The Denver Broncos had just pulled off their biggest win in years against the Buffalo Bills to advance to the AFC Championship Game, but they were dealt a massive gut punch. Bo Nix’s fractured ankle put a quick end to the party in Denver as their fate was left in the hands of Jarrett Stidham, who couldn’t get it done. Nix’s ankle required surgery, and it was recently revealed that the young QB underwent a second surgery over the offseason.
Now, Nix is explaining why he decided to go under the knife for a second time in the last few months.
Bo Nix Reveals Why He Had Second Surgery
Nix’s ankle injury caused chaos in the NFL world after his season ended abruptly. No one expected it because he managed to finish the game, and his fractured ankle ultimately killed Denver’s chances of a Super Bowl run.
So, why did Nix need a second surgery? He revealed that he was dealing with bone spurs that began to hurt him. Nix made the tough decision to operate on these bone issues now so they wouldn’t be a problem down the line.
“It was hard because I wanted to be full speed so fast. Just wanted to go ahead and get it out of the way for good,” said Nix.
If Nix hadn’t gotten the procedure, he could’ve been healthier sooner but the bone spurs may have affected him throughout the season and likely would have required surgery in the following offseason.
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However, he’s avoided those problems by having the operation this offseason, and he is already almost back for the Broncos. He has been limited throughout the minicamp period, but there are no worries about his progress. He is reportedly feeling better than he’s felt physically in his NFL career and should be 100% for the start of training camp.
Denver’s defense was one of the best in the NFL in 2025 (ranking No. 1 in PFN’s Defense Impact metric) and needed its offense to just be competent to win games. This offseason, the Broncos made a major move to add another weapon in star WR Jaylen Waddle. Now, having two dangerous receivers in Waddle and Courtland Sutton should add a different look to the offense and help Nix elevate his game further.
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Nix finished the 2025 season as the 14th-ranked quarterback in PFN’s QB Impact metric with a grade of 78.4. The Broncos should be back in contention once again, but they’ll have targets on their back. Nix will likely be coming in with a chip on his shoulder to get back to the AFC Championship Game, where his injury robbed him of the opportunity to potentially send Denver back to the Super Bowl.
The AFC West should be a bloodbath again, with the Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers looking to make it back to the postseason. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs will be motivated to get back to the top of the NFL with a fueled Patrick Mahomes coming off injury. Lastly, the Las Vegas Raiders are entering a new era led by No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza and new head coach Klint Kubiak. These teams are going to make it tough on each other, and we’ll see if Nix and the Broncos will come out on top.
