A return to relevance: What a Super Bowl berth would mean for the modern Broncos

For nearly a decade, the Denver Broncos have been chasing a feeling they once took for granted. The confetti, the parades, the certainty that postseason football at Mile High meant something bigger was on the line.

That feeling disappeared the moment Peyton Manning walked off the field after Super Bowl 50. Since then, Denver has cycled through quarterbacks, coaches, and rebuilds, searching for identity again. Now, one win away from the Super Bowl, the Broncos are closer than they’ve been in years to officially closing the book on their post-Manning wilderness.

Life after Peyton in Denver

Since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February 2016, the Broncos have tried and failed to replicate stability at the most important position. Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, Drew Lock, Russell Wilson...each arrived with expectations, but none delivered sustained success.

Along with the quarterback carousel, the Broncos made coaching changes and philosophy changes. But they never replicated the playoff success they had back then. It wasn’t until last season that Denver made its first playoff appearance again. But even that was a one-and-done situation. Not this season...this season, they were the No. 1 seed in the AFC and are playing in an AFC Championship game that feels different. The Broncos have a chance to finally prove they can win again without Manning.

The Denver defense has set the tone this season, playing fast and physical. The roster isn’t fancy, but the team knows how to survive and close games. And now, with Jarrett Stidham stepping into the spotlight at the most unexpected time, Denver finds itself with a quarterback story that mirrors the team itself: overlooked, doubted, and suddenly relevant.

If the Broncos beat the New England Patriots on Sunday and reach the Super Bowl, the conversation around the franchise shifts immediately. Gone would be the talk of “rebuilding” and living in the past. Instead, they would re-enter the league’s inner circle of teams that expect to compete every year, regardless of who’s under center.

The Broncos and Patriots kick off at 3 p.m. ET from Empower Field at Mile High. You can follow along with all our live coverage of the game right here on AS USA.

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