Broncos' AFC Tilt Named Among NFL.com's Top-10 'Revenge' Games of 2025

The Denver Broncos had a handful of epic battles in 2024 that shaped their identity as a team in the Sean Payton and Bo Nix era. Some of those battles ended heartbreakingly for the Broncos, leaving them bitter but determined to right their wrongs.

While the Week 10 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs stands out as a sore spot for the Broncos due to a last-second blocked field goal, their matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, where Denver fell 24-30 in overtime in Week 17, may top it.

NFL.com’s Adam Rank listed the Bengals vs. Broncos bout next season as a top-10 revenge game of 2025, making some compelling points. 

“OK, so it might be kind of hard to see why the Bengals would want vengeance here at first glance; the teams have played just twice since Joe Burrow was drafted in 2020, and Cincinnati won both games, including in Week 17 last season, when the Bengals ground out an overtime win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive," Rank wrote.

The crying and moaning from Bengals fans after they failed to make the playoffs in 2024 was hysterical. Sure, Cincinnati got the better of the Broncos in their matchup, but they still have 16 other opponents on the schedule.

But Rank writes that the revenge component is about what happened the next week in Denver.

"This is actually about what happened the next week, when the Broncos beat the Chiefs — against whom Cincinnati fans might also be holding a grudge, for resting a bunch of starters in that game — to snag the No. 7 seed in the AFC and prevent Burrow and Co. from reaching the postseason," Rank wrote. "This is not to take anything away from what the Broncos did, going out there with their rookie quarterback and winning a bunch of games last season. But I also see why the Bengals would be miffed to miss a playoff trip during their window with Burrow, which could make this matchup pretty intense, especially for the fans.”

The bitterness from Bengals fans isn’t pointed in the right direction, like at their team or front office, but their outrage will help make 2025’s matchup juicer and spawn a new rivalry in the AFC. The Broncos and Bengals will be heavy contenders in the AFC for the foreseeable future, so it was only a matter of time before they started butting heads and fighting for playoff spots.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, Denver is building a Super Bowl contender this year, as evidenced by its priorities in free agency, signing safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and tight end Evan Engram to cover up three of its four primary roster holes instantly.

Cincinnati extended Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, which is excellent for their continuity and offensive firepower, but they’ll have to be flawless in the draft going forward with how abysmal their offensive line and defense are. The 2025 showdown at Mile High is exceptionally anticipated, with the Broncos and Bengals having no love for each other.

Buckle up; this will be a top revenge game for 2025 and the spark that will ignite a rivalry for years to come.