How close was Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins to playing in the AFC Championship Game?
So close that he believes he could have been out there and back from the Lisfranc injury that sidelined him for the final seven games of the regular season and ultimately for both of the team’s postseason games.
“I was so close to coming back from it, right? I could have — I believe I could have played in that AFC Championship Game. I could have,” he told NFL Network on Tuesday.
“I practiced well. I had, like, all my numbers. I was hitting all my numbers, and I felt great. And the thing about having a great organization is that they looked out for me and they wanted to make sure that I was good.”
"We got an embarrassment of riches with talent on this team."#Broncos RB JK Dobbins joins The Insiders on @NFLNetwork to talk about re-signing in Denver, his road back to the field, and his team's newest addition. pic.twitter.com/5DBauauB4x
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2026
But the Broncos held him back. All he could do on that sad, snowy Sunday was watch as his teammates, without Bo Nix to guide them, fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots.
When they take the field again for practice in June, they’ll have Nix back. They’ll also get used to having Davis Webb call the plays.
“I think it’s going to impact me big-time,” Dobbins said during the interview. I think, I think Webb is a fantastic play-caller. So is Sean Payton. So with the help of Sean Payton, with Davis Webb, I think it’s gonna be even better than last year. I think we’re gonna do some things that people, they weren’t expecting.
“And then we got another guy that just came in Jaylen Waddle … like, pick your poison because we got Courtland Sutton, we got the young Pat Bryant, we got a great O-line, we got everything right.
“We got an embarrassment of riches on this team of talent. So, I’m excited, I really am.”
LOOKING AHEAD TO HIS SECOND BRONCOS SEASON
Dobbins expressed confidence that his 2026 Broncos campaign wouldn’t end the same way as his first one: with injury.
“I love everything about Denver. So it was great to get a deal done and be able to stay home where I think I will thrive,” he said.
“I was thriving last year, but something unfortunate happened,” he continued, referring to the Lisfranc injury, “which, that’s part of the game. But this year, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Dobbins has landed on injured reserve at some point in each of the last five seasons and has missed more games than he’s played as a professional. But he continues to bristle at the term “injury-prone,” despite what his ledger says.
“The injury thing is, like, it’s been so unfortunate for me because when you look at some people, right, you say ‘injury-prone,’ you get the rolled ankles, the hamstring strains or whatever you’re getting. The stuff that I’m getting is, like, ‘Done for the season, let’s go get some surgery,’ you know what I’m saying?” Dobbins said. “So it’s like, ‘Dang, like, where do I — like, how, why am I getting these unfortunate things?’
“But it’s all part of God’s plan. And, Imma always keep going, like, a lot of people wondering, like, ‘Damn, like, this guy, how is he steady coming back?’
“Well, I don’t see the injuries as something that’s like, a downer. I see it as some way to get better, like as a man, as a person, physically, like, yeah, I get hurt, but now I feel like I’m going to come back even better.”
By re-signing him, the Broncos are banking on it.
“I missed the last, what, seven games in the regular season? I’m fresh. I’m gonna be fresh,” he said.
“I’m gonna be fresh and I’m gonna be [ticked] off because I’m tired of the unfortunate stuff and I know that I can do it. And it’s gonna happen this year especially, you know, we got. I’m telling you, it’s going to be great. I ain’t going to spill too much. I don’t want to spill too many beans, but it’s going to be great.”