ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The ending wasn't easy, but it may push Bo Nix toward a greater future.
After a season in which Nix led eight game-winning drives and directed the team to 15 victories, he was resigned to watch the AFC Championship Game from a suite.
And that was as difficult as one might expect for the Broncos' quarterback.
"It was just a bummer," Nix said Wednesday of his injury. "It's crushing, it's defeating. You go that long and you play that many games, and you have that big of a season, and then it just kind of comes to an end abruptly like that. It stinks."
But while Nix added that it was "terrible" and a helpless feeling to not be able to be on the field with his teammates on Sunday, the motivation to return to that stage may well drive him moving forward.
"This adversity is good," Nix said. "I think all adversity is good. All adversity sort of tests you and challenges you and puts you in a different spot. I think for me, it's just going to make playing in one of these games that much more special. Unfortunately, I can't go back and play in that one, but man, I can do something to change and see how many I can play in in the future. To me, that's exciting and that drives me a little bit. That allows me to compete this offseason and train really hard and be back for OTAs and see the enjoyment that we're going to have. It reminds you not to take things for granted. It can change real quick. In literally the snap of a play, it can change. And now you're looking at things from a different perspective."
Nix said after the "abrupt" ending to the season, he's already looking toward next year. He shared that his ankle injury was "just a simple bone break" and that he expects to be back training in four to six weeks. He described last week's procedure as a "very easy operation," and he said the recovery should not impact his offseason preparation.
"It'll be absolutely no issue this offseason," Nix said. "I'll be able to actually start training back at the same time I was going to start training. Don't miss any time there. [I'm] going to have a good couple weeks getting literally my feet back underneath me and getting back ready to roll."
Nix also said he will not let the injury change the dual-threat nature of the way he plays, noting the durability he's shown while playing the position. Since entering the league in 2024, Nix started all 36 possible games for the Broncos before suffering his injury late in the game against the Bills.
"I don't really worry about the durability or being able to play," Nix said. "Honestly, with a simple break like this, I'll feel as good as new. [I] won't have any hiccups even getting back going with training. I was going to give myself some time off anyway, and this sort of makes me take this time off. [I] won't be able to scratch the itch and get out there too early. This will settle me down [and] make sure I'm taking my rest. It is unfortunate that it happened at the end of the season. It was the first game I've missed in so long.
"I'm still going to be running around, [and] I'm going to train really hard. I felt really strong. I thought throughout the season I was in really good shape. I didn't have anything lingering. I didn't have anything messing around until that one play. Unfortunately with the game of football, it can be one play, and it can happen fast. And sometimes you don't necessarily see it coming. Like anything, you just get it fixed and get right back going. I don't see it being an issue at all. It won't affect my training. It won't affect my season next year."
As Nix prepares for next season, he acknowledged the work must start again. But he also said despite the bitter end to the season, he knows there are more chances ahead to return to that moment.
"It's devastating [and] it's frustrating that it ended like that, but fortunately for us in the NFL, there's not really a timeline," Nix said. "The timeline's on us, and we can push it as much as we can.
"There's going to be more years of this — more wins around here — and there's going to be more opportunities to go and play for championships. I think that's the most exciting part."
