In a game that felt like it had all the makings of a Mile High classic, the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl dreams slipped away in the snow Sunday night.
A 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game left the Broncos one win shy of a return to the Super Bowl — and full of “what-ifs” that will haunt them for months.
With rookie Bo Nix sidelined after ankle surgery, backup Jarrett Stidham got the start in his first meaningful action in over two years. Stidham showed flashes — including a 52-yard strike to Marvin Mims Jr. that set up Denver’s lone touchdown — but ultimately couldn’t deliver late, finishing with two costly turnovers, including a backbreaking interception with just over two minutes left.
Snow began falling just before halftime and never let up, forcing both teams into a physical, ground-heavy slugfest. The Broncos built a 7-0 lead early, but failed to capitalize on key chances. Head coach Sean Payton passed on a chip-shot field goal on 4th-and-1 in the second quarter — a decision he later admitted he regretted. That missed opportunity loomed large as points became increasingly hard to come by.
The Patriots took advantage of Denver mistakes, converting a fumble recovery into a short-field touchdown by rookie QB Drake Maye and adding a field goal after a 9½-minute drive to open the second half. That was enough.
Denver’s defense, led by Pat Surtain II and Alex Singleton, battled hard and held New England to just 10 points — but it wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive struggles. The Broncos finished with 15 wins on the season and made major strides under Payton, but came up short of their ultimate goal.
“This hurts,” linebacker Alex Singleton said postgame. “We’ll remember this one for a long time.”
The loss marks the end of a promising season that reignited hope in Denver. Now, the team turns to the offseason, with belief that this group — when healthy — can get right back here.
“This isn’t the last time,” Surtain said. “We’ll be back.”
