Who will the Broncos play next? Potential AFC championship opponents
- - Who will the Broncos play next? Potential AFC championship opponents
Jack McKessy, USA TODAYJanuary 18, 2026 at 1:16 AM
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The Denver Broncos are moving on to the AFC championship. Who will they play for a spot in Super Bowl 60?
The winners of the AFC's first divisional round game are going to have to wait for a little over 24 hours to find out. Since the Broncos vs. Bills game was the first matchup to kick off in the second round of this postseason, the rest of the conference championship spots still have yet to be decided.
What Denver does know is that they'll be hosting the winner of the other AFC divisional round game – New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans – for a shot at its first conference title since 2015.
Here's what to know about the Broncos' potential upcoming opponent:
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makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
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Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
">Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
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1 / 4Best images of the 2025 NFL season
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
Who will the Broncos play next?
The Broncos have to wait to find out who they'll face in the AFC championship game. The competition for the conference title is down to three teams: the Broncos, who won the first divisional game; the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans, who will play in the AFC's second divisional game on Jan. 18.
Patriots vs. Texans will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 18. ESPN and ABC will broadcast that game to determine which team will play the Broncos to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 60.
NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE: Dates, times, matchups for divisional round
NFL playoff bracketAFC playoff bracket -
No. 1 seed Denver Broncos vs. winner of Patriots-Texans
Jan. 18: No. 2 New England Patriots vs. No. 5 Houston Texans on ESPN/ABC
NFC playoff bracket -
No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks vs. No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers (broadcast on Fox)
No. 2 seed Chicago Bears vs. No. 5 seed Los Angeles Rams (broadcast on NBC)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NFL playoff bracket: Who will Broncos play in AFC championship?
Source: “AOL Sports”
