The Denver Broncos pulled off one of the most improbable comebacks in NFL history Sunday, edging the New York Giants 33-32. But cornerback Pat Surtain II added drama off the field with a pointed social media jab at the officials.

The drama intensified when in the fourth quarter of the game, Riley Moss was flagged for defensive pass interference in the end zone on the Giants’ next possession. Coupled with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on coach Sean Payton, this gave New York the ball on Denver’s 1-yard line. Dart sneaked it in for a touchdown, putting the Giants ahead 32-30 with 37 seconds to play.

It was at this moment that Surtain II weighed in publicly. Replying with three words to retired Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman’s tweet about Moss’ call, Surtain tweeted on X, “They were abysmal!! But got the dub regardless …”

The NFL prohibits public criticism of officials. It states in its annual policy manual that such comments are ‘subject to fines and/or suspensions.’ Discipline in these cases is often flexible. Context matters. While they have issued the fines, the league typically moves slower on verbal critiques than on-field violations like taunting or dangerous hits.

The Broncos had trailed 19-0 at the end of the third quarter. Their offense struggling and their usually dominant defense being carved up by Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Who threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Denver hadn’t scored until the final frame. Punting six times in their first nine possessions.

Then, Bo Nix and company went to work. The quarterback opened the fourth with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin, followed by a successful two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 19-8 with 14:08 to play. “I was thinking about how I was going to answer questions if we got shut out,” Nix said. “Once we scored and got the 2-point conversion, it was like we knew how to play again.”

The Giants responded immediately. A tipped pass from Dart found tight end Theo Johnson, who raced 41 yards for a touchdown, extending New York’s lead to 26-8 with 10:14 left.

But Denver’s comeback was far from over. A 13-play, 74-yard touchdown drive, capped by another two-point conversion, brought the Broncos within ten. Then linebacker Justin Strnad made a key interception on third-and-5 at the Broncos’ 35, returning it to the Giants’ 19. Four plays later, Denver scored again, cutting the lead to 26-23.

Momentum was now fully with Denver. A three-and-out by the Giants allowed Nix to orchestrate a six-play, 68-yard drive. Finishing with an 18-yard touchdown run to take a 30-26 lead with 1:51 remaining.

Nix led a final drive starting at their own 32 with just over two minutes left. Despite facing a third-and-11 early in the drive, he found Marvin Mims Jr. for 29 yards. And then connected with Evan Engram for 20 more. An 18-yard scramble by Nix set up kicker Will Lutz, who drilled a 39-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the win.

Broncos’ fourth-quarter frenzy turns stunning comeback into history

The victory was historic. The Broncos scored 33 points in a single quarter. The most in franchise history and just one shy of the NFL record of 34. Nix became the first player in NFL history to rush for two touchdowns and throw for two in a single final quarter. Denver overcame an 18-point deficit with just 6:38 remaining, a feat that had never been accomplished before.

“It was crazy. I’m still geeked,” linebacker Nik Bonitto admitted. “I’ve never been down by that much and be able to come back.” Surtain added, “We fought to the end. In this league, no matter how much you’re down, there’s always a will, and there’s always a way.”

The Broncos’ fourth-quarter explosion included multiple clutch plays. Nix hitting Marvin Mims for 29 yards, finding Courtland Sutton for 22, and finishing drives efficiently even with the clock dwindling. Seven different players scored or recorded key yardage in the final frame, exemplifying Denver’s resilience and depth.

For the Giants, it was a bitter defeat. With the win, Denver improves to 5-2 and now sets its sights on a showdown with Dallas next week. What happened Sunday was more than just a comeback. It was a reminder that in the NFL, no lead is safe, and no game is over until the final whistle.