Former Broncos QB Paxton Lynch's Arena League Comeback Ends With Injury

Knee injury ends Lynch's latest attempt to return to the NFL after being drafted in the 1st round in 2016.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 6:36pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting depicting the movements and actions of a football player, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors, conceptually representing the challenges of an NFL comeback attempt.A cubist interpretation of a quarterback's final, unsuccessful attempt to regain his NFL dreams.Salina Today

Paxton Lynch, the former first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos, has seen his latest attempt at an NFL comeback come to an abrupt end. While playing for the Colorado Spartans in the National Arena League, Lynch suffered a season-ending LCL injury in his third game, dashing his hopes of using the arena league as a springboard back to the NFL.

Why it matters

Lynch was a highly touted quarterback prospect when the Broncos selected him 26th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, but his NFL career never materialized. This latest injury setback is another disappointment in Lynch's quest to prove he can still play at the professional level after fizzling out of the league in the early 2020s.

The details

After being released by the Broncos, Seahawks and Steelers, the 6-foot-7, 244-pound Lynch was playing for $600 per game with the Colorado Spartans in the National Arena League. He suffered the knee injury on March 28 in a game against the Salina Liberty. Despite the setback, Lynch still considers the comeback attempt a success, saying he was able to play with 'full confidence' in himself.

  • Lynch suffered the season-ending LCL injury on March 28, 2026 in a game against the Salina Liberty.
  • Lynch was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The players

Paxton Lynch

A former first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2016 who was attempting an NFL comeback by playing in the National Arena League.

Denver Broncos

The NFL team that drafted Lynch in the 1st round in 2016 with the hope that he would be their quarterback of the future.

Colorado Spartans

The National Arena League team that Lynch was playing for as part of his latest attempt to return to the NFL.

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What they’re saying

“I was pissed off. And it sucks. I didn't want it to be like this.”

— Paxton Lynch, Former Broncos QB

“I was like, 'OK, if I play this year in arena football, I'm going to play as Paxton Lynch. I'm going to have full confidence in myself. I don't really care.' And that's what I did.”

— Paxton Lynch, Former Broncos QB

What’s next

There are no clear next steps for Paxton Lynch's NFL comeback attempt after this latest injury setback.

The takeaway

Paxton Lynch's career has been defined by unfulfilled potential since being a first-round pick by the Broncos in 2016. This latest injury in the arena league is another disappointment in his quest to prove he can still play at the professional level after fizzling out of the NFL in the early 2020s.