After nearly a decade of playoff disappointment and inconsistency, the Denver Broncos are being tipped by some analysts to break through a long-standing postseason drought. Riding a wave of momentum from a resurgent 2024 season under head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos may finally be poised to win their first playoff game since their Super Bowl 50 triumph in 2015.
According to Fox Sports NFL analyst Henry McKenna, the stars might align in 2025 for Denver to achieve that long-awaited postseason win. In his recent playoff projections, McKenna boldly predicted the Broncos would win the AFC West—a feat they haven’t accomplished since their Super Bowl-winning campaign. Even more impressively, he placed them as the AFC’s third seed, behind only perennial powerhouses the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills.
The headline-grabbing prediction? Denver defeating the reigning AFC West champions and longtime nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, in a narrow 13-10 Wild Card victory. If McKenna’s forecast holds, it would mark the franchise’s first playoff win in 10 years and a symbolic shift in a division long dominated by Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
McKenna explained his reasoning, writing:
“The Chiefs just put their heart and soul into the three-peat and failed brutally on the biggest stage. … I don’t think [Andy Reid] holds the same edge over Sean Payton as he does with others. Payton bumps a fatigued Reid, Mahomes, and Kelce out of the postseason.”
A postseason win over Kansas City would carry historical weight—not only for its significance in the AFC playoff picture but also because the Broncos have long struggled to keep pace with the Chiefs during the Mahomes era. It would also mark a symbolic torch-passing moment for Denver, potentially signaling a new phase of competitiveness.
However, McKenna doesn’t see the Broncos going much further. He has Denver bowing out in the Divisional Round, once again falling to the Buffalo Bills—this time in a much closer 17-14 loss. Though it would mark a second straight playoff defeat to Buffalo, the narrowed scoreline represents progress from the previous year’s 31-7 blowout.
Still, for Broncos fans, just earning a playoff win—particularly over the Chiefs—would be a meaningful step forward for a franchise that has endured more false starts than finishes over the past decade. Since their Super Bowl 50 win, Denver has only logged two winning seasons and has been on the outside looking in when it comes to postseason success.
Not everyone shares McKenna’s optimism. Fellow Fox Sports writer Ben Arthur offered a more cautious outlook, projecting the Broncos to finish 9-8 in 2025. He cited Denver’s tougher schedule and the growing pains expected for quarterback Bo Nix, now entering his second season as a starter.
“But this is not the easiest third-place schedule,” Arthur wrote. “Don’t be surprised to see the Broncos finish with a worse record than they did last year when they won 10 games.”
Still, even Arthur acknowledged Denver’s improved roster, especially in the secondary and in the offensive weapons surrounding Nix. The Broncos’ front office has worked to build a stronger support system around their young quarterback, and the results could begin to materialize this season.
As the 2025 NFL season approaches, one thing is clear: the Denver Broncos are no longer just trying to rebuild—they’re aiming to reclaim relevance. And if McKenna’s bold prediction comes true, a long-awaited postseason victory could be the spark that ignites a new era in Denver football.
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