The Denver Broncos took down the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night, securing their spot in next weekend’s AFC Championship Game. Despite the win, they suffered a pretty significant injury setback as the team is expected to be without its starting quarterback moving forward.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was injured during the game, and head coach Sean Payton revealed in his postgame press conference that Nix will miss the rest of the postseason.
Payton announced that Nix suffered a broken bone in his ankle, an injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs.
With Nix unavailable, Denver will now rely on backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who is set to start in next Sunday’s AFC title game against either the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Needless to say, this stunning news led to a lot of reactions on social media.
“That’s just not real,” one fan wrote in disbelief.
“I’m done with this sport,” another fan added.
“This is terrible. Feel horrible for Bo and for the Broncos,” someone else wrote.
“Sacrificed himself to make sure Josh Allen ain’t make it to the SB he a real one,” another fan quipped.
“Unreal,” someone else said.
“This is legitimately unbelievable,” another fan added.
Stidham saw minimal action during the regular season, appearing in just one game without attempting a pass, as he only took a knee in Denver’s 44-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 26.
Over the course of his NFL career, Stidham has made four starts, all with the Broncos, compiling a 1-3 record in those appearances.
There’s no question this is a tough blow for Denver and slightly dampens the excitement surrounding the team’s playoff advancement.
Now, all eyes will be on Stidham heading into next week, as he’ll have an unexpected opportunity to step into the spotlight and potentially guide the Broncos to the Super Bowl in a backup-turned-starter role.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.