The Denver Broncos’ season ended with a crushing defeat in the wild-card round against the Buffalo Bills, with the final score a disheartening 31-7. It was one of those games where nothing seemed to click for the Broncos. And the Bills just took full control. Sean Payton’s squad simply got outmatched, leaving their playoff hopes in shambles. Fans were hoping for a miracle, but the Broncos couldn’t keep up with Josh Allen and Co. And as if the loss wasn’t tough enough, the team now has to deal with more fallout. The NFL had more in store for the Broncos. Despite the game being behind them, the league decided to step in and hand down some punishment.

While the Bills beat the Broncos with a huge 24-point difference, the NFL’s officiating punished two players after the game. It turns out that the hits didn’t just leave bruises; they left some fines. The NFL handed running back Javonte Williams a fine of $45,020 for unnecessary roughness after a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter. With this, Williams finished as the team’s most-fined player from the 2024 season. Not exactly the kind of highlight you want on your post-game reel, right? But he wasn’t the only one.

The league also fined linebacker Justin Strnad $7,250 for a hip-drop tackle in the third quarter of the game. It seems the officials weren’t too happy with the physicality in what was already a tough loss. While the Broncos are licking their wounds from the game itself, these fines just add another layer of frustration. Guess those hits didn’t just cost them points on the field.

While the fines aren’t pinching the Broncos, that Wild Card loss sure is.

Tough luck for Sean Payton and Bo Nix this season

The Broncos’ season didn’t quite have the ending fans were hoping for. With rookie QB Bo Nix leading the charge, the team showed promise, sparking high expectations after breaking a nine-year playoff drought. The QB had shown some serious potential this season, putting up 3,775 yards and 29 TDs.

Sadly, Nix couldn’t take his team on a deeper playoff run. But when it came down to the wildcard matchup against Josh Allen’s Bills, Denver simply couldn’t find its footing. The Broncos managed just 7 points, courtesy of Nix’s touchdown and his 144-yard effort. (A solid try, but not enough to keep up.)

On the other side, Josh Allen was in full control, throwing two touchdowns and racking up 272 yards like it was just another day at the office. The Bills had no intentions of letting Denver stage any kind of miracle run, shutting them down at every turn.

It was a tough loss for Sean Payton’s team and fanbase that had dared to dream of a deeper postseason push. But now? The season ends with a bitter taste and a long offseason ahead. The Broncos didn’t get the storybook comeback they wanted, but who knows? Maybe next season, with some lessons learned, they’ll finally turn the page.