle.

But in the post-game presser, after announcing that Bo Nix will be out for the season, Payton tried to lighten the mood. The HC joked that he wouldn’t have drafted Nix if he had known about his ankle injury history dating back to his days in high school and at Auburn.

According to reports, Bo Nix did miss a few high school games in 2017 due to a fracture, but still returned to lead his team to a state championship. In 2021, he suffered another break while playing for Auburn. Then, after his 2024 rookie season, Nix also underwent a minor cleanup procedure. But the QB believes that Payton shouldn’t have discussed any of those injuries publicly.

“I don’t think he [Payton] really should share how many surgeries I’ve had in the past, to be honest with you – he doesn’t even really know that,” Nix said, per ESPN. “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.”

While this could be just a minor disagreement between Nix and Payton, it also hints at deeper tension between player and coach. At the very least, the two clearly don’t see Nix’s injury, or its history, the same way. However, the encouraging part for Denver is that Nix expects to return from his injury sooner rather than later.

Bo Nix provides a timeline for his return from ankle injury

Without Bo Nix, the Broncos had to rely on their backup QB Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. But even with home-field advantage at Mile High, Denver’s offense struggled and lost the game 10-7 against the Patriots. It was a frustrating end to a promising season for the Broncos, but Nix just revealed that he is already looking ahead to his road to recovery.

“Just a simple bone break,’’ Bo Nix said. “Right on my road to recovery, so a typical bone break, four to six weeks, will be back training, ready to roll. You hear a lot of different weeks and speculation out there, but I’ll actually be able to start training back at the same time I was going to start training. So don’t miss any time there.”

The Broncos QB underwent successful surgery to repair the fracture on January 20, and according to him, the recovery should be straightforward. Nix also revealed that since he planned to take time off after the season anyway, the rehab process shouldn’t disrupt his offseason program.

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“I’m excited for this offseason,” Nix added. “The way it ended – it definitely was abrupt. It’s definitely not how you want it to end, but my sights are already on next year and how I can be better, and how I can lead this team better and play better. I’m excited for the offseason work.”

Bo Nix finished the 2025 season with 3,931 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also added 356 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Most importantly, he led Denver to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2015. Even though the Broncos fell short of the Super Bowl, the 2025 season still marked a major step forward for Nix. But stepping into his third year under center in Denver, Nix plans to work on playing better.