The Buffalo Bills’ 2025 season came to a sudden and heartbreaking end this past Saturday night in Denver against the Broncos. Following a 33–30 overtime loss in the Divisional Round, Josh Allen’s team is now entering an offseason filled with difficult questions. For many of the team’s veteran players, the primary focus has shifted to whether they will return for another year or choose to retire from the NFL.

Among those facing a major career crossroads is veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. After 11 seasons in the league, the 33-year-old informed ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg that he is seriously considering retirement in 2026. While he hasn’t concluded, Phillips has made his intentions clear: if he decides to lace up his shoes for one more season, he will only do so as a member of the Buffalo Bills.

“Bills DT Jordan Phillips is leaving the door open to playing again next year. Not positive yet if he will, but once again, it would only be for the Bills.” Alaina wrote on her X handle.

This ‘Buffalo or nothing’ mentality underscores the profound connection Phillips has forged with the city and its fans over the years. Originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2015, Phillips has had three separate stints with the Bills, consistently returning to the team after spells with the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

His loyalty has made him a staple of the roster, having played about 72 of his 140 career games in a Buffalo uniform.

Statistically, Phillips has been a reliable interior presence, recording 25.0 career sacks, with 14.5 of those coming during his time in Buffalo. However, the end of the 2025 season was a personal disappointment for the veteran; a foot injury forced him onto the injured reserve list, leaving him unable to play in either of the team’s postseason games.

As the Bills look toward the future, the organization will have to weigh the value of Phillips’ veteran leadership against his recent injury struggles. With some free time now, both the player and the team have time to figure out if there is a place for him on the 2026 roster. For now, the decision rests with Phillips. And while roster questions loom, the season’s ending left a deeper emotional mark.

Their loss was deemed controversial due to a pivotal overtime interception that swung the game. On Buffalo’s only possession in the extra period, Josh Allen’s third-down pass to Brandin Cooks was ruled an interception by Ja’Quan McMillian, despite Cooks appearing to secure the ball as his knee hit the ground. The ruling was based on officials determining that Cooks did not complete the process of the catch.

Officials ruled Cooks did not complete the process of the catch, a decision Sean McDermott openly questioned after the game, particularly the lack of an extended review. Denver took possession and quickly drove into field-goal range to seal the 33–30 overtime win.

The disputed call only deepened the emotional weight of the loss, especially for the quarterback who had carried Buffalo all season.

Josh Allen gets emotional after missing out on a chance in the postseason

Empower Field was glowing for one of the most exciting games of the 2026 NFL playoffs. In a thrilling overtime finish, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos came out on top, leaving Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills with a painful loss.

After the game, a tearful Josh Allen didn’t make excuses. Despite the tough loss, he stood before the media and took full blame for the result, noting that it is impossible to win when a team turns the ball over five times. 

“I let my teammates down tonight. … It’s been a long season. Hate how it ended. This is gonna stick with me for a long time. Can’t win with 5 turnovers,” Allen said.

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While Allen was hard on himself, his teammates rushed to his defense. Right tackle Spencer Brown made it clear that the team wouldn’t even have a chance to win a game without Allen leading them. This sentiment was solidified by former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci, who praised Allen’s honesty.

“That’s leadership,” Mariucci concluded. “That’s why this city and this team loves this kid. And yeah he had a tough game, but he admitted it. That’s going to happen to all great NFL quarterbacks at times.”

If we are to look at the stats of the game, then we will be able to understand what Allen means and why the game was such a rollercoaster. Allen threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns while adding 66 yards on the ground. However, his performance was overshadowed by two interceptions and two very costly fumbles in the second half. These mistakes ultimately kept the Bills from moving forward in the postseason.

Allen will turn 30 this offseason, and while he is still in the prime of his career, the loss serves as a reminder that time moves quickly in the NFL. The Bills will now head into the spring looking to regroup. 

Their goal remains the same: to get another chance to run for the Super Bowl title later in 2026.