Broncos' defender poking the bear before Bills' Divisional Round rematch

One Denver Broncos player is about to get what he’s been asking for when his team meets the Buffalo Bills on Saturday in the Divisional Round.

Talanoa Hufanga wasn’t even with Denver a season ago, but for some reason, he claims to have an axe to grind with the Bills entering this weekend’s postseason tilt.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a long pass during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

His comments

Hufanga played for the San Francisco 49ers last season and did not take part in the Bills’ 31-7 shellacking of the Broncos. Still, the Broncos' safety had plenty to say this week about his desire for revenge over his team’s conference foe.

“A team like this, being an outsider this year, coming into being part of this team, and nobody really talked about it,” he said, per Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “I just wanted to play Buffalo just because it was a team that they lost to in the playoffs last year.”

He continued, “It’s always fun when you play a team that you’ve lost to before. Because it definitely holds a chip on your shoulder. And I’m definitely holding a chip even though I wasn’t here.”

Whatever gets your juices flowing, I guess.

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Asked #Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga if he felt like this Bills game was the kind of game Denver brought him in for.

Said he "wanted to play Buffalo" just because Denver lost to them last year.

"I'm definitely holding a chip, even though I wasn't here." pic.twitter.com/CRbJMlRm4t
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) January 13, 2026

Potential impact

Hufanga is one of eight Broncos’ captains, having appeared in all 17 games for Denver this regular season, finishing second on the team with 106 tackles. He finished third on the Broncos in passes defensed with 11.

The fifth-year pro is part of a Denver secondary that allowed the fewest yards per pass play (4.8) in the NFL and the fourth-fewest passing touchdowns (18) in the league during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, the Broncos’ defense is solid against the run, limiting opponents to 91.1 yards rushing per game this season, ranking second among all 32 teams.

Bills Broncos — Players hug each other and chat after the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. Buffalo won 31-7. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Denver's resistance has proven stout this year, led in part by Hufanga, and the Bills can expect a fierce challenge on Saturday afternoon.

But his eagerness to express his hostility toward the Bills makes little sense.

It's a bold strategy. We will all see if it pays off or if it serves as bulletin board material that leads to a Buffalo victory.

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