Bo Nix and Sean Payton got into a little tiff over the Denver Broncos quarterback’s ankle injury.
Nix suffered a season-ending fracture in his ankle during his Broncos’ AFC Divisional Round playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. He ended up missing the AFC Championship game, which the Broncos lost to the New England Patriots.
This week, Payton, who is in his third season as Denver’s head coach, said that Nix’s ankle was predisposed to the ankle injury due to previous issues. Nix disagreed, and refuted his coach.
“A condition that was like predisposed … it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when,” Payton had said.
Payton also said that Nix had told him the quarterback underwent a surgery in high school and college for his ankle.
“Didn’t have any predisposed issues, and my ankle’s been feeling really good,” Nix said in response. “I don’t think he really should share how many surgeries I’ve had in the past … he doesn’t even really know that.”
🚨🚨THIS IS VERY WEIRD🚨🚨#Broncos QB Bo Nix was ANGRY with coach Sean Payton for revealing how many ankle surgeries Nix has had.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 29, 2026
“I don’t think he really should share how many surgeries I’ve had in the past. He doesn’t really even know that.”
WOW… 😳pic.twitter.com/UHIHTzZQPI
Nix just completed his second season with the Broncos and has been a success story for them. Though he and the team were bummed that he suffered the injury two games short of the Super Bowl, he doesn’t want people thinking the injury was inevitable. And it’s understandable why he wouldn’t want his coach — or anyone — speaking publicly about his medical history without his approval.
