At a Glance
- The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos face off for a spot in Super Bowl LX.
- Both teams finished the regular season 14-3 and earned the top two seeds in the AFC.
- The game will decide which franchise moves to Santa Clara, California.
The AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos is set for Sunday in Denver’s Mile High Stadium. Both teams earned the league’s highest seeds with identical 14-3 records, and the winner will secure a berth in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.
Season Overview
The Patriots, under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, finished 14-3 and secured the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Quarterback Drake Maye was an MVP contender during the regular season, but the defense carried the team through the playoffs, producing dominant performances against the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round and the Houston Texans in the divisional round.
The Broncos, led by Sean Payton, also finished 14-3 and earned the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye. They advanced to the conference title game after an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills, but quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, a 2019 Patriots draft pick, will step in for the Broncos.
Key Players
- Drake Maye – Patriots quarterback, regular-season MVP candidate.
- Jarrett Stidham – Broncos backup, former Patriots draftee.
- Bo Nix – Broncos starting quarterback, out for the season.
The Patriots’ defense has been the backbone of their playoff run, while the Broncos’ offense will need to adjust without Nix.
Historical Context
The Patriots have the most AFC Championship Game victories with 11 wins, nine of which came during Tom Brady’s tenure from 2001 to 2019. Those nine victories translated to six Super Bowl wins, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history.
The Steelers and Broncos are tied for second-most AFC Championship Game wins with 8 each. The Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins follow with five conference title game wins.
The Patriots also have the most AFC Championship Game appearances, tying the Steelers with their 16th appearance on Sunday. The Broncos and Raiders each have 11 appearances, the only other teams with double-digit counts.
AFC Championship Game Matchups
This will be the third Patriots-Broncos AFC Championship Game. The Broncos won the previous two matchups at home in 2013 and 2015. The series now ties the record for the most common AFC Championship Game matchup.
The top matchups by frequency are:
| Matchup | Record |
|---|---|
| Raiders-Steelers | Steelers 2-1 |
| Broncos-Browns | Broncos 3-0 |
| Colts-Patriots | Patriots 2-1 |
| Patriots-Steelers | Patriots 3-0 |
| Bills-Chiefs | Chiefs 2-1 |
Team Appearances Table
| Rank | Team | Appearances | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-1 | New England Patriots | 16 | 11 | 4 |
| T-1 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| T-3 | Denver Broncos | 11 | 8 | 2 |
| T-3 | Las Vegas Raiders | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| T-6 | Miami Dolphins | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| T-6 | Buffalo Bills | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| T-6 | Indianapolis Colts | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| T-9 | Baltimore Ravens | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| T-9 | Tennessee Titans | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| T-11 | Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| T-11 | Los Angeles Chargers | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| T-11 | New York Jets | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| T-14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T-14 | Cleveland Browns | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| T-17 | Houston Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T-17 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Why It Matters
The outcome of this game will determine which franchise will advance to the NFL’s championship and which will return to the offseason. With both teams boasting strong defenses and a high-scoring offense on the Broncos’ side, the matchup promises a strategic battle that could define the 2025 season for both organizations.
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