In a cruel twist of fate, the Denver Broncos' most successful season in a decade has been overshadowed by devastating news: rookie quarterback Bo Nix will miss the AFC Championship Game after fracturing his right ankle in Saturday's overtime thriller against the Buffalo Bills.
CNN reports that despite the injury, the Broncos secured a dramatic 33-30 overtime victory to advance to their first AFC Championship Game since the 2015 season.
Stidham Steps Into the Spotlight Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will now start in the conference championship — a daunting task for a player who has played just one snap this season (taking a knee in October) and hasn't thrown a regular-season pass since 2023.
According to FOX Sports , the Broncos went from +325 to +900 Super Bowl odds on BetMGM following the announcement — reflecting bookmakers' concerns about the backup quarterback situation.
The 29-year-old Stidham, a former Auburn standout who has bounced around the league, now carries the weight of a franchise's Super Bowl dreams.
Denver's rookie sensation suffered a fractured right ankle in overtime of the Broncos' dramatic playoff win over Buffalo, forcing backup Jarrett Stidham into the spotlight.