The Denver Broncos are entering the offseason with a sense of motivation after falling just short of reaching the Super Bowl, following a narrow 10-7 loss in the AFC Championship Game. The team, which secured its first division title in ten years and finished as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, is looking to build on its achievements from the 2025 season.
Linebacker Jonathon Cooper expressed how close the team came to their goal has driven him to work harder. “I expect it to fuel me just the same as the Buffalo loss last year, if not more,” Cooper said. “‘Cause being that close and not getting there 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.”
Tight end Evan Engram echoed this sentiment, saying, “I’m thankful for the journey we went on, and I think us getting that close is just going to make this entire building hungrier.”
The Broncos’ recent campaign marked significant progress compared to previous years. In 2024, Denver made its first playoff appearance in nearly a decade but struggled against top teams and lost several close games. Defensive end Zach Allen noted the improvement: “I think this year, we won those big games,” he said. “Last year, obviously we got into the playoffs, but against the top dogs, we struggled.”
In contrast to their performance in one-score games during 2024—where they posted a 1-6 record—the Broncos tied an NFL record with 11 one-score regular-season wins in 2025 and set another mark with 12 comeback victories. They also finished with a positive record against playoff teams at 5-3.
Allen highlighted these successes: “This year, [we] had some really good wins against some really good teams in some tough environments,” he said. “I think it’s encouraging, and next year will be a good one.”
Defensive tackle Malcolm Roach spoke about how expectations have grown within the organization: “My first year here, last year, was kind of just proving it to ourselves,” Roach said of the Broncos’ defense. “And this year was kind of knowing what we had but just wanting to show the world. … Next year, I think, is kind of like, we know what the standard is now.”
Roach added that understanding what it takes has helped build chemistry within the team: “Just understanding the standard, coming to work every day, knowing how we’ve got to push guys — the chemistry is building. I think next year is going to be another special year.”
Safety Talanoa Hufanga reminded his teammates that each NFL season brings new challenges: “You’ve got to go do it all over again,” he said.
Despite Sunday’s disappointment, Roach described his team as prepared for future obstacles: “It’s always a climb,” he said. “Every season’s new. … It’s going to be new challenges, but we’ve got to find a way.
“… It’s going to be a challenge like it is every year, but I think we’re going to be up for it.”