A former Denver Broncos special teams player has reached a settlement with the NFL … after suing the league for its role in a season-ending knee injury he suffered during a game in 2022.

TMZ Sports broke the story — Aaron Patrick tore his ACL in overtime of the Broncos and L.A. Chargers’ “Monday Night Football” contest at SoFi Stadium after stepping on a mat in order to avoid colliding with an NFL official positioned on the sidelines.

The mat was placed on the turf to cover cords and cables for the league’s instant replay monitors … but Patrick claimed his foot got caught in it, causing his knee to bend awkwardly.

The 28-year-old pointed the finger at the NFL, L.A. Chargers, ESPN and even the mat company after the incident … claiming his ailment could have been avoided.

He sued for unspecified damages, including lost bonuses and future earning potential … and earlier this week, a conditional settlement was reached with all parties named in the lawsuit.

The terms of the deal are unclear.

Patrick’s attorney, William M. Berman tells us his client is happy to put this chapter behind him and get back to playing.

10:55 AM PT — Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … Michelle Trachtenberg’s body may have rejected the liver transplant she received within the last year, causing complications. We’re told Michelle’s mother found her.

Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in “Gossip Girl” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died.

Police sources confirmed the shocking news to TMZ, though the exact cause of her death remains unclear. We’re told police and paramedics responded to a call for a woman in cardiac arrest, and found Michelle unresponsive. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

A separate source tells us the actress had received a liver transplant recently … meaning within the last year. At this point, police reportedly believe she died of natural causes.

We’re told Michelle was out with friends Thursday night of last week at Sartiano’s in NYC.

In recent months, she had posted photos where fans felt she appeared gaunt and frail.

In another post, she made it clear she never had plastic surgery, and was “happy and healthy.”

Michelle rose to fame as a child star in “Harriet the Spy” — later becoming a household name in her role as Dawn Summers on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” then took on the Upper East Side as Georgina Sparks in “Gossip Girl.”

A rep for Michelle tells TMZ … “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time.”

The NY Post was first to report her death.

Michelle was 39.

Michelle Trachtenberg’s untimely death at 39 has sent shockwaves through her fans and colleagues — and her former “Gossip Girl” costar Ed Westwick has posted a tribute to the star.

In a heartfelt post on his IG Story Wednesday, Ed shared a pic of Michelle as Georgina Sparks from the popular teen drama series … captioning it, “So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg.”

He added “sending prayers” with the prayer hand and a white heart emoji.