Broncos quarterback Bo Nix popped up on the injury report with a back issue in Week 13 before the Broncos played the Browns on Dec. 2. He played all 66 snaps in the 41-32 win and never appeared on the report again with the injury.
It turns out Nix had a transverse process fracture in his back he played through.
“The biggest week was I had a transverse process fracture in my back,’' Nix said Monday, via Mike Klis of 9News. “That week got treatment, made it through that week. Monday Night Football was a stretch where we were all kind of banged up. And I wasn’t going to miss the first Monday night game. I got treatment on it and then we were fortunate to have an off (bye) week the next week and it kind of went away after that.
“That moment was annoying, but we all play with something.”
It was obvious during the Nov. 24 win over the Raiders that Nix was in some pain as he winced after being slammed on his back by Maxx Crosby. Nix, though, played all 68 snaps of that game despite saying Monday the injury happened earlier in the game, with Crosby’s hit exasperating the pain.
Nix played five more regular-season games and the playoff loss to Buffalo after he broke his back. Yet, he finished with 3,775 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes while also rushing for four more touchdowns and catching a touchdown.
“I think that’s the No. 1 quality everybody likes about him is his toughness,’' right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “He’s shown it time-in and time-out. And it’s not just the physical toughness with playing through something like that or whatever he’s going through physically but the mental up-and-down of being a rookie quarterback and being the face of our franchise and all the pressure that comes with that and the way he handled it. Bo’s toughness is why he’s going to be who he’s going to be. It’s been really impressive to watch.”
