Nik Bonitto Doesn't Hold Back in Reaction to Crushing Patriots Loss

Even without their franchise quarterback, Nik Bonitto knows the Broncos had several opportunities to win the AFC championship game.

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos came up short on Sunday in the AFC championship game. The New England Patriots prevailed in a blizzard 10-7, in part, because they had a great game plan to account for Broncos' Pro Bowl rush linebacker Nik Bonitto.

With the Patriots giving Bonitto so much attention, the Broncos needed Jonathon Cooper to answer the bell, and he did just that, outside of some big Drake Maye scrambles, which fell on several defenders. Cooper finished with two tackles and a sack.

Many Broncos fans emerged from the heartbreaking loss with the frustrating feeling that the lesser team won. That might not be exactly true because, after all, the Patriots won the game, but Bonitto himself certainly felt like the better team lost.

“It’s sickening. To think of all that we fought through this year, all the games we had to win [and] knowing we were definitely the better team," Bonitto said post-game. "It just didn’t work out that way today.”

We'll never know what the outcome of this game would have been if the Broncos had their franchise quarterback, Bo Nix. Again, if you polled Broncos Country, an overwhelming majority would likely opine that, with Nix in the lineup, Denver would have advanced to Super Bowl 60.

Perhaps that's what happened in some alternate football universe. But in the reality we live in, Nix tragically broke his ankle while defeating the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round and was unavailable for the AFC title game. That's just the way the cookie crumbled.

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How it Unfolded at Mile High

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops back to pass against the New England Patriots during the second half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jarrett Stidham did his best to step in with only a few days of first-team reps under his belt, after not throwing a pass at any point in the regular season or playoffs. But after an encouraging start, the Broncos' backup-turned-starter seemed to be overwhelmed and out-matched, and not just by the elements.

Stidham's first turnover, which came in the second quarter, proved to be catastrophic for the Broncos. And when the blizzard descended in the second half, he could get nothing going, especially after the Patriots drove down and got three points on their opening possession of the third quarter.

The Broncos certainly had their chances, though, despite these setbacks. Sean Payton's decision to forego points in the clearer conditions of the first half and go for it on fourth down, and pair of missed Wil Lutz field goals (one of which was blocked) cost the Broncos dearly.

Nix's mobility and physicality, combined with his fourth-quarter clutch gene, would have made a big difference in this game. When the chips were down late and the Broncos were given several opportunities to at least tie the game, the offense badly missed Nix's ability to conjure Mile High Magic. Stidham's interception late in the fouth quarter was the final dagger, crushing Denver's hopes of at least tying the game.

Inspired Defense

Bonitto and the Broncos' defense played a lights-out game. Even though he failed to make the stat sheet, the attention he garnered from the Patriots freed up other Broncos to make plays, and for the most part, they did.

The Broncos limited Maye and the Patriots' high-flying offense to just 206 total yards. The weather played a big part of that in the second half, but the Broncos' defense had dominated Maye and the Patriots in the first.

If Stidham doesn't fumble (backward pass), giving the Patriots the ball in the red zone, Maye likely doesn't find a way to score a touchdown all game. The Broncos were that good defensively, and the second-half elements helped.

Maye was limited to just 86 passing yards on 10 completions. Success right? Not so fast; the Broncos allowed 65 yards rushing to the Patriots' talented quarterback, including a six-yard touchdown following Stidham's first turnover.

Considering that New England entered this game as a top-five offense, I'm not sure that more could have been asked of the Broncos' defense. They did sack Maye five times, though, unlike last week vs. Buffalo, the Broncos were unable to take the ball away.

“I’m really proud. Nobody counted us. Nobody thought we were gonna make it this far," Bonitto said. "Maybe even some of you all didn’t think we [would] make it this far, and we know we proved so many people wrong this year. We fell short of the expectations we have for ourselves. I’m just happy with how we fought this year.”

Instead of 10 vs. 10, football fans were treated to 8 vs. 10, and the results speak for themselves. The fact that, despite not having Nix, the Broncos had several opportunities to win this game will keep Bonitto, Payton, Stidham, and everyone else up at night for a time. But it should also provide a lot of encouragement about the quality and directions of this team.

Then, it's the turning of the page. While there's no guarantee that Denver will ever get back to the AFC title game, let alone host it again, the team proved this season — by supplanting the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC West champs, going on an 11-game win streak, clinching the No. 1 seed, and vanquishing Josh Allen and the Bills in the playoffs — that the conference has a new power and it resides in the Rocky Mountains.

The 2026 offseason awaits.