New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will be addressing the media around 1 p.m. ahead of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.Traveling to Colorado has historically been a house of horrors for the New England dynasties of old.The Patriots have never won a playoff game in Denver, with losses in the 2006 Divisional Round, the 2014 AFC Championship Game, and the 2016 AFC Championship Game.In fact, the lone New England playoff win against the Broncos came in 2011, when Brady and company won 45-10 against the Tebow-mania team at Gillette Stadium.The Patriots have an overall 1-4 record against Denver in the playoffs, and Sunday may prove to be no easy feat as well.Despite losing starting quarterback Bo Nix to a broken ankle in the waning minutes of their AFC Divisional Round win against the Buffalo Bills, the Broncos still boast the league’s No. 2 overall defense, led by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain.Denver ranked No. 2 in yards allowed per game during the 2025 regular season and led the league in sacks with 68.Combine a tenacious defense with thinner air than Patriots players are used to in Foxborough and you have a recipe for problems.There will, however, be a familiar face behind the center on Sunday, as former New England quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be starting in place of Nix.Stidham was selected by New England (16-3) in the fourth round of the 2019 draft and will be making his first NFL start since 2023.The Auburn product spent two years in New England as a backup and worked with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas.Vrabel said he also looked into Stidham when he was in Tennessee and again last summer, before the veteran backup re-signed with the Broncos.Kickoff for the AFC Championship Game is at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will be addressing the media around 1 p.m. ahead of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
Traveling to Colorado has historically been a house of horrors for the New England dynasties of old.
The Patriots have never won a playoff game in Denver, with losses in the 2006 Divisional Round, the 2014 AFC Championship Game, and the 2016 AFC Championship Game.
In fact, the lone New England playoff win against the Broncos came in 2011, when Brady and company won 45-10 against the Tebow-mania team at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots have an overall 1-4 record against Denver in the playoffs, and Sunday may prove to be no easy feat as well.
Despite losing starting quarterback Bo Nix to a broken ankle in the waning minutes of their AFC Divisional Round win against the Buffalo Bills, the Broncos still boast the league’s No. 2 overall defense, led by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain.
Denver ranked No. 2 in yards allowed per game during the 2025 regular season and led the league in sacks with 68.
Combine a tenacious defense with thinner air than Patriots players are used to in Foxborough and you have a recipe for problems.
There will, however, be a familiar face behind the center on Sunday, as former New England quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be starting in place of Nix.
Stidham was selected by New England (16-3) in the fourth round of the 2019 draft and will be making his first NFL start since 2023.
The Auburn product spent two years in New England as a backup and worked with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas.
Vrabel said he also looked into Stidham when he was in Tennessee and again last summer, before the veteran backup re-signed with the Broncos.
Kickoff for the AFC Championship Game is at 3 p.m. on Sunday.