Broncos' Brass Quell Fan Concerns with Update on QB Bo Nix

Breathe easy, Broncos Country. Your franchise quarterback is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery from ankle surgery.

That came out Monday as Denver's top brass — including CEO Greg Penner and general manager George Paton — descended upon Phoenix for the NFL's annual owners meetings.

“He’s ahead of schedule,’’ Paton told 9NEWS' Mike Klis. “He’s running, he’s jumping. Really proud of how he’s attacked rehab. He’s done a great job. He’ll be ready for OTAs.’’

Nix is nearly three months removed from fracturing his ankle amid the Broncos' upset over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round playoff game. He underwent corrective surgery shortly thereafter and was expected to be sidelined for roughly 12 weeks.

Barring any setbacks, Nix remains on track to participate in the team's voluntary portion of Organized Team Activities and its mandatory minicamp this spring.

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) celebrates after winning an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

'Really Good' Progress

Holding court with reporters, Penner echoed Paton's sentiments regarding Nix, affirming he feels "really good" about QB1's progress through the recovery period — not that he's particularly surprised.

"He's attacked his recovery in the same way he attacks preparing for games and just done a terrific job," Penner said, via The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson. "He's ahead of schedule. No concerns at all for OTAs ... really, really pleased with his progress."

This is the second time since the injury that Penner has expressed such optimism. In January, he bluntly stated he has "zero concern" over Nix's long-term status.

"His surgery was a straightforward surgery that went very well, absolutely no issues there or concerns going forward," Penner told the media in his end-of-season press conference.

Exciting News for All Involved

Despite the minor controversy that surfaced over his ankle, Nix appears in no danger of missing an offseason practice, let alone regular-season action. The fracture was relatively clean, and his ensuing procedure was completed without complication.

Putting any doubts to bed will allow the Broncos to focus on exceeding its wildly successful 2025 campaign, running back the QB room with Nix leading the depth chart, Jarrett Stidham as the backup, and Sam Ehlinger as the emergency third-stringer.

"I thought he had, as a second-year quarterback, a fantastic season," Penner said of Nix in January. "He won 15 games for us. He showed his mettle in the fourth quarter a lot of times, bringing us back. 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.”

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