The Denver Broncos are at their best when quarterback Bo Nix is using his arm and his legs, but after his second ankle surgery in two years, will he stop using his legs as much?
Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix’s devastating season-ending ankle injury late in the divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills proved to have a massive impact on the offense’s performance in the team’s loss to the New England Patriots in the American Football Conference Championship.
The Broncos were forced to start backup QB Jarrett Stidham, who had a great start to the game but quickly fizzled out after the first 15 plays were called. After delivering a 52-yard strike to set up Denver’s only touchdown of the game, a six-yard pass to receiver Courtland Sutton, Stidham had no answers for the Patriots defense.
Although the Broncos defense held them in it, the offense just couldn’t move the ball and when they did get into scoring position, kicker Wil Lutz missed two field goals that would have pushed the Broncos ahead.
All this to say, Nix certainly would have changed the game and probably brings the Broncos to the Super Bowl. But the way the Broncos operated as an offense in 2025 might not be how it operates in 2026.
Nix is extremely effective when he’s using his arm and his legs, but after yet another ankle surgery, will the organization hit the brakes a bit on his rushing frequency?
He was tied with the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert for the fifth-most rushing attempts by a QB this season (83), amassing 356 yards and five touchdowns. He also attempted the most passes in the league, so it’s not like Head Coach Sean Payton is relying on one or the other.
But given the history and the drama that arose from it, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Nix be less of a rusher and continue to be a passer.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold mentioned that the offense could just be different based on if Payton or newly elevated offensive coordinator Davis Webb will be calling plays this season. But, regardless of who is calling plays, Nix will need to improve as a passer if that is the path the Broncos go down.
“But Nix has now had ankle surgeries in the past two years, as well as multiple fractured transverse process bones in his back in 2024, Legwold wrote Friday. “Should the Broncos keep him heavily involved in their run game in 2026? They had Nix throw the most pass attempts (612) in the NFL last season, but he lacked efficiency (minus-2.1% in completions over expectation, ranked 26th).”
Part of Nix’s draw in college was his ability to beat you with his legs, but if you take that element out of his game (even just by 50 percent), it changes the way he plays the position and how defenses will approach stopping him. If he doesn’t clean up his mistakes as a passer, which starts with his “happy feet” that has plagued him for much of his young career, the offense could take a step backwards.