Broncos Reflect on Gut-Wrenching Loss, Eye Fuel for 2026 Redemption Run
The sting is still fresh in Denver. A playoff loss that felt more like a self-inflicted wound than a defeat at the hands of a superior opponent. The Broncos, who had clawed their way into contention behind a resilient squad and a backup quarterback thrust into the spotlight, saw their Super Bowl hopes vanish in a collapse that left players and fans alike stunned.
But if there’s a silver lining in the rubble, it’s this: the pain is real - and the players aren’t running from it. In fact, they’re embracing it.
“I expect it to fuel me just the same as the Buffalo loss last year, if not more,” said edge rusher Jonathan Cooper. “Being that close, not getting there, just sets a fire in you.
I’m not going to let that taste leave my mouth. I’m just going to get right back to work.”
That fire? It’s burning throughout the locker room.
The Broncos didn’t just lose a game. They let one slip away.
Despite the odds - including starting a young, largely untested backup under center - Denver had the game in hand. They were leading.
They had momentum. And then, it unraveled.
The Patriots didn’t outplay them so much as the Broncos beat themselves. And that’s what hurts the most.
It’s a feeling that’s eerily familiar to long-time fans. The echoes of 1996 are hard to ignore - when the No. 1 seeded Broncos were stunned by the Jaguars in the Divisional Round after holding a halftime lead. That loss, widely regarded as one of the toughest of John Elway’s career, became the fuel for a revenge tour that ended with a Super Bowl victory the following season.
Could this be the same kind of turning point for the 2026 Broncos?
Veterans in the locker room think so. Left tackle Garett Bolles, who’s weathered every storm since joining the team in 2017, didn’t hold back when describing the emotional toll of the loss.
“There were a lot of tears that came down my face yesterday,” Bolles said. “I’ve been here for a long time and to get that close hurt really bad.”
But Bolles isn’t dwelling in despair. He sees a foundation being built - one that’s young, hungry, and ready to take the next step.
“I know exactly where this team is going. I know the future that we have.
I know the players that we have in this building,” he said. “This team is full of winners, full of dog mentalities.
This team is young and humble and hungry.”
And Bolles made a point to highlight something that matters in January football: the trenches. He believes the Broncos have “the best offensive line in football,” and with a winning quarterback and cap space to make strategic offseason moves, the window is far from closed.
“We have a lot of money this offseason to be able to go get some key players,” he added. “I’m excited for that. I’m excited for where this team’s going.”
Defensive lineman Malcolm Roach echoed that sentiment, putting this season’s disappointment into perspective with last year’s early exit against Buffalo.
“Last year, we had to prove to ourselves that we belonged in the playoffs,” Roach said. “This year, we proved it to everyone else.”
The next step, he says, is about raising the standard - and holding each other to it.
“We know what the standard is, and we know the way we need to work every day,” Roach said. “We already got through the first two levels - understanding the standard of coming to work every day and knowing how we need to push guys.”
Roach knows the climb doesn’t get easier. But he believes the team is built for it.
“There is always a climb. Every season is new.
There will be new challenges, but we need to find a way,” he said. “We’ve been battle-tested for the last two years.
Just knowing what it’s like when we get in that foxhole with those guys and knowing we can rely on everyone in the room with us. It will be a challenge like it is every year, but I think we will be up for it.”
Zach Allen, another key piece of Denver’s defensive front, sees a team that’s already taken major strides - and is ready to take more.
“Last year, we got into the playoffs, but against the top dogs we struggled,” Allen said. “This year had some really good wins against some really good teams and some tough environments.”
Allen sees that as a sign of real progress - and a reason to believe.
“I think it’s encouraging, and yes, next year will be a good one,” he said. “I’m really excited for it.”
There’s no sugarcoating how this season ended. The loss was brutal.
The opportunity was real. But what matters now is what comes next - and if the Broncos’ locker room is any indication, the fire is already lit.
And here’s a little nugget for those who believe in football symmetry: the last time the Patriots and Seahawks met in a Super Bowl? The Broncos won it all the very next season.
History doesn’t repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes. Denver’s players are betting they’ll be the ones writing the next verse.