ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sean Payton said at his season-ending news conference Tuesday that Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a preexisting ankle condition that make a fracture inevitable.
Nix broke a bone in his right ankle on Denver's game-winning drive in the Broncos' 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Nix flew to Birmingham, Alabama, last week for an operation performed by Dr. Norman E. Waldrop III, a renowned foot and ankle specialist at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center.
Nix watched from a suite Sunday as backup Jarrett Stidham took his place in Denver's 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.
On Tuesday, the Broncos' brass provided the fullest accounting yet of Nix's injury, with Payton saying a preexisting issue made the fracture ''a matter of when.''
''What was found was a condition that was predisposed — they always find a little more when they go in,'' Payton said. ''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."
Payton said he has no concerns about Nix's health going forward even though Nix has had several ankle operations going back to high school.
''So listen, he'll rehab his tail off and get ready and get back to being healthy,'' Payton said. "I think for someone who runs with the ball, I think he's done a pretty good job of protecting himself, not all the time, but for the most part, he's done a pretty good job of sliding and understanding playing for another day.''
