The Denver Broncos’ 2025 season ended with a gut-check 10–7 defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. It was a low-scoring, weather-affected defensive battle that came down to a mistake quarterback Jarrett Stidham openly took responsibility for. Making his first start of the season after Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the divisional round, Stidham was asked to lead Denver despite not attempting a pass all year before Sunday.
Stidham opened the game brilliantly. After an early exchange of punts, he completed a 52-yard pass to Marvin Mims Jr., setting up first-and-goal. Two plays later, Stidham threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, giving the Broncos a 7-0 lead with 10:19 remaining in the first quarter. Denver’s defense backed the start by forcing multiple punts and recording three sacks in the first half, holding New England scoreless through most of the opening two quarters.
The turning point came in the second quarter with the Broncos leading 7-0. Facing third-and-four from his own 33-yard line, Stidham took the snap out of shotgun and was immediately pressured. Attempting to get rid of the ball, he released what officials later ruled a backward pass. The Patriots recovered the fumble at Denver’s 12-yard line. Two plays later, New England quarterback Drake Maye scored on a six-yard run, tying the game at 7-7 just before halftime. Outside of that short-field touchdown, the Broncos’ defense limited the Patriots to a single scoring drive that resulted in a field goal.
After the game, Stidham took full responsibility for the play, stating that he should not have put the team in that position and acknowledging that taking a sack and allowing punter Jeremy Crawshaw to flip field position would have been the safer decision. Stidham said he believed the pass was forward at the time but admitted the result showed otherwise.
It was a close game the whole way through. Both teams missed long field goals in the first half, including a 54-yard attempt by Denver’s Wil Lutz and a 63-yard try by New England’s Andres Borregales. Snowfall in the second half slowed offenses, and the Patriots opened the third quarter with a 16-play, 64-yard drive that consumed over nine minutes and ended with a 23-yard Borregales field goal, giving New England its first and only lead at 10-7.
The Broncos had opportunities late. Lutz missed a 45-yard field goal with 4:42 remaining, and on Denver’s final drive, Stidham threw an interception to Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots then ran out the clock. Stidham finished the game with 133 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The wait continues for the Broncos’ Super Bowl dreams. Meanwhile, New England is headed to Santa Clara, California, for Super Bowl LX, where the Patriots will meet either the Seattle Seahawks or the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8.
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