NFL Fans Crushed Sean Payton for Costly Fourth Down Decision in Broncos’ Loss

The Broncos saw their season end in a chilly and bitter loss to the Patriots in Sunday’s AFC championship that ultimately came down to a field goal. New England’s Andy Borregales successfully kicked his 23-yarder through the uprights in the third quarter, which ultimately proved to be the game-winning score that sent the Pats to the Super Bowl.

Long before Borregales’s momentous kick, though, Broncos coach Sean Payton had a pivotal choice to kick a field goal early in the second quarter when Denver was up 7-0. On a fourth-and-short in the Patriots’ red zone, Payton decided to go for it, but Denver ended up turning the ball over on downs after quarterback Jarrett Stidham got chased by a pair of New England defenders and couldn’t complete his pass.

Payton doubled down on his potentially game-changing decision after the loss, claiming the Broncos had the momentum and wanted to be “aggressive” in that moment.

Here’s that failed fourth down play:

The Broncos go for it on 4th down and come up short 😯 pic.twitter.com/kS3Bcxqv8u
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 25, 2026

Hindsight is always 20/20, but NFL fans wasted no time criticizing Payton for his costly fourth down decision. Given that the Broncos defense was playing well, and Denver’s offense needed all the points it could get, many believed Payton should have just taken the relatively easy points (the snowy conditions weren’t an issue yet) to build upon their early lead over the Patriots.

That 4th & 1 in the first half is looming large right now.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 25, 2026

With the weather conditions incredibly bad…remember two massive plays that could change the game.

1) Sean Payton not taking the points on a 4th down in the RZ

2) Jarrett Stidham not throwing the ball away before the half & losing two yards….Broncos barely miss FG
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 25, 2026

good thing not kicking that FG didn’t come back to haunt sean payton.
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) January 25, 2026

Second time in 3 years a coach cost his team a @SuperBowl appearance by recklessly ignoring a comfortable field goal to attempt a 4th/short conversion.
BUT Sean Payton was the first to do it with a QB who hadn’t played in two years AND with a ❄️ snowstorm on the way.
Well played!
— Michael DeCourcy (@tsnmike) January 25, 2026

Sean Payton is an idiot. Plain and simple. Going for it on 4th down with our backup QB in FG range to go up two possessions will go down as one of the worst decisions of all time. Also, knowing there was a major storm incoming for the whole second half. Just so dumb.
— Stefan Gonzalez (@Stef_Gonzalez2) January 25, 2026

Still can’t believe Sean Payton went for it on 4th down. In this game.
— Matt Leland (@MattLeland) January 25, 2026

Sean Payton's arrogance is his demise. Not kicking it earlier & trusting a Stid lead offense on 4th down because u think u can scheme up anything, is pure ego.
— lael (@laelvc) January 25, 2026

Sean Payton really went for it on 4th down with Jarrett Stidham as the QB instead of taking the points pic.twitter.com/BCyWMfjPbW
— C.P. Bradley (@Cp_13) January 25, 2026

It seemed out of character for the veteran coach, too, given that Payton hasn’t been very aggressive on fourth downs in the 2025 season: the Broncos sat fourth to last in go rate in situations in which analytics suggested they should go for it:

Regarding “Sean Payton has always been aggressive in these situations”: pic.twitter.com/gWmGNfYrFv
— Lindsay Rhodes (@lindsay_rhodes) January 25, 2026

It’s hard to place all the blame on Payton for one play in the first half when the Broncos had a few other chances to tie the game, including late in the fourth when kicker Wil Lutz’s 45-yard field goal try got blocked. For now, it looks like it’s back to the drawing board for Payton and the Broncos, who arguably have already defied expectations by clinching the AFC’s top seed and making it this far in the postseason.

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