Sean Payton and Bo Nix saw the quarterback's broken ankle in a different light following Nix's surgery at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, performed by Dr. Norman Waldrop III.
Per Payton this past Wednesday, “What was found was a condition that was predisposed — they always find a little more when they go in. 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.”
Meanwhile, per Nix in response on Wednesday, “Nothing predisposed, nothing that was there originally,” he said. 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 was a disagreement between the Denver Broncos' head coach and foundational cornerstone. It wasn't anything out of the usual between two stubborn men who are dead set on bringing another Super Bowl to the Mile High City.
The Daily Mail took it a different way.
Broncos said to be 'teetering on the brink of turmoil' after Bo Nix-Sean Payton spat
"The Broncos appear to be teetering on the brink of turmoil less than a week on from their heartbreaking AFC Championship defeat," The Daily Mail's James Cohen prefaced before sayng, "Despite the fact the franchise enjoyed their best regular season since 1988 and were hampered by injuries for their playoff loss to the Patriots, cracks are starting to form.
"Head coach Sean Payton has fired three assistants, including offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, amid reports of a deepening rift with rookie quarterback Bo Nix."
I don't know about all that.
Denver is a highly emotional franchise because of how the season ended. Even with Nix sidelined, backup Jarrett Stidham stepped in and almost got the job done. The New England Patriots only beat the Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game.
Tensions are high, but again, that's a good thing. It means the team is not happy with not finishing the job. Though the Broncos may not be the defensive juggernaut in 2026 it was in 2025, Nix coming back healthy and with another year under his belt should make Denver an AFC contender again.
No need to worry. The Broncos aren't "teetering on the brink of turmoil." False alarm.