Denver Broncos · Franchise era 5 of 7
Searching after Elway: the Denver Broncos story
Franchise era
1999—2011
Searching after Elway
Denver Broncos
The story in one sentence
Denver remained competitive and reached the 2005 AFC title game, then a run of instability ended with Tim Tebow's brief, unforgettable playoff moment.
Good defenses and changing quarterbacks
Champ Bailey, Rod Smith and Jake Plummer gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for peyton's final act.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1999
What came before
Mike Shanahan's run game and Davis's postseason dominance gave Elway the balance needed to win consecutive Super Bowls.
2006-01-14
Divisional Round: New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos
2006-01-22
Conference Championship: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos
2012-01-08
Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos
After 2011
What came next
Manning directed the highest-scoring offense in league history before Miller and an elite defense carried Denver to victory in Super Bowl 50.
The core