Bo Nix injury update: Sean Payton names Jarrett Stidham starter over Sam Ehlinger

Jarrett Stidham will start the AFC Championship game for the Denver Broncos in light of the injury to Bo Nix, according to Tom Pelissero. Sam Ehlinger will serve as the backup.

Nix suffered an ankle injury Saturday in a divisional round playoff win against the Buffalo Bills. Broncos coach Sean Payton revealed postgame that he had broken his ankle and would be out the remainder of the season.

Stidham is in his sixth NFL season and third with the Broncos after playing college football for both Baylor and Auburn. He has started three games prior in his NFL career, going a combined 1-3 in those contests.

Jarrett Stidham’s most recent NFL start occurred in Week 18 of the 2023 season against the Las Vegas Raiders. He finished the game 20-of-34 passing for 272 yards and one touchdown with one interception as Denver lost 27-14.

The Broncos will hope for better results this time around as they await the winner between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans in the AFC Championship. Stidham will have a little more than a week to prepare as the game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 25.

Bo Nix out for the season with broken ankle

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken bone in his ankle in Denver’s AFC Divisional Game against the Buffalo Bills and will miss the remainder of the Playoffs, head coach Sean Payton announced Saturday night.

Nix suffered the injury on a -2 yard rush with 6:04 remaining in overtime. He remained in the game and drew a crucial pass interference call on a throw to Marvin Mims, which put Denver in field goal range for the win. He will undergo surgery Tuesday for the broken bone in his ankle.

“On the second-to-last play of overtime, Bo fractured a bone in his right ankle,” Payton said postgame. “He’s scheduled to have surgery Tuesday of this week to put him out for the rest of the season. (Jarrett) Stidham is ready to go. And yeah, it was the second-to-last play.”

In the 33-30 win over Buffalo, Nix completed 26/46 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He also led the Broncos in rushing with 29 yards on 12 carries. With the win, he joined Tim Tebow as the only other Denver-drafted quarterback to lead the franchise to a Playoff victory.

On3’s Daniel Hager contributed to this report.