Broncos Pro Bowler makes feelings crystal clear about the Patriots following painful AFC Championship loss
Nik Bonitto left nothing to the imagination about how he felt about the loss.
The Denver Broncos fell just short of their hopes to reach the Super Bowl. In a game that was dominated by snowy and windy conditions in the second half, Denver fell to New England 10-7.
Nik Bonitto goes viral with his postgame comments about the Patriots
Broncos superstar Nik Bonitto opened up after the loss with a strong message to the Patriots.
“Sickening. To think how we fought through this year, all the games we had to win, knowing we’re definitely the better team,” Bonitto said. “It just didn’t work out that way today.”
Denver’s defense was the better unit on the day, as has been the case for most of the season. Bonitto and company made life miserable for quarterback Drake Maye, who finished the day going 10-for-21 with 86 yards while adding 10 carries for 65 yards on the ground.
Quarterback Jarrett Stidham was starting in place of quarterback Bo Nix, and just couldn’t get the job done. Stidham performed well at times but had a few costly mistakes during the contest. A turnover on downs on a controversial fourth down call in the second quarter, though that’s on head coach Sean Payton. An interception late in the contest, and a fumble after a bone-headed mistake from the veteran. It wasn’t perfect; at some points, it wasn’t good, but Denver was in a position to win it.
Limiting what could be the MVP to about 150 yards of total offense is remarkable
Denver’s defense had five total sacks on the day (D.J Jones had one and a half sacks, Zach Allen had one sack, Malcolm Roach had a half sack, Que Tobinson had a sack, and Jonathon Cooper had a sack), with eight tackles for loss (Talanoa Hufanga had one, D.J. Jones had two, Malcolm Roach had two, Jonah Elliss had one, Que Robinson had one, and Jonathon Cooper had one).
Denver also added three passes defended (Talanoa Hufanga with two and Pat Surtain with one), and seven quarterback hits (D.J. Jones with two, Zach Allen with one, Malcolm Roach with two, Que Robinson had one, and Jonathon Cooper had one). It was once again a defensive standout from the Broncos unit. Bonitto was erased from the box score, but that doesn’t mean his impact wasn’t felt. He’s the type of player you need to gameplan against, and that’s exactly what New England did.
The Broncos may have had the better team, and if Nix was playing, we have a feeling we would have seen some fourth-quarter magic, but that’s just how the season panned out. It’s unpredictable, unrelenting, and sometimes just flat out unfair. Denver’s season ended heartbreakingly, just one step away from the Super Bowl.
Denver will be back and stronger than ever in 2026
We have a feeling they’ll be back, and better than ever, once the new season rolls around. For now, this one will sting, especially considering they had the better team on the field, according to Bonitto.
For Denver, that’s what will linger the most, not just the loss, but the belief that they let an opportunity slip through their fingers. The defense did almost everything it could to keep the season and the Super Bowl dreams alive, and the margin was thin enough that a single play, or a different quarterback under center, might have changed everything.
Instead, the Broncos are left with a familiar feeling: close, capable, and convinced they were good enough, but watching someone else move on. Payton got some criticism before the season started about how this was a Super Bowl-caliber roster, and they proved that throughout the playoffs.
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