(Photo credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

According to coach Sean Payton, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a condition that left him 'predisposed' to fracturing his ankle.

At the Broncos' end-of-season press conferences Tuesday, Payton revealed that doctors made the discovery as Nix underwent an operation last week at Andres Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center in Alabama.

Nix, 25, has had a number of ankle operations dating back to his high school playing days.

'It wasn't a matter of 'if,' it was a matter of 'when,'' Payton said. 'Because when you look at the play and you're trying to evaluate it, he said, the doctor, operating surgeon, said that this was going to happen, sooner than later. Now you go about the rehab, proper orthotics, all those things.'

Payton went on to assert that he does not feel Nix would be injury-prone going forward.

'He's been one of those players that I would say has been available. There were others in that draft class that weren't as available,' Payton said. 'I think the rehab coming off of this will be strong, but the news that was something we ... the way it was explained (was) that it was coming sooner than later. So listen, he'll rehab his tail off and get ready and get back to being healthy.'

Nix is with the team as he's begun his rehab. Broncos general manager George Paton said he believes Nix is on target to return to the field in May, when OTAs begin.

'I think he's going to be fine,' Paton said. 'He's going through it. I mean, he's in the building. He's working every day, and he'll be back. I'm not sure the exact date. We feel good about that.'

Nix broke a bone in his right ankle during one of the final plays to help set up the Broncos' game-winning field goal against the Buffalo Bills in their 33-30 overtime victory in the divisional round. With Jarrett Stidham starting in place of Nix at quarterback, Denver fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

The Broncos had an opportunity to score more than seven in the second quarter, but on fourth-and-1 at the Patriots' 14-yard line, Payton elected to go for it rather than attempt a field goal.

Stidham tried a pass to RJ Harvey that was incomplete. Denver could not score the rest of the day.

'I don't know which is the greater regret -- the decision, certainly the play call,' Payton reflected Tuesday. '... There was something about (getting) a measurement that did two things. I knew he was short (on third down), and when you look at the film, he was actually a little shorter than they marked it, but it also buys you time to think of the call you want. So we used the timeout.

'I think probably what irks me more is the call more than the decision. It's still early in the game. Now we knew there were going to be flurries (later in the game). Well, we have a new feel for flurries here, or what can change at the base of the mountain. There are those moments that you wish you had back.'

--Field Level Media