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At one point, the Buffalo Bills almost looked like a team of destiny.
Without Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow in the playoffs, quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen seemed to have the best possible path to finally make it to the Super Bowl.
But after a controversial overtime officiating, the Bills’ season once again ended in heartbreak with a 33-30 loss to Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos.
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Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills leaves the field after being defeated by the Denver Broncos in overtime of the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthieu Stockman/Getty Images)
This is the sixth straight season the Bills have been ousted heading into the big game, and Josh Allen, who committed four turnovers, wore the loss and his emotions on his sleeve.
“It’s extremely difficult. I feel like I let my teammates down today,” Allen said in his postgame conference, wiping away tears while still in his jersey.
Offensive lineman Dion Dawkins has been blocking for Allen since the quarterback was drafted in 2018. Already emotional, he couldn’t stand to hear that Allen was taking the blame.
Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills leaves the field after the NFL Football Divisional Playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
When told that Allen felt like he let his teammates down, Dawkins turned back to his locker in tears, ending his media session. But he muttered under his breath: “He has not failed us.
Brandin Cooks, who was part of the controversial interception, also had tears in his eyes upon hearing Allen’s reflection on the game.
“No, no. He carried us all year,” Cooks said. “The way I think about it, it’s someone [has to] take action to relieve this for him. When you’re great and you feel like you have to do a lot of things, you have the opportunity to force some of those things. That’s what I think of Josh. He’s the best quarterback in this league. Everyone around him has to come out and play so he’s not always the one feeling like, ‘Man, I gotta win this game.’
“We all feel that way, you know? You work so hard. Personally, I’m so grateful to be able to be a part of all of this. Looking back, what could I have done to be able to alleviate some of that pressure from him?”
Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills congratulates Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos after overtime during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
The Broncos will face the winner of the New England Patriots and Houston Texans for a trip to the Super Bowl in Santa Clara.
