Clemson DB Caleb Nix, Brother Of Bo Nix, Played Entire Game With Torn ACL This Past Weekend

If you were looking for an example of a player that gave his all for the school he competes for, look no further than Clemson defensive back Caleb Nix, who is the brother of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. 

The Tigers were playing Appalachian State this past weekend, looking to bounce-back from the season opening loss to Georgia. This one wasn't much of a game, as Clemson rushed out to an early lead and never looked back, winning 66-10. 

But the story coming out of the blowout win was the determination of DB Caleb Nix, who unfortunately sustained an injury that will sideline him for the rest of the 2024 season. The brother of Bo Nix, who was a walk-on for the Tigers, sustained a torn ACL on what sounded like the very first play of the game against App State. 

Also, linebacker Kobe McCloud suffered a season-ending injury during the game, which is another blow to the Tigers depth. 

Clemson DB Caleb Nix, brother of Bo Nix, played entire game against App State with torn ACL. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

Getting his first start, after not playing against Georgia, the DB was determined to play, even if that meant a majority of his action would be on special teams. According to head coach Dabo Swinney, the team did not figure out he had torn the ligament until the following day. 

Speaking on his weekly radio show, Dabo gave some background to the injuries to both players, but went further into how they found out about Caleb Nix. 

"He played the whole game with a torn ACL, on all the special teams. I’m talking covering kicks, the whole deal," Swinney said this week. "He said he just felt like something wasn't right, but he just kept playing and didn’t really say anything to anybody. He thought he just hyperextended his knee. 

"But I just hate that for these guys, man. Just breaks your heart, because they work all year for these opportunity. Again, we all know when you play the game, that can happen, but never makes it easier. So, just hurt for those guys, and it's a big loss for us because both of them are really important players for us."

Hopefully, Caleb and Kobe make a speedy recovery. In terms of Nix playing the entire game with a torn ACL, well that should be a clear signal to Dabo Swinney that he'll do anything he can to help the team. 

The Tigers have this weekend off, before returning the the field against NC State on September 21st.