During his final game for the Auburn Tigers a stunning 43–34 loss to Mississippi State in which Auburn had led 28–3 at halftime Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury. However, this is not a chronic problem that will hinder the Denver Broncos quarterback for the rest of his career. In fact, his most recent setback, another ankle injury sustained during a 33–30 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round, isn’t expected to cause him to miss any regular-season action.
According to FanSided’s Rucker Haringey, Nix is predicted to return in time to build chemistry with the Broncos’ key offseason acquisition, former Alabama and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. That could mean seeing preseason snaps.
“Don’t expect the Broncos to rush him back before his ankle is fully healed. They understand how crucial the young quarterback is to their offensive success. Preseason reps might help him grow more comfortable with Sean Payton’s system, but that won’t make them hurry his return,” Haringey wrote.
“Broncos fans can feel confident about Nix starting in Week 1 unless another injury strikes later in the preseason. He should be ready to develop a connection with new receiver Jaylen Waddle well before the regular season kicks off.”
Sean Payton was mistaken about Bo Nix’s ankle injury
Back in January, Sean Payton suggested that Nix’s injury was “predisposed,” implying that the issue dating back to Jordan-Hare Stadium was bound to happen eventually.
“What was found was a condition that was predisposed they always find a little more when they go in,” Payton said during a press conference. “It wasn’t a matter of if, but when. The surgeon said this was going to happen sooner rather than later.”
Nix pushed back, clarifying, “Nothing predisposed, nothing that was originally there… That might have been misunderstood. It was just a simple step with my foot in the air, and my body weight came down on it, and it got twisted up.”
Nix suffered a completely unrelated injury, which isn’t surprising given his physical playing style. Leaving the pocket in the NFL carries risks something he often does. At Auburn, he frequently had to improvise due to inconsistent protection in front of him.
It’s not a stretch to say Nix’s injury directly contributed to Denver’s loss in the AFC Championship. Fellow Auburn alum Jarrett Stidham struggled to move the ball against a Patriots defense that allowed just 8.7 points per game across three AFC playoff wins.
Fortunately, that injury won’t sideline Nix for long or at all beyond that AFC title game defeat. His ankle isn’t compromised, neither in the long term nor even the short term.
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