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Sean Payton joked he wouldn’t have drafted Bo Nix if he knew ankle history
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- Sean Payton joked he wouldn’t have drafted Bo Nix if he knew ankle history
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the team's 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs last weekend.
It certainly wasn't the first time Nix has suffered a serious ankle injury in his football career.
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Back in 2017, he missed four high school games with an ankle fracture before returning to lead Pinson Valley to a championship. Four years later, Nix suffered a broken ankle while playing at Auburn in 2021. Three years after that, following his 2024 rookie season, Nix underwent a " routine and minor " cleanup procedure on his ankle in early 2025.
Now, two years into his pro career, Nix is undergoing another ankle surgery . After breaking the news on Saturday night, Denver coach Sean Payton praised the QB's outlook.
"He's such a strong, faith-based guy," Payton said . "He was sitting in the hallway with his family , and I went over, and we're all talking to him. He knows that God has a plan for him."
Then came the Payton zinger.
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"He said he had one in high school, and then he said he had one at Auburn. I said, 'I didn't realize that.' I said, 'If I would have known that, I wouldn't have drafted you.' He's a tough cookie."
Payton, of course, was joking. NFL teams do extensive medical research on each prospect coming into the draft, and the Broncos undoubtedly knew about Nix's previous ankle injuries. The 25-year-old quarterback bounced back from his previous setbacks, and he'll aim to do so again in 2026.
In the meantime, Denver's turning to Jarrett Stidham for the rest of the 2025 playoffs.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Sean Payton jokes he wouldn't have drafted Bo Nix if he knew history
