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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

The only story that really matters for the Denver Broncos headed into the 2025 season — and 1 of the NFL’s biggest stories for the offseason — is how quarterback Bo Nix will come back from a fractured ankle suffered in the AFC Divisional Round.

Nix’s ankle and his recovery timeline have been an ongoing topic of debate and a divisive issue within the Broncos’ own walls, almost entirely thanks to head coach Sean Payton talking out of school about what caused the injury, as well as the team itself not being able to get their stories straight on the extent of the injury.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called the ongoing drama around Nix’s injury the “worst case scenario” for the Broncos headed into 2026.

“Worst-case scenario is Nix’s ankle injury proves more problematic than expected,” Knox wrote on June 15. “ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reported in April that Nix had a second procedure on his surgically repaired right ankle. That’s obviously not ideal, though the Broncos don’t expect his ankle to be a significant issue in 2026 … of course, if Nix’s ankle does limit his ability to buy time in the pocket and pick up yards with his legs, Denver’s top-10 offense may take a step backward. The Broncos relied on the less-mobile Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship Game, and the result was very underwhelming.”

Underwhelming to the point of a 10-7 home loss to the New England Patriots in said AFC Championship Game, in which Stidham looked lost in a second-half snowstorm.

The point: If Nix isn’t back, the Broncos can forget about being Super Bowl contenders.

Sean Payton: Can’t Keep Mouth Shut About Injury

The biggest problem for the Broncos since Nix fractured his ankle — and continued playing, mind you — has been that head coach Sean Payton can’t keep his mouth shut about it.

In what seems like 1 of the most clear-cut HIPAA violations in the history of the workplace, Payton thought it was a good idea to play doctor/genealogist/truthsayer about Nix’s injury shortly after his 1st surgery.

Specifically, Payton said that Nix’s injury was the result of his genetic disposition.

“What was found was a condition that was predisposed — they always find a little more when they go in,” Payton said on January 26. “It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when. When you look at the play and you’re trying to evaluate it — the operating surgeon said that this was going to happen sooner than later. Now, you go about the rehab, proper orthotics, all those things.”

Bo Nix: Pissed Sean Payton Won’t Keep Mouth Shut

Nix will be eligible to sign a contract worth upwards of $60 million per year following the 2026 season, so he did not like his coach saying that about his ankle. Nor was there any evidence that what Payton said was true.

“Nothing predisposed, nothing that was there originally,” said Nix, who had surgery 3 days after the injury and was given a 4-6 week time frame to resume football activities. “That might have gotten confused. Just a simple step with my foot up in the air, my body weight came down on it, sort of got twisted up. … It could have been a worse landing, but I think all that force went into the only place it could. I don’t think (Payton) should share how many surgeries I’ve had in the past, to be honest with you … he doesn’t even really know that. But it’s going to be good to get back, get back to work. … Nothing really concerns me, nothing scares me moving forward.”