Bills wide receiver insists he caught ball that refs controversially ruled an interception in playoff loss

Buffalo Bills wide Brandin Cooks said that helium caught what yet turned into a arguable interception successful the Denver Broncos’ overtime triumph connected Saturday night.

Cooks, 32, had the shot taken distant from him by Broncos antiaircraft backmost Ja’Quan McMillan aft helium seemingly completed the catch. The referees ruled it an interception, taking the shot distant from the Bills.

"At the extremity of the day, it was a catch. Not conscionable what it looked like, similar you said, but what it felt like," Cooks said during a caller quality connected NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football."

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Ja'Quan McMillian of the Denver Broncos intercepts a walk intended for Brandin Cooks of the Buffalo Bills during overtime successful the AFC divisional playoff crippled astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High successful Denver, Colorado, connected Jan. 17, 2026. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

"You spot examples passim the league each year, successful erstwhile years, and you like, hold a minute, if that was the catch, past there's a no-brainer that this was the catch. But I deliberation erstwhile you look backmost astatine it, the clip that was spent connected it to reappraisal it wasn't enough."

Cooks lamented the deficiency of clip that was spent connected the review, fixed the magnitude of the call. If it was ruled a catch, it would person moved the Bills into tract extremity scope with a accidental to triumph the crippled connected a kick. Instead, the interception gave the Broncos the shot backmost to their discourtesy with a accidental to triumph the game.

"The archetypal happening you deliberation about, well, it's overtime, truthful we can't situation it. And so, erstwhile the timeout happens, I'm like, okay, there's anticipation here," Cooks said.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian intercepts a walk intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks during overtime of an AFC divisional circular playoff crippled astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

"Like, OK, they're astir to instrumentality a look astatine this thing, and get it right. And that's what's going done my mind, right? The discourtesy is marching retired determination for Denver. Like, wait, clasp on. You know, that timeout is going to get them immoderate clip to beryllium capable to, you know, look this through. Clearly, they didn't look it done capable and, you know, present we are."

What frustrated Cooks further, is that helium was definite that helium held onto the shot and made what could person been the game-winning catch.

"(My) genu hit, enarthrosis hit, backmost hit, immoderate the lawsuit whitethorn be, my hands ne'er near that ball, right? The different happening is the necktie goes to offense, but I truly consciousness successful my bosom of hearts that I caught that shot and ,you know, it doesn't substance present what I deliberation oregon what I know," Cooks said.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) reacts aft intercepting a walk intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks (18) during overtime of an NFL divisional circular playoff shot crippled successful Denver, Colorado, connected Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

After the crushing playoff defeat, the Bills fired caput manager Sean McDermott. Bills proprietor Terry Pegula told reporters connected Wednesday that his determination to occurrence McDermott was based connected the results of the team’s 33-30 overtime nonaccomplishment to the Broncos on Sunday.

Cooks signed with the Bills successful precocious November to assistance bolster their wide receiving corps. In 5 regular play games with the Bills, helium caught 5 passes for 114 yards. In 2 playoff games, Cooks caught 5 passes for 78 yards.

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