Patriots reach Super Bowl 60 with 10-7 AFC title win over Broncos as Drake Maye runs in lone touchdown

DENVER — The New England Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl 60 by grinding out a 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in a snow-slick AFC championship game that turned ball security and field position into the biggest weapons.

Quarterback Drake Maye, 23, handled the conditions better than the home team and scored New England’s only touchdown on a short keeper. He threw for limited yardage but made key runs when the Patriots needed to move the chains and protect a late lead.

The game never found rhythm for either offense. Snow and slick footing disrupted timing, and both teams leaned on conservative play-calling, trying to avoid the kind of mistake that can decide a championship when the margin is thin.

New England’s defense capitalized on Denver miscues, including turnovers that helped tilt the game toward the Patriots. In a contest where drives were hard to sustain, a single extra possession often felt decisive.

Denver, playing without its injured starter Bo Nix, leaned on backup Jarrett Stidham. He managed a touchdown but struggled to consistently generate points as the Patriots tightened in critical moments.

The win sends New England to Santa Clara, California, to face the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8. For Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, it caps a remarkable first season in charge and sets up a chance to add a championship as a head coach to his earlier legacy with the franchise.

For Maye, the performance was less about stats and more about control: protecting the ball, making the one run that mattered, and closing out the game in the final minutes. In weather that punished hesitation, New England’s steadiness was the difference.

Now the Patriots head to the sport’s biggest stage after navigating a low-scoring, high-pressure championship that demanded discipline. Their next challenge is preparing for Seattle in two weeks, with a title on the line and winter football’s bruising lessons still fresh.