While history will tell us whether it’s true or not, it’s hard to imagine another there’s another player in the NFL who could have done what Denver Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian did in his team’s overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round.
It was in overtime that McMillian made a play for the ages, when he managed to wrestle a deep pass from NFL MVP Josh Allen away from wide receiver Brandin Cooks as the 2 smashed into the turf and tumbled along the ground.
McMillian’s interception — a play that will be dissected for time eternal — gave the ball back to the Broncos and set up a 24-yard, game-winning field goal from Wil Lutz.
“You’ll go 5-10 years without seeing a turnover like that,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said following the game. “It was a tremendous play.”
While the rest of the football world may have just met McMillian because of his interception, which boosted the Broncos into Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, for the fourth-year undrafted free agent it’s been a long time coming.
McMillian Unlikely Prize in Free Agency
McMillian put up big numbers in college at East Carolina, where he was a 2-time All-AAC pick in 2020 and 2021 and earned All-American honors in 2021.
His size, at 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds and his speed, at a less-than-ideal 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash, kept him from being selected in the 2022 NFL draft.
While McMillian spent most of 2022 on the practice squad and only played in 1 regular season game, he’s played in 51 out of 52 possible regular season games the last 3 seasons, including 16 starts.
Pro Football Focus singled McMillian out as Denver’s highest-graded free agent headed into the 2026 cycle, which could mean to an unexpected payday for him this offseason.
“Denver’s defense is extraordinarily deep and talented, which can leave a good player like McMillian overshadowed,” PFF’s Bradley Locker wrote. “The slot cornerback has enjoyed a career year at the ideal time, generating a career high in overall (80.3) and PFF coverage (78.4) grades right before his contract expires. The divisional round hero has played like one of the better corners on the inside this year, slotting second among 14 qualifiers in snaps per target (10.6) and passer rating when targeted (67.3).”
McMillian Outplayed First Round Pick in 2025
Perhaps the most telling example of McMillian’s value to the Broncos this season comes from pointing out that he outplayed and displaced 2025 first round pick (No. 20 overall) and cornerback Jahdae Barron, who the Broncos gave every chance to carve out a role this season.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz singled Barron out as the team’s “Biggest Weakness” headed into the postseason, and specifically in regard to how Barron has struggled in his role at slot cornerback.
“Denver has one of the NFL’s best defenses this season, led by a vicious pass rush that leads the league in sacks (64),” Schatz wrote. “However, if opponents can get a pass off, they can take advantage of Jahdae Barron. Denver ranks only 27th in DVOA against passes to slot receivers, allowing 7.6 yards per attempt. The good news for the Broncos is that only two AFC playoff teams rank in the top 10 in the number of pass attempts to slot receivers this season: the Chargers and themselves.”
‘Overshadowed’ Broncos Playoff Star Called Top-Notch Free Agent