After Bo Nix suffered his devastating fractured ankle in the Denver Broncos’ 33-30 divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills, we didn’t hear much from him until a couple of days after the season ended. The Broncos lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, and then Sean Payton decided to start spilling the beans on Nix’s injury during his end-of-season presser two days later.

Nix took exception to some of what Payton said publicly about his injury, opting to call a virtual press conference of his own the next day to clear some things up on the record. Nix and Payton may have gotten their wires crossed on some of the injury details, but the quarterback didn’t appreciate his head coach revealing details about his health or certain details he’d prefer to keep private, whether the revelations were true or not.

Since that virtual presser, all has been quiet on the Western Front. The Pro Bowl Games have come and gone, and Super Bowl 60 is now only a few days away.

What has Nix been up to since then? We can safely assume that his focus has been on his recovery from ankle surgery, but his teammate and friend, Troy Franklin, provided Broncos Country with a nice update on Thursday from radio row at the Super Bow.

“I’ve kind of been in the facility with him the past couple of days, the past week, man. So I’ve seen my guy scootin’ around on his scooter,” Franklin said of Nix via KOA Radio. “He’s in high, great spirits. And he’s taking it day by day.”

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Nix Will Return and With Gusto

It’s good to hear that Nix has been able to maintain an optimistic attitude and affable demeanor though the disappointment of his freak injury and the painful drudgery of recovery and rehabilitation. He’s sticking around Denver and spending time at the Broncos’ facility, and it’s probably safe to assume he’s doing what he can to get a jump on the 2026 season.

The good news is, despite the mixed messaging last week from Payton and Nix, the Broncos are certain that this ankle injury won’t be a long-term issue. CEO and co-owner Greg Penner made that perfectly clear in his end-of-season presser.

“[I have] zero concern. His surgery was a straightforward surgery that went very well, absolutely no issues there or concerns going forward,” Penner said.

The fullness of Nix’s recovery timetable is expected to correspond with the beginning of the Broncos’ offseason training program. By the time the veterans report for Phase 1 of OTAs, he is expected to be good to go.

It was a terrible football tragedy how Nix’s impressive 2025 season came to an end. But the silver lining is that the Broncos have found their franchise quarterback.

That was evidenced by the team’s sudden reversal of fortunes in the AFC title game without him. If Nix played in that game, the Broncos are likely preparing to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60.

If ‘ifs and buts’ were candy and nuts, we all would have a Merry Christmas. That’s not how it shook out. But Penner and his fellow owners are resting comfortably in the knowledge that the Broncos have a bona fide franchise quarterback. There will be many more opportunities to vy for World Championships.

“I thought he had, as a second-year quarterback, a fantastic season. He won 15 games for us. He showed his mettle in the fourth quarter a lot of times, bringing us back,” Penner said of Nix. “He would say the same thing. It’s only his second year in the league, and he has room to grow. Fortunately, Bo has a terrific approach to studying and working. He loves the game. I look forward to watching his continued improvement over the coming years.”

Franklin Aiming for 1,000 Yards & Double-Digit TDs in 2026

As for Franklin, after showing some development in 2025, he’s focused on taking even bigger steps next season. He finished with 65 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns.

Franklin is shooting for 1,000 yards and double the touchdowns in 2026, according to The Denver Post‘s Luca Evans. Franklin also told Evans that he wants to add another 10 pounds of muscle to his frame by training camp.

“I’m going to get a 1,000-yard season,” Franklin told Evans. “I’m going to double up the TDs.”

With Nix returning, Franklin has a good shot at achieving his goals.

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