ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos officially ruled out running back J.K. Dobbins for the AFC Championship Game last Friday, but he said there was still talk on Sunday about him playing.

Dobbins suffered torn ligaments in his left foot Nov. 6 and had surgery shortly thereafter. He was designated for return from injured reserve last Monday and was back at practice for three days during the week before Sunday’s 10-7 loss to New England at Empower Field at Mile High.

“It was very close,’’ Dobbins said Monday about being able to play against the Patriots. “There was even discussions about me playing (Sunday), but this organization is so good, so great to me, and they want to be right by me. So we decided to not go out there. I wanted to go out there. Like I wish I could have.”

Had the Broncos won and made the Super Bowl, Dobbins said that “100%” he would be playing.

Dobbins was Denver’s leading rusher during the regular season with 772 yards in just 10 games before he was hurt. Without him, the Broncos’ running attack often sputtered. It certainly did Sunday, with Denver’s running backs having just 19 carries for 55 yards.

“(The loss) was tough,’’ said Dobbins, speaking to the media at Broncos Park for the first time since his injury. “We weren’t successful on the ground and I just tell (the running backs that) you got to go back to the film and don’t worry about what the outside people say. … I could have helped really good (Sunday), but it was not in God’s plans.”

Dobbins, though, hopes he can help the Broncos in the future. Dobbins, who is due to become a free agent in March, had said on Oct. 30, a week before his injury, that he wanted to be with the Broncos for the remainder of his career. He reiterated that Monday.

“I’m a Bronco,’’ said Dobbins, a six-year veteran who signed a one-year, $2.065 million deal with Denver last June. “I’m a Buckeye (after playing at Ohio State) and I’m a Bronco. I wasn’t drafted here but do firmly believe that I’m a Bronco. Love everyone here. … I think that I’ll be here. Hopefully, I will and I think I’m a Bronco for life.”

Dobbins vowed he will be “way better” next season following his injury. He was hurt Nov. 6 against Las Vegas when he was tackled by defensive lineman Tyree Wilson. He complained afterward on social media about it being an illegal hip-drop tackle, but no penalty was called and Wilson was not fined by the NFL.

“Stupid hip-drop tackle how many weeks ago it was,’’ Dobbins said. “That’s what put me out. I can’t control it. But what I can control is how I come back and my resume speaks for itself and I will be back better than ever.”

Dobbins has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. After rushing for 805 yards as a Baltimore rookie in 2020, he played in just nine games over the next three seasons due to suffering a torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon.

“Everybody’s talking about me like I’m injury prone,’’ he said. “I don’t think I’m injury prone. I think when you’re injury prone you get hurt any way possible but things I’ve had are called unfortunate events.”

Dobbins said he had surgery for his Lisfranc injury “like two days” after he was hurt. He was injured late in the third quarter and left the game before returning late in the fourth quarter to carry the ball five times in Denver’s 10-7 win on “Thursday Night Football.”

“(Medical officials) were all telling me they’ve never seen anybody finish the game like that,’’ Dobbins said. “I just wanted to win the game.”

With that in mind, it was tough for Dobbins not being able to help the Broncos win Sunday.

“I wasn’t there for them, so that it hurts,’’ he said. “It hurts to not be out there and help the team win.”

By returning to practice last week, Dobbins said he “wouldn’t call it rushing back.” He said he was “doing what the body was allowing me do.”

“Our trainers were really good, like the doctors and everybody was on the same page,’’ he said of his recovery. “I spent hours and hours in the hyperbaric chamber and all that kind of stuff just trying to get back as fast as I could.”

Dobbins said he was impressed with the support he got from the Broncos when he was hurt. He made note of owner Greg Penner, coach Sean Payton, running backs coach Lou Ayeni and teammates.

“There were things I would ask Mr. Penner, and he would get it to us,’’ Dobbins said. “He would get it to me.”

Put it all together and Dobbins wants to be on Denver’s roster in 2026. After all, on Monday he said five times, “I’m a Bronco.”