NFL Conference Championship Sunday: Who Advanced to Super Bowl LX?

Image courtesy of The Scituation.

By Anthony Curioso

Across the U.S. on January 25, football fans settled into their homes or other places to watch two excellent games in the National Football League (NFL). These games decided the champions of each conference, the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), and therefore determined the matchup for the upcoming Super Bowl LX. 

The AFC Championship Game was the first game played on January 25, starting at 3 p.m. ET on CBS. This game featured the New England Patriots traveling to Denver to face the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. The NFC Championship Game followed, featuring NFC West division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. This game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. EST on Fox from Lumen Field in Seattle.

In the AFC Championship Game, Mike Vrabel, coaching the Patriots, faced off against Sean Payton of the Broncos. Meanwhile, the NFC Championship Game featured Mike MacDonald from the Seahawks competing against Sean McVay, the Rams’ head coach.

Before the 2026 AFC Championship Game, the Patriots and Broncos had met in the postseason five times: four in Denver and once in New England. All but the first matchup occurred during the era of coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady helming the Patriots, with the home team winning each time.

The Broncos received the opening kickoff of the AFC Championship Game. The most impactful play on the Patriots’ side in the first quarter was holding Denver to multiple three-and-outs; for the Broncos, it was a 54-yard reception by wide receiver Marvin Mims that led to a touchdown. The first quarter ended with a score of 7-0 in favor of the Broncos.

In the second quarter, New England’s most impactful play was a rather bizarre forced turnover that led to a touchdown run by quarterback Drake Maye just before the 2-minute warning. Meanwhile, Denver’s highlights featured impact plays that included forcing multiple three-and-outs. Going into halftime, the score was tied 7-7.

After halftime, New England received the kickoff at the beginning of the third quarter, a quarter that included highlight plays such as the Broncos’ special teams unit making an impressive tackle to cut short a punt return, and the Patriots’ Maye executing several long runs and a flea flicker trick play, with mixed results that included a field goal on one drive. The score at the end of the third quarter was 10-7, with the Patriots leading.

In the fourth quarter, Patriots fans celebrated several highlights from their team, including forcing multiple three-and-outs, narrowly blocking a field goal attempt in harsh blizzard conditions, and an interception by star cornerback Christian Gonzalez just before the two-minute warning. Meanwhile, Broncos fans also had moments to cheer for, like pinning the Patriots deep in their own territory with a well-placed punt.

The Patriots ultimately secured a narrow 10-7 victory, earning the chance to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX. This win marks the Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance since their three consecutive trips in a run that concluded with Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. 

The Rams received the opening kickoff of the NFC Championship Game. Seattle’s most significant impact play in the first quarter was scoring a touchdown and a field goal in succession on its first two possessions, led by stars Jackson Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed. In contrast, for Los Angeles, its most significant first-quarter impact play was a deep shot caught by wide receiver Puca Nacua on a drive that ended with a 44-yard field goal. Ultimately, the first quarter ended 10-3, with the Seahawks leading.

In the second quarter, Rams fans celebrated as their team made critical plays, such as a long field goal, a sack of Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold, and a drive that ended in a touchdown just after the 2-minute warning. On the other side, the Seahawks’ most critical play of the second quarter was another touchdown by Smith-Njigba with just twenty seconds remaining. The score at halftime was 17-13, with the Seahawks still in front.

At the start of the third quarter, Seattle received the kickoff. The Rams showcased impressive plays in the third quarter, with wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams making great catches that led to two touchdowns. The Seahawks responded by recovering a fumbled punt and scoring a touchdown immediately after. Former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp also added a touchdown for Seattle. By the end of the third quarter, Seattle led 31-27, a score that held until the end as their defense stopped the Rams from scoring late in the fourth quarter.

The upcoming Super Bowl LX matchup between the Patriots and Seahawks is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX in February 2015, in which the Brady and Belichick-led Patriots narrowly beat the Seahawks 28-24 following a last-second interception of Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson at the Patriots’ goal line.

Super Bowl LX will kick off at 6:30 p.m. EST on February 8 and will air on NBC, the Peacock streaming service, and Telemundo (for the Spanish-language broadcast).