Denver Broncos · Franchise era 6 of 7
Peyton's final act: the Denver Broncos story
Franchise era
2012—2015
Peyton's final act
Denver Broncos
The story in one sentence
Manning directed the highest-scoring offense in league history before Miller and an elite defense carried Denver to victory in Super Bowl 50.
A record offense gives way to a title defense
Peyton Manning, Von Miller and Demaryius Thomas gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the quarterback carousel.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2012
What came before
Denver remained competitive and reached the 2005 AFC title game, then a run of instability ended with Tim Tebow's brief, unforgettable playoff moment.
2014-02-02
Super Bowl: Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos
2016-01-24
Conference Championship: New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos
2016-02-07
Super Bowl: Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos
After 2015
What came next
The defense remained capable after Manning retired, but repeated quarterback and coaching changes turned the search for a successor into the era's central story.
The core