Bo Nix Will Sit Out Broncos’ Preseason Opener Against Falcons, Sean Payton Confirms
Bo Nix won’t take a snap in Atlanta this week. Broncos head coach Sean Payton confirmed Wednesday that his starting quarterback will sit out Denver’s preseason opener against the Falcons on Friday, even though Nix’s recovery from a broken ankle has gone better than expected. According to ESPN, Payton was direct about it after practice: “Bo won’t play in this game; he’ll play next week.”
The move isn’t about health. It’s about the floor Nix would be playing on.
Why Payton Is Holding Nix Back
Mercedes-Benz Stadium runs artificial turf for Falcons games, and Denver isn’t willing to send its franchise quarterback out on a surface that doesn’t forgive a sharp cut the way grass does — not with a surgically repaired ankle still in the picture. Nix fractured the ankle late in the Broncos’ AFC divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills in January. He had surgery to fix the fracture almost immediately, then needed a second procedure in April to clean up bone spurs in the same joint.
That kept him out of most of Denver’s offseason program and limited his reps at mandatory minicamp in June. Since training camp opened, though, Nix has practiced without restriction, taking the same number of camp snaps he took last summer.
Payton was blunt that the QB is ready. “If we were playing a [regular-season] game — he wants to play; he’ll play the next two weeks,” Payton said, according to NBC Sports. It’s not hesitation. It’s just math — no reason to gamble a healthy ankle on a meaningless snap count against a turf field.
Mile High Report framed the logic the same way: Nix has shown he’s moving well and fully cleared through camp, so there’s simply no upside to testing that on the road in a dome. He’ll travel with the team to Atlanta and stand on the sideline rather than stay behind in Denver for treatment, which is the group Payton reserved for players who aren’t yet cleared to play.
Grass at Home Changes the Calculus
Nix’s preseason debut will instead come at Empower Field at Mile High, where the Broncos play on natural grass. He’s expected to see the field in both of Denver’s remaining exhibition games — against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 21 and the Minnesota Vikings on Aug. 28, both at home, according to Broncos Wire.
It’s a small scheduling detail that carries real weight for a quarterback coming off two ankle surgeries in six months. Turf tends to grip a cleat and hold it, which is exactly the kind of resistance you don’t want testing a joint that’s still finishing its recovery. Grass gives. That’s the difference Denver is managing around.
Stidham and Ehlinger Split the Reps
With Nix out, the backup competition takes center stage Friday. Jarrett Stidham is set to start and play the first half, with Sam Ehlinger taking over for the second, per ESPN. The two have been trading second-team reps throughout camp as they compete for the No. 2 job behind Nix, and Friday’s game is the first real look at how that battle translates against outside competition.
| Quarterback | Role Friday | Camp Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | Inactive (rested) | Unquestioned starter |
| Jarrett Stidham | Starts, plays 1st half | Competing for QB2 |
| Sam Ehlinger | Plays 2nd half | Competing for QB2 |
Denver’s other starters are expected to play roughly 10-15 snaps Friday, a standard preseason-opener workload. The game also marks the first time offensive coordinator Davis Webb calls plays in a live Broncos game. Payton handed him the playcalling reins this offseason after promoting him from quarterbacks coach — a title Webb had held on Payton’s staff since 2023 before adding passing-game coordinator duties in 2024 — a notable departure for a head coach who called plays himself for nearly two decades in New Orleans and Denver, according to ESPN.
What It Means Going Forward
None of this changes Denver’s plan for Week 1 of the regular season. Payton has been clear Nix is on track and expected to be the unquestioned starter when it counts. Sitting him Friday is about protecting a long-term asset from a short-term, low-value risk — not a red flag on his recovery.
The bigger storyline to watch now shifts to Stidham and Ehlinger. Whoever handles himself better against Atlanta’s competition will have the edge in a backup battle that matters more than usual, given how much Denver leaned on its QB2 spot during Nix’s absence in the AFC title game loss to New England last season.
