Jan 20, 2026
3 min read
"This team has been missing key players all year," head coach Sean Payton said."We move on to the next challenge and go from there."
DENVER — The Broncos will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix until the end of the postseason.
Nix suffered a broken right ankle late in overtime during the Broncos' 33-30 win over the Bills and will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday, according to head coach Sean Payton.
"It's a tough cookie," Peyton said."I told [him], 'Listen, I believe you're the second quarterback in Year 2 to take your team to the championship game. And the first is [Patrick] Mahomes.'
Veteran quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 25, and Sam Ehlinger will serve as the Broncos' No. 2 quarterback.
"I would say this, honestly from what you've seen, which is very limited: He's ready," Payton said of Stidham."He's ready. I said this at the beginning of the season, I feel like I have [a No. 2 quarterback] who is capable of starting for some teams, and I know he feels the same way. Watch out. Just watch.
The Knicks, who joined John Elway as the only running backs in franchise history to throw for three touchdowns in a postseason win, started all 36 games of his two-year career.
Stidham started four career games and had a win in the home start that came in 2023. In his last action, Stidham completed 30-of-38 passes for 376 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a 143.0 quarterback rating in 2025.
"There's going to be a lot of emotion, and then there's going to be a refocus," Payton said of how the team might respond."We celebrated [Nix's] season. Listen, Stiddy is fine, and we'll be ready for the next race."
