The Denver Broncos had a phenomenal regular season, dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs as the AFC West champions and securing the number one overall seed in the conference.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a playoff-ending injury in the Broncos\u2019 divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills, and ultimately, the injury became too much to overcome, with the Broncos losing 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the conference championship.<\/p>\n
The Broncos had a chance to go up 10-0 at one point in the game, but head coach Sean Payton elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 in the red zone. The Broncos were denied and didn\u2019t return to the red zone in the game.<\/p>\n
After the game, Payton expressed regret with how the sequence unfolded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s always regrets,\u201d Payton admitted.<\/a> \u201cI felt like here we are fourth-and-1, close enough and it\u2019s also a call you make based on the team you\u2019re playing and what you\u2019re watching on the other side of the ball. So, yeah, there\u2019ll always be second thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n In the aftermath of the loss and the questionable decision, the Broncos have fired one of their top assistants.<\/p>\n \u201cThe #Broncos<\/a> fired OC Joe Lombardi, per me and (Tom Pelissero),\u201d reported Ian Rapoport on Tuesday.<\/p>\n The #Broncos<\/a> fired OC Joe Lombardi, per me and @TomPelissero<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014 Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019ll be interesting to see who Payton nabs as Lombardi\u2019s replacement following the brutal end to what was an amazing season.<\/p>\n \t