It was a so-close-yet-so-far season for the Denver Broncos in 2025. An ankle injury to quarterback Bo Nix effectively shattered their Super Bowl dream. Right Tackle Mike McGlinchey recently opened up about how that injury affected the locker room.

“It was a really hard situation for all of us,” McGlinchey said in June, during mandatory minicamp, as per Sports Illustrated's Chad Jensen. “You work so hard to earn the opportunity to play late into the season, and he didn't get to participate. That stinks.” 

Bo Nix's ankle injury on the third-to-last play of their 33-30 divisional round victory against the Buffalo Bills cut down on the excitement among the fanbase about reaching the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2016.

Without Bo Nix on the field, the Broncos succumbed to a 10-7 loss against the New England Patriots despite allowing QB Drake Maye fewer than 100 passing yards in that game.

Jarrett Stidham, the backup QB who replaced Nix in the AFC Championship game, was nowhere near good enough to come out on top, as per Chad Jensen.

"If Nix had played in that game, the Broncos would have gone to the Super Bowl," Chad Jensen of Sports Illustrated concluded.

Bo Nix had led the Denver Broncos to a 14-3 franchise record in the regular season and secured the top seed in the AFC division.

Nix underwent a second procedure on his right ankle to get rid of bone spurs, as per ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

Mike McGlinchey observed that watching Nix's work ethic and his spirit through the recovery process has been awesome.

Bo Nix gives a "lot of juice in the huddle"

Bo Nix is finally back on the field after a long time. He missed the early offseason OTAs but participated in the two-day mandatory minicamp held in June.

Speaking to the press about having the starting QB for the Denver Broncos back in training, Mike McGlinchey had positive words for the QB entering his third year in the league.

“I'm really excited for what he's going to do moving forward, and it definitely gives us a lot of juice in the huddle when he's standing across from me,” McGlinchey said in the same report as per Chad Jensen of SI.

McGlinchey, who started every single regular and postseason game for Denver last season, shared his mantra for the upcoming season.

“If you're not improving, you're getting worse in this league. I think we took steps to improve from OTAs through training camp and throughout the season last year,” McGlinchey said.

He said that would be the goal this time around as well. The franchise will be hoping Bo Nix comes back strong from his ankle injury and stays fit the entire season.

Do you think the Denver Broncos would've booked their berth to the Super Bowl if Bo Nix didn't get injured? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote