The AFC championship game is set. The Patriots will battle the Broncos in Denver next Sunday with a Super Bowl berth on the line. However, it won’t be a duel between young star quarterbacks Drake Maye and Bo Nix. After Denver beat the Bills in the divisional round on Saturday to secure a spot in the AFC title game, coach Sean Payton revealed Nix had broken his ankle in overtime and was out for the year. Jarrett Stidham will instead get the start against New England next Sunday.
It’s a disappointing development on a number of levels. But Maye took a second to deliver a classy message to Nix after winning his second career playoff game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
“Obviously, the news, it’s heart breaking for the player he is. For the guy he is,” Maye said after revealing he got to know Nix and his family ahead of the 2024 draft; Maye went second while Nix went 12th. “Praying for Bo and I know he’s going to bounce back in this league.”
Drake Maye on Bo Nix:
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) January 18, 2026
"Heartbreaking for the player he is, the guy he is. Praying for Bo. I know he'll bounce back. He's a great player in this league."
Added, "they got a great team. Should be a tough one next week." pic.twitter.com/M39JTTwc7V
As Maye mentioned he and Nix had met once on the field while they were both in college. Back in 2022 Nix led Oregon to a Holiday Bowl win over Maye’s UNC squad, and it was a hotly-contested contest, with the Ducks winning 28-27. So there’s a bit of history between the two signal-callers, which clearly adds some emotion to the situation for Maye.
A nice message from the Patriots quarterback, and one Nix undoubtedly appreciates as he prepares for ankle surgery on Tuesday. Maye, in the meantime, will be looking ahead to the biggest game of his young career so far in Denver.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Albert Breer’s NFL Takeaways: The Patriots Don’t Want to Be Called Cinderella
- Fab's Five: Biggest Fantasy Football Hits And Misses in 2025 and Lessons Learned
- Rams Earn Shot at Redemption After Wild Overtime Win Over Bears
- Bears Have a Bright Future Despite Crushing Loss to Rams
- Caleb Williams Explains 'Miscommunication' With D.J. Moore on Overtime Interception
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Drake Maye Had Classy Message for Bo Nix After Securing Patriots’ Berth in AFC Title Game.
