After snapping an eight-season playoff drought a year ago, the Denver Broncos are returning to the postseason.
Bo Nix, Sean Payton and the Broncos clinched a playoff spot on Sunday after their 34-26 win over the Green Bay Packers. They are the first AFC team to clinch a playoff spot.
The Broncos improved to 12-2 with the win and posted their highest win total since winning the 2015 Super Bowl.
In his third season in charge of the Broncos, Payton now boasts two playoff berths, while Nix has become the only quarterback from the vaunted 2024 first-round class who will be able to secure postseason appearances in each of his two pro seasons. Much maligned in his second season in the NFL, Nix is the first Broncos quarterback to lead the team to consecutive playoff appearances since Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (2012-15).
Denver hasn’t lost a game since Sept. 21 against the Los Angeles Chargers and has won 11 straight since then.
The Broncos can now move forward in their quest to claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC and win their first AFC West title since the aforementioned 2015 Super Bowl season.
Next up for the Broncos is a marquee matchup against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 before AFC West battles against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers to wrap up what has already been a hugely successful 2025 regular season.