The Denver Broncos were just one win away from reaching the Super Bowl before their season fell apart. Hall of Famer Troy Aikman recently shared his thoughts on what went wrong.

As their 2026 season begins with a Week 1 clash against the Kansas City Chiefs, Aikman reflected on what ultimately cost the Broncos a shot at the title last year.

“With Denver, you could argue that they were a quarterback injury away from making it to the Super Bowl,” said Aikman on ESPN’s Get Up. “It’s unfortunate for that organization, but what a great job Sean Payton has done.”

It is no secret that the Broncos were riding high with a 15-3 record across the regular season and playoffs when they faced the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

However, Bo Nix suffered an injury in the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham stepped in for the championship game, where the Broncos lost 10-7 to the Patriots.

Had they managed to win that game, the Broncos would have reached the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2015 season, ending a decade-long drought.

Still, the opportunity is not gone. If Nix returns fully healthy and the team manages to navigate one of the toughest early schedules in the league, Denver could once again be in contention.

Broncos Face Early-Season Test As Bo Nix Returns From Injury

Bo Nix underwent a successful cleanup procedure on his right ankle in April. Head coach Sean Payton has stated that the quarterback could take part in offseason activities and is expected to be ready for Week 1.

That timeline sounds promising, but the real concern lies in the challenge waiting right out of the gate. Denver opens its season on the road against a team that has historically caused it problems.

“With a trip to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs to open the season, Nix won't be eased into the 2026 slate. Kansas City has routinely been a trouble spot for the Broncos -- last season was Denver's first win there since 2015,” Jeff Legwold of ESPN reported May 15.

The schedule does not get any easier after that. The Broncos are set to face the Jaguars in Week 2 and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.

Jacksonville made the playoffs and reached the Wild Card round last season, while the Rams advanced all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

Denver will also have to push through nine straight games before getting a break in Week 10. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shubhi Rathore

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore