Broncos' last Super Bowl win: Revisiting Denver team that beat Panthers with historic defense, Peyton Manning

The Denver Broncos were one of the NFL's most prominent franchises in the early 2010s, when the arrival of Peyton Manning helped turn the team into a force in the AFC.

Once Manning retired, the wheels fell off. The Broncos struggled to find a solution at quarterback, and they went eight consecutive seasons without a playoff berth as they cycled through different combinations of players and coaches.

Under Sean Payton, the Broncos have figured out what works. Denver has rebuilt its defense into one of the NFL's best, and Bo Nix appears to be here to stay as the team's long-term quarterback even after suffering a season-ending injury in the divisional round.

Now, can the Broncos climb the mountaintop and win another championship?

Here's a look back at Denver's last Super Bowl win.

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When was the Broncos' last Super Bowl win?

The Broncos last won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2015 season, a decade before their 2025 playoff run. Denver defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Denver's championship run is synonymous with Peyton Manning's ride off into the sunset, but it was the defense that set the tone for the Broncos all season long. Denver allowed the fewest yards of any team in the NFL, holding teams to an average of 199.6 passing yards per game and just 3.3 rushing yards per attempt, both NFL-best marks. 

With Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware coming off the edge plus Malik Jackson constantly disrupting from the interior, the Broncos made a habit of swarming quarterbacks. That made the AFC championship game the perfect opportunity, as a New England Patriots team that didn't lose a single game until late November (against the Broncos, notably) entered with a depleted offensive line that got swallowed up by Miller and the Denver pass-rush.

The Broncos held off a Patriots comeback effort to win the AFC title, and they won as underdogs in Super Bowl 50 against a Panthers team that finished the regular season 15-1.

Super Bowl 50
February 7, 2016

With four minutes remaining, MVP Von Miller strip-sacks Carolina's Cam Newton, who hesitates when attempting to recover his own fumble.

The #Broncos' TJ Ward recovers and, four plays later, Denver scores to ice #BroncosCountry's third Super Bowl… pic.twitter.com/yd2lV96EI9

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 7, 2025

During the regular season, quarterback questions mounted. Manning struggled considerably, throwing nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions in nine starts before going out with a foot injury. Brock Osweiler held onto the starting job until the final game of the season, when Manning replaced him mid-game and slid back into the starting role in the playoffs.

For the Broncos' front office, the Super Bowl win was a validation of their tough decision to part ways with coach John Fox after the 2014 season. Gary Kubiak and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips set the tone in their first season in Denver, and the defense propelled the Broncos to their first championship since 1998.

MORE: Can Broncos win the Super Bowl without Bo Nix?

Who was the Broncos quarterback in 2015?

Peyton Manning was in his final season as the Broncos' quarterback when they won Super Bowl 50. After a tumultuous season for himself but the perfect ending, retirement made all the sense in the world for the legendary quarterback, and he announced about in early March that he was calling it a career. 

Manning finished the season with nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions, but he took better care of the ball in the playoffs, seemingly understanding his limitations, and the defense took care of the rest. 

MORE: Inside Sean Payton's playoff record as head coach

2015 Broncos Super Bowl roster

Here's a look at the Broncos' full 53-man roster for Super Bowl 50, by position: